Am I the only one?

[The Creeping Spleen]

Thank you for the kind words Henrysix, much appreciated.

[banjo]

deepest condolences to you and yours spleen on the passing of your mother.

[The Creeping Spleen]

Many thanks Banjo.

[Henrysix]

If your up to it I would be interested to hear what the ceremony plans are, have you thought about saying a few words, you don’t have to, but you might wish you did in the future, how’s about a wee poem for her!

I did a piece on TIME by Harvey Mackay for my wee mother Mary

[The Creeping Spleen]

We're set for 3pm on Tuesday at Greenock Crematorium. Things being what they are, we're limited to twenty people at the service maximum (although the funeral director did say that if there's one or two over the limit, a blind eye will be turned).

I sent my brother a couple of wee humorous anecdotes about mum. No idea if they'll be used during the service.

The Spreadsheet Newspaper

It was a couple of days after New Year. Our first without dad as I recall.

It was quite a bad winter, snow and ice on the ground, bitterly cold, very windy.

I'd volunteered to brave the extreme weather conditions and go to the shops for milk and so on.

"Would you like a newspaper, mum?" I asked. The Greenock Telegraph wasn't published that day.

"Yes," she replied, "But not one of those big spreadsheet ones."

It took me a moment to work out what she meant.

"You mean a broadsheet?"

"What did I say?"

"Spreadsheet."

"Is that different?"

"Yes mum, that's different."

Thankfully she took my word for it, and I eventually got her a copy of that day's Daily Record.


Wheelie Bin Day

Mum could be very particular about some things. The position of our wheelie bin for example, she liked it to go in one or two specific spots so she could see it from the kitchen window.

On Thursday afternoons, she'd be peeping out of the front window, checking how far away the bin lorry was, giving me chapter and verse on its progress.

"It's four streets away."

"Right mum." I'd start getting myself ready.

A minute or two later, "Three streets away."

"Right mum."

"Hurry up, we'll miss our place."

"Hurrying up mum."

"They're nearly at the close door."

If I'm honest, I was getting a tiny bit fed up by this time.

"Would you like me to go down and snatch the bin out of the guy's hands, mum?" I asked.

She bit her lip and thought about it for a moment or two - I could see in her eyes she desperately wanted to say yes - before deciding, "No... Just wait a wee minute until they're away."


Music we decided on is "By Cool Siloam's Shady Rill" for entry music (being honest I think it's a bit of a dirge, but it's one of mum's favourites, so there).

Couple of hymns "Love Divine All Loves Excelling", and "The Lord's My Shepherd".

Then "Highland Cathedral" as retiral music.

After that, it's back to the Tontine Hotel for a feed and a couple of drinkies.

[Henrysix]

It all sounds beautifully organised with lots of love and care - well done!

I am precious about my bins as well, DONT want someone else’s, good on her, my bin men won’t collect my recycling bin if there is a millimetre of the wrong stuff in it, so I’m with your mammy!

[The Creeping Spleen]

Another time she was keeking out the window, checking the binmen, and one guy spotted her.

He tapped his mate on the shoulder, pointed up at our window and the two of them made binocular motions with their hands.

Mum was rather embarrassed to say the least.

[Henrysix]

My mother used to sit out on the window ledge with her arse oot and legs in and clean top and bottom windows in the fourth floor of a tenement hanging out over the Gorbals Cross - fearless but the windows were spotless, she used to do the steps weekly in the close!

[The Creeping Spleen]

Then there was the time she got "Lord of the Rings" mixed up with "Lord of the Flies".

She was a wee dat wumman, drove me up the wall sometimes, but I loved her dearly.

[Henrysix]

Classic saying “Mother Glasgow Gives Fortitudeto Her Children” I really believe that, the first copper who booked me for speeding regretted it, she chased him doon the road and he never did come back to check my licence, tax, insurance - she was 4 foot 8 and he was 6 foot 3, it was ok they were all in the post offisher!

[The Creeping Spleen]

It doesn't matter how old you get, you can be married for twenty odd years, have a couple of kids, a successful career, a big hoose and all the trimmings.

You will never, never, stop being her wean.

[Henrysix]

There ye go, how lucky was I and you my friend, now we carry on and we look after ours!

[Dot]

The Creeping Spleen,

Sounds like you have a good choice of music picked out for Tuesday.
You can't go wrong with 'Highland Cathedral' and the hymns are good too.

Sorry to hear of your loss and hope all goes smoothly for you.
Your Mum is getting a good send off by the sound of things and don't let relatives or others upset you.

When my Mum passed away I had a relative left me a voicemail complaining they couldn't get hold of me and needed to make arrangements to attend funeral. I was very busy arranging things and left them a voicemail to say as soon as I had
a date and time I'd be in touch.

My Mum wanted to be cremated so we had church service first as she was quite religious and crematorium afterwards.

Look after yourself.

[The Creeping Spleen]

We're not a particularly religious family, although mum watched "Songs of Praise" religiously (no pun intended).

The last time I set foot in a church for a religious purpose was five years or so ago for an uncle's funeral.

My brother's asked his youngest daughter to play her flute in accompaniment to one of the hymns, no idea if she's doing it though.

[mercury]

Condolences.