Thoughts of a funeral-goer
Posted by Lyra Mollington We were both in sombre mood as we travelled back along the M4 in Myra’s bright yellow Honda Jazz. We’d had a slight tiff as we viewed the flowers after Trevor’s funeral. Whilst I was keen to go back to the house for light refreshments, Myra was going on about the […]
Thy fibres net the dreamless head
Old Yew, which graspest at the stones That name the under-lying dead, Thy fibres net the dreamless head, Thy roots are wrapt about the bones. The seasons bring the flower again, And bring the firstling to the flock; &; in the dusk of thee, the clock Beats out the little lives of men. O, not […]
Victorian deathmyths
Here’s a collection of Victorian superstitions around death and funerals. Of course, everyone didn’t believe all of them but, even so, it’s remarkable (perhaps) how few have survived. If the deceased has lived a good life, flowers would bloom on his grave; but if he has been evil, only weeds would grow. If several deaths […]
Bad teeth
We like this account of the dangers posed by mercury emissions from crematoria: Mercury is an odd element. It is a metal, yet liquid at ambient temperature and it is very volatile, easily becoming a gas. Keep in mind mercury is an element, therefore cannot be destroyed. When mercury is emitted from the stack of […]
Top tips for funeral shoppers
Josh Slocum, Executive Director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance in the USA, is a major hero to all who toil at the GFG-Batesville Tower. Here he is talking on the telly about funeral pricing and home funerals. It’s interesting to note the similarities with the British funeral industry, in particular consumers’ disapproval of the marking […]
People are still dying of old age. What are the damn medics doing about it?
Extracts from an excellent article in the Washington Post: I know where this phone call is going. I’m on the hospital wards, and a physician in the emergency room downstairs is talking to me about an elderly patient who needs to be admitted to the hospital. The patient is new to me, but the story is […]
Quote of the day
“People come to you and say ‘Do you mind if I ask you how old you are?’ And you say ‘no’. It’s as if they want to say ‘Will you show me your arse?’ It’s some weird idea that it’s shameful to be old, something that is sick and smells bad instead of a source […]
Is Fear Killing Compassion for Older People?
Posted by Jon Underwood, founder of the Death Café project “In this case, ignorance is not bliss. With death, ignorance is fear.” Caitlin Doughty – The Order of the Good Death The UK Commission on Improving Dignity in Care chose the 29th of February to drop their bombshell in the form of a draft report on how to […]
Who knows where the time goes?
Posted by Vale Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving But how can they know it’s time for them to go? Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming I have no thought of time For who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes? Sad, deserted shore, your […]
Quote of the day
Posted by Vale “You’d better get busy, though, buddy. The goddamn sands run out on you every time you turn around. I know what I’m talking about. You’re lucky if you get time to sneeze in this goddamn phenomenal world. … I used to worry about that. I don’t worry about it very much […]
