Lairs – time for re-evaluation?
Posted by Vale Have you ever thought about the rateable value of cemeteries and burial grounds? The Scottish Assessors Association have. They offer information about how sites and locations should be valued and have some fascinating guidance for cemeteries, churchyards, graveyards and necropolises. A guidance note advises that: The recommended rate is £110 per […]
Grammatical quote of the day
I am about to — or I am going to — die: either expression is correct. ~~ Dominique Bouhours, French grammarian, d. 1702
The house is not the same since you left
Posted by celebrant Evelyn Temple THE HOUSE IS NOT THE SAME SINCE YOU LEFT BY HENRY NORMAL The house is not the same since you left The cooker is angry – it blames me The TV tries desperately to stay busy But occasionally I catch it staring out of the window The washing-up’s […]
Quote of the day
“Am I dying or is this my birthday?” Lady Nancy Astor, d. 1964 When she woke briefly during her last illness and found all her family around her bedside.
Thoughts of a funeral-goer
Posted by Lyra Mollington I had been determined to talk to my family about my funeral, but as Easter Sunday progressed it was becoming increasingly clear that there wasn’t going to be a suitable lull in the conversation. Our family, especially the grandchildren, are talkers. They certainly don’t take after Grandpa. Mr Mollington has to […]
The ride of death
Posted by Vale As the government launches its health and safety ‘myth squad’ we look back to the days when public health documents didn’t mince their words. Prepare for the Ride of Death: This manual for bike riders identified the risk these innocent youngsters faced as they rode their bicycles with ghoulish relish: You can […]
Dying without witnesses
Posted by Vale It happens so often: you sit with someone for hours or, sometimes, days yet the person you have accompanied with so much love and care chooses to die the moment you leave the room. This is Dianne Fahey’s poem about the experience. (i) We, your children, were there In other rooms And […]
The first f***
Posted by Vale A favourite – even hackneyed – funeral song. The words really work though – and it’s the only possible accompaniment to this short video of some of the tributes at Graham Chapman’s memorial service. Was this – as John Cleese claims – really the first f*** at a memorial service? Some things […]
What caused Mozart’s death?
Mozart’s health has fascinated observers for over two hundred years. The documents have examined to reveal every available medical detail. Any mention of a cough or an ache has been minutely analysed for evidence about the diseases he suffered and the mystery illness that killed him at the tender age of 35. But is this […]
All things bright and beautiful?
Posted by Belinda Forbes The sun is shining again here in leafy Berkshire. The mourners no longer need to huddle for warmth in the crematorium waiting room. The cruel winter wind that has been whipping across the chapel entrance is now a gentle breeze. Unfortunately, I’m allergic to tree pollen so it’s not all good news. Although I […]
