Family

Today was Jon's Uncle Sid's funeral. A sad day for the Pratt family.

The service was held in St Cutherts Church, just a short walk from my mums, so Jon and I left mum at 1 and walked down to join the rest of the family.

I have never been in the church, yet grew up with it being the closest to home. I was struck by the vibrant but modern stained glass window, which you face from the pews. The service was lovely. A friendly vicar who gave an enlightening eulogy, with some comical facts that sum Sid up well. As a family, Jon's was a very close one as they grew up. His mum being one of 6 siblings, and Sid as the eldest very much kept the family together. With his many cousins and grandparents, they enjoyed lots of big family holidays. So it was nice for him (& me) to catch up with lots of those cousins. Sadly, there have been a several funerals in the last 5 years, and today there was a general agreement that we must organise a happy get together when the weather improves.

From the church we drove to the cemetery where Sid was buried. While there, we visited Jon's nan and grandad's grave and I left some yellow daffodils. They are for all of our grandparents- even those we never knew. My nanna died 30 years ago today. She doesn't have a grave, but I thought this fitting.

A social gathering in The Sun pub in Hoddesdon followed. It was never a 'regular' of ours back in the day, but nice and familiar as nothing much has changed in the last 30 years. There we caught up with lots of cousins, plus Jenny who had driven Win. Sadly Jon's dad wasn't up to the journey, but it was nice to see Jon's mum spending time with her remaining brother Mike, and sister in law and their lovely girls. They all love their Aunty Win but with such a distance between them, have seldom opportunities for quality time together. Let's hope we can rectify that this summer. Sadly the time came to part company, so with hugs all round and promises that we will do something again soon, we left Hoddesdon.

The photo is of Jon's grandparents grave, where his great gran, is also buried, along with the ashes of his Aunt and two Uncles. And the daffodils. I will add it to my family history.

We dropped in on Manda for a cup of tea and an hour brief catch up on our way through. Funerals remind you how important your family are, and how precious is time.

Now we are on the road home. ETA 8.20...but that will be a bit later as a McD stop for dinner is probably on the cards.