Nana's funeral

It's been over a week since my beautiful, strong and courageous Nana took her last breath .. it's so hard to believe she has gone and that I'll no longer be able to pop up and see her and nut out the world's news stories and goings on around the place ..and share what's happening around here.

I miss her soooo much ..

The service for her funeral was on Tuesday and was beautiful.. and I have a feeling she would have loved all her family and friends being all together and the way they all banded together in the end ..

I scanned a heap of photos and with Mum's help made up 2 photo boards .. one with B & W and the other colour and more recent photos ..

We sang "How great thou art" first and then I read Psalm 23 ...

We had a Eulogy by my Mum's Uncle Albert .. he is 94 .. he is lovely and has such a great sense of humour .. then Mum's cousin Dean did a Eulogy and it was lovely.

Then we listened to Maria Elena by Jim Reeves- Pop sang the songs word for word .. just like he did when he sang to Nana just after she passed away .. talk about beautiful!

Maria Elena
You're the answer to a prayer
Maria Elena
Can't you see how much I care?
To me your voice is like the echo of a sigh
And when you're near my heart can't speak above a sigh

Maria Elena
Say that we will never part
Maria Elena
Take me to your heart
A love like mine is great enough for two
To share this love is really all I ask of you

.. and then we went and put flowers on her coffin and said out goodbyes..

Then we had tributes .. Rosie read a message from Pop .. then Lish stood up and read hers ..she was sooo brave and hardly wavered only towards the end..

This is what she said .. and all of it is soooo true ..

Nana A.

I have such wonderful memories of my Nana A.

When I was very little my sisters and I would go for a sleep over at Nanas where we were treated like royalty. We had all the baking we could eat, served up on TV trays in the lounge, even supper with a big mug of Milo! When we got thirsty, we got thick syrupy cordial cold from the fridge in purple plastic cups, that drink was so full of sugar, us kids loved it!

Bedtime we got a relaxing bath, we were allowed to play then Nana would come and give us a backwash and a fun game of tickle, I loved that.

Our beds were so luxurious, the electric blanket would be on and the sheets fresh and ironed making it so toasty, we almost needed to pole vault into the beds as they seemed so high to us littlies, then Nana would come and give us a kiss goodnight and tuck us in so tight we couldn’t move at all!!

Nana showed me once the little blue flowers that grew in her garden were in fact fairy’s toothbrushes, she plucked off the petals and it actually looked like a miniature toothbrush. I truly believed her and spent years pulling petals off flowers trying to find other fairy tooth brushes, but never found any, they must have only grown in Nanas magical garden!

Nana had all the best games and toys at her place, some of my favourites were: The happy families card game, the Russian dolls, pick up sticks and croquet.

I loved all the little things about Nana like the way she took so long to open a present carefully opening it so she could recycle the paper, She ironed everything from sheets, tea towels and even the wrapping paper so she could get the cello tape off!

We loved going shopping with her she always treated us to lunch at Farmers Co-op I liked to get a chicken stuffing sandwich and a cream horn! Yum.

There were the fun times like the time the mysterious chocolate bar was found on Nan and Pops back lawn, turned out it actually did fall off the back of a truck from the supermarket next door. The time Nanas grey hair got dyed bright orange like a punk rocker after she accidentally rubbed up against the lily pollen while she was gardening.

Also I loved the way Nana and Pop would wait outside their gate when we were leaving until they heard our car toot when we safely got through the “dangerous” Morley, Powderham street intersection. That was so sweet.

She was so clever with her handy hints always coming up with something I never knew, like the baking soda pot bottom cleaner and recently to cut an onion in half while painting to get rid off the smell. The hints were always really helpful! And No one could beat Nanas exquisite baking the cheese straws, jam sponge, jam cheesecakes or her homemade tomato relish and sauce. You would swear they were made in heaven!

As I grew older, I realized even more how amazing and special my Nana was. I never heard her say a bad word against anyone, she never judged, she always had positive lovely things to say. She was a joy to be around, she filled you up and made you happy, she had the most dazzling bright smile she made you feel so welcome and loved when she looked at you, you always left her house feeling fantastic.

Nana always had a clean orderly household. She enjoyed helping others, she cooked and cleaned for her elderly sick neighbours Miss Freathey and then Miss Bain and helped out Mr Christensen if needed, even though she was often not well herself. She was also a good neighbour to Mr and Mrs Old for years.

If you mentioned you needed something for your home or baby, she would scour the shops searching until she found the perfect item for you. She had so much love and care to give and gave it willingly. Everyone that was touched by her in their lives was enriched. I respect her for her unselfish kindness to others.

Nana I feel so privileged to have been your Granddaughter and been a part of your life, to have tasted your ambrosia and felt your unconditional love. I will miss you so much. I am so sad that my unborn baby will not get to meet you in this life. I will be telling him or her all about what a special beautiful person you were. I will never forget you or stop loving you.

Goodbye Nana.

After a few words from the Chaplain she was then led out of the church by Dad, Uncle Alan, Uncle Les, Peter, Phillip and Leslie.

The song "I love you because .." played as they went out ..

We then had cuppa .. and it was lovely as I got a photo of Pop and I - I have NO photos of him and I .. I was thrilled ...

..We then went out to the Chapel and held a service before her cremation.

At the end we let go of Mauve balloons.