As soon as anyone entered the church, they knew that this girl was an amazingly free spirit and remembered that her hair was mostly dyed all the colours of the rainbow. For my mother-in-law, who loved her garden more than she loved her children and she loved her children more than any mother I have ever met , we spent all the flower money on little pots that had been planted with white daffodils she died during a February.
We used the potted plants to line both the path into the church and the length of the aisle — then we brought them back to the house after the service to decorate the house, and at the end of the wake, we gave one to each guest to take home, plant in their own garden and remember her by. Turns out you can actually say quite a lot with flowers.
Tag: Jennifer Muldowney’s book ‘Say Farewell Your Way: A Funeral Planning Guide for Ireland
I have a feeling that, for my generation, the day of the black-car procession with uniformed drivers may be over. I'm not sure if that's the official name — but you know what I mean. Something on top of the coffin is nice. Broadcaster Ned Sherrin had his ancient leather gladstone bag.
One lady had her best hat on the coffin and the rest of her millinery collection hung at the ends of each pew lining the aisle of the church. If your loved one's favourite track actually was Elgar's Nimrod, then stick with it. Another time, we chose a playlist of the deceased's favourite pop songs, which we played at the beginning and end of the service, though we omitted Another One Bites the Dust. The key to finding affordable but bespoke musicians when you have around two days' notice is a website like lastminutemusicians.
The service is over, the words are spoken, the tears are shed, the songs are sung … Nobody wants complicated food when their heads are already complicated enough with grieving. Whatever happens, don't do the catering alone.
- The Captured Maiden: The Land of Khys Prequel;
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- We need to have a talk about the taboo subject of death - theranchhands.com!
If you remember nothing else about this article, I'd love you to remember this: Hence the deafening chorus of: But there is a constructive answer: They arrive at the funeral feeling like someone who is contributing, rather than someone useless who is trying not to cry. And your funeral tea will be glorious, giving everyone lots of chances to say "Bernard would have adored the battenberg", and opportunities for quite a lot of Great British Bake Off-style banter. Also, you get left with enough cake to see you through the rest of that very difficult week.
I found about 50 shots of my father-in-law on my computer after he died, and I was sent more by the guests coming to the funeral. We printed them all super-size on A4 paper and Blu-Tacked them on to every bit of wall we could find — reminders of so much happiness in so many places and the same "photo smile" in each. Photo albums lying around on tables for guests at a loose end are also good. Plus candles or fairylights, if you like that sort of thing — the departed person's favourite film playing on a TV, their favourite singer on an iPod.
And do bring all the flowers from the church back to the party if they are movable. Anything to stop it being the worst, quietest and saddest party of all time. Alcohol was virtually invented for funerals.
The Pet Funeral Ceremony
As soon as you can, bring out the booze. Have one on the deceased's behalf. And then give them another for good luck. And then another because s he'd have wanted it.
And then one last one because they should never have died in the first place, FFS. So that's all I can tell you. Unless the person being buried is young, or died in truly horrible circumstances, I do think it's possible to create an intense, extraordinary, moving, memorable, vital, passion-filled day of celebration and remembrance, rather than an unhappy gathering that murkily mourns a death.
If you end up organising my funeral, whenever it is, can there be fairylights on top of my coffin, a vast quantity of Black Forest gateau on the kitchen table, a vat of peach bellinis and Robbie Williams singing She's the One in the church, preferably naked. It's impossible to talk about death without being offensive to someone at some point.
If you're that someone — I'm sorry. I've been to too many funerals recently. After being diagnosed with both Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer on the same day, comedian and dad-of-five Billy Connolly 71 told how he was planning to exit stage left for good: Actually, I'd like to have the coffin in a hearse, empty, and the real me being buried somewhere by pals, quietly, with a tree on top of me. Planning ahead isn't just for the old or ill, maintains Sharon Foley of the IHF, which is due to relaunch its Think Ahead scheme next month.
At its core, Think Ahead is a document that guides people in considering what they want at end of life. It's not permanent — we encourage people to revisit the form. The important thing is to let your loved ones know where it's kept. Funeral costs, the eco-friendliness of coffins and rules for scattering human ashes, meanwhile, are just some of the most common queries Jennifer Muldowney receives.
How to do a funeral | Life and style | The Guardian
For me, it's a way of saying, 'Here's how I want to be remembered — as daughter, sister and best friend'. I really need some help losing weight. I have tried everything - all the slimming clubs, Atkins, personal trainers - you name it. I am very obese and am worried that I will never be I regularly get a sharp pain in my ribs on the right hand side.
It is sudden and startling and feels very serious. It is not digestion related or anything like that. My year-old son is an avid rugby player.
Death not a Dying Business for Dublin’s Glam Reaper
He goes to a rugby school and is by all accounts, very good. He has been concussed twice in the last year, and I am really worried about We need to have a talk about the taboo subject of death It's always been a taboo subject as nobody wants to discuss death. But now many are Niamh Walker is healthy, but still prepared Billy Connolly. Deirdre Reynolds June 29 2: I've tried everything to lose weight. Can I take tablets? Regular discomfort in my ribs comes on suddenly and I fear it could be Health Features Daffodil Day: Health Features Dear Dr Nina: My snoring is driving my partner mad.
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