Respect

 It was Rowena’s funeral today

And a day of respect it was , to be sure.

Her nephew, Village Elder Islwyn and his brother had dug her grave themselves which I thought was intensely moving and another mark of respect as Rowena’s father was the village gravedigger at one time, Islwyn isn’t a young man, and I’m sure the hard work has taken its toll. 

Kudos to the both of them

The service was held in Llanasa, who has a pretty Norman Church, and the church was full as Rowena’s family is large and spans every part of Trelawnyd and its environs .

Auntie Glad always warned me to be early for popular character’s funerals , so I was and still was beaten to the back pew by the ladies from the friendship group, Animal Helper Pat, Christine from Church, Pippa and Tom, the velvet voiced Linda, sailor John and Mandy and Mrs Trellis.

Trendy Vicar Gregor ( with his flowing cape and neat beard )  did his best with the Welsh parts of the service which was lovely and by the time the funeral cars returned to Trelawnyd I had collected the Welsh and was standing with Pat Mr Poznan and others a respectful distance away.

We watched as the family followed the coffin into the graveyard, and in the grey skys over Trelawnyd groups of seagulls took off in the breeze in the fields next to the riding stables , looping west towards the valley and the sea