Final Good-Bye

Well, from the "original" family it´s just Bro and I left now. Weird thought, hurtful.

We started in Braunschweig in sunny weather. In my home-town it was grey and rainy and the others told us there was tunderstorm earlier.

The little chapell was full already. I wasn´t able to notice anyone but Bro who got up and hugged me, we sat down and he took my hand.

In the middle was the coffin covered with pale-pink Gerbera. To the left was a wreath "We miss you, H and A", in the middle a wreath in the form of a heart saying "Your little sunshine, M", to the right where we sat one "In love and thanks I and I" and some from the relatives.
"I did it my way" and ... uh, I don´t remember... another fitting song was running (melodies only) so we could all picture the scene.

The pastor then did a fantastic job.
He told of Mum´s strength, how she loved doing sports, that her love to technical stuff went so far that even in the last weeks Bro had to try to hide broken old clocks from her (she also was a watch-maker).
He told from the escape to Germany, how my parents met... Short and very nice.

Then we walked behind the coffin to the grave. The pastor again had some very reassuring words. I was the first to throw in my flowers, then Ingo, Bro and Wife. Then her oldest Brother, S, whom I am not allowed to call "Uncle" cause he feels old then. We don´t wanna do that to an 80-y-o, do we?

It must be awful to be the oldest and bury Sibling after Sibling. He respected we don´t want expressions of condolences at the grave, but the other Siblings did not. So he came back to hug me.
Family is ok, really.
But what do you think how many non-family-members disrespected our wish...

One woman I didn´t even know grabbed my arm, put the other around my shoulder and kinda forced me to walk very slow, talking and talking as if I was dumb. It was the girlfriend of some not-first-grade cousin.

The closer ones met for a soup and some sandwiches afterwards and I tell you, this little girl made it all bearable:

She can run around now and entertained us all.
Ingo´s parents had to leave early. His Mother hugged me long and said, "now that you don´t have a Mother anymore, you still have a MIL". That was very nice of her. Because... we had a weird start and then a bad time inbetween. And Ingo and I are "just" Spouses, not married.

Them leaving gave me time to go over to the Aunt I love best, Aunt G. Little Niece loved her best, too, no wonder. G went through lots of sicknesses, has no stomach anymore but never lost her love of life. Always funny, always in a good mood. So sad she lives in Switzerland.

Was so great to hear all the funny comments from Uncle W again.
A cousin (the only one who came) I spent some time with as a kid called me her "favorite Cousin" - um. .. We haven´t talked since our Granma died 9 years ago. And there wasn´t much to talk about now, either. She wants to visit me some time. Let´s see.

When we left everybody hugged me, (Uncle) S was the last and said, "hope we meet under better condition again, little Iris. I still have to call you little Iris, you´ll always be this for me. You were so little always."
I have to add, though, that this side of the family... well... no one is tall ;-)
Maybe it´s my nose? Or the fact that I was in little Niece´s age when visiting him on his boat and, like little Niece, picked up every little corn and stuff from the ground to give to him.

The way back was very, very stormy, am I thankful Ingo was driving. He parked my car right in front of the house, too :-)

Well.
I thought I could never wear the black coat I bought for this "occation" yesterday ever again.
But actually... thanks to those wonderful people there are also nice memories stuck to it.
Maybe I wear it tomorrow.
As cousin M - the one Ingo recognized on my Dad´s funeral at once just from what I had told him about M - he is right. This was a very important part of mourning.

Mum. I often complained to Ingo I have to call you on Wednesday nights and you never found an end. You talked and talked and talked.
Guess I´ll miss it at times.

Hope you found your peace.
As Bro chose for our wreath, "In love and thanks".