Farewell to Br M

A lot can happen in a week I have been thinking, as one week from my birthday, I was sitting in a hotel in Perth as several of us went down to attend Br M's funeral which was held yesterday (Monday) at 9.30am. Gerard, Phil and I left here around 2pm Sunday with four and a half hours of music downloaded on Gerard's ipod for the trip. He also downloaded off google, instructions on how to drive to Perth to our hotel, to where the funeral was held, and ergo back to Geraldton. Hmmmmm, next trip, I will get the map book out, work out the route, write it down and memorise it, lol. We were heading for Adelaide Tce and made it into Perth after taking only one wrong turn meaning several extra k's. Then, aiming at the city - you could see the tall buildings (laughing lots) we only took one more wrong turn before getting on the right street and bingo there was the hotel. There was parking underneath the hotel and I kept my eyes closed and Gerard manouvered their 4WD into a space better suited to a mini. We had already hit a height board with the roof rack and I was sure we were going to take out the air conditioner pipes running over head but luckily there was a little more space again than the height restriction board, phew. The hotel was 3 star but perfectly adequate. The lads had a small overnight bag each and gave me grief as I had my suitcase (reasonably full, lol), backpack with my computer in and of course my capacious handbag. We were right in the middle of the city and by standing out on the pocket balcony turning left, there was a glimpse of the river - which is the size of a small harbour to my way of thinking. We had a two bedroom apartment type place which suited for the overnight that it was. I was given the room with the queen size bed with according comments lol, with the other's crashing in the other room and out in the lounge. After the effort at parking we decided we would not eat out but grab something in the restaurant in the hotel. I have to say the meal was very average - I ordered Barrumundi (fish) and was underwhelmed by the cooking and presentation. It was nearly 9pm by the time we had finished dinner so switched on the TV to see if anything was worth watching, and woohoo, a programe about the Monty Python team and the making of several of their movies, In Search of the Holy Grail, the Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. For me Monty Python never gets old so I was in fits over various snippets. I didn't know there had been so much controversy over the Life of Brian and that several churches tried to get it banned and in one state in America they did ban it. They were accused of being blasphemous as the film is a send up of the the Messiah and the crucifixion. In one part the crowd is listening to the sermon on the Mt - blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth, blessed are the peacemakers - interpreted as blessed are the Greeks and the cheesemakers as the words got to the back of the crowd. Interesting to hear from the Pythons their take on the process of making the films and creating the scripts.

We had decided we would have a reasonably early start next morning working backwards from getting to the funeral venue half an hour before it was due to start for parking and seating and then added on a bit more so at 8.15am decamped. Gerard had read the map and had the google instructions so gave them to me, and off we went. I read out the instructions and as far as getting out of the first three streets it went well. We were meant to be on the Kwinana Freeway with the next run 6k up the road before the correct turnoff. We went some distance and nothing seemed to be in the right place, so got out the map book and found we were somehow heading back to Geraldton on the George Mitchell Highway instead. We got off at an off ramp, and then got back on the freeway heading in the right direction - by now peak hour traffic. We knew we were heading in the right direction because we saw the Bindoon school van with our ex-Tardun kids heading that way. Praise Be, lol. We finally found ourselves almost back to the beginning of where we had left from and turned south after all and woohoo, this time the instructions worked, lol. We arrived with 10 mins to spare - luckily the school oval where the funeral was held, was opened for parking so no worries there, and there were still some seats left we were able to squeeze into by some other ex Tardun mob. The service was a great tribute to Br M. He had specified most of it and the eulogy was given by a fellow Br and ex Principal of Tardun. He told of several practical jokes Br M had played on him which had everyone in fits of laughter. He told of his last days and how Br M had faced them in his inimitable style. Family read out various prayers and a formal mass ensued which was fine until one of the readings included blessed are the meek, ........... As soon as the prayer started, Phil just looked at me and we both nearly lost it. I had to bite my lip and look steadfastly in the other direction to get control. Br M had told the Br who gave the eulogy he did not expect more than 10 people to attend his funeral and would probably have been amazed how many people there were to pay their last respects. There were two moments that nearly undid me - one seeing Br W visibly upset and when we went outside and their were "our" kids lined up as a guard of honour in front of the hearse. They looked so smart and the boys had their akubras across their chests in respect. In was very touching and a lovely tribute from the kids.

We got to have a quick chat with some of them but then we all headed to the cemetary for the committal. That was an experience - there was a funeral taking place as we came through the gates, people were just leaving from another one and by the time we were leaving, there was another huge one just arriving. Talk about funerals are us. The cemetary is very old and appeared to be almost park like with lots of trees and garden in various parts. The final part of the service over, we got a chance to have more of a catch up with the kids before we headed back to where the after match function was being held. Most of the kids wanted to give us a hug before they left - boys included. I was so proud of them all especially our two girl's who came. It was like a Tardun reunion afterwards, with neighbours, the Prinicpal who hired me and his wife (over from Adelaide), and eleven of us, plus Father Morrissey from Mullewa and Tardun in attendance. I spoke to Br M's sister who remembered me from the visit we made to her when Br M took me down to Perth the first Easter to catch a plane back to NZ. Got to catch up with some of the other Br's who I have met several times plus a couple of the honchos who were involved in the closing of Tardun. We finally left just after 2pm and had a long drive back stopping several times for drinks and to swap around driving.

I think everything caught up with me today, I sat down to watch a DVD this afternoon and slept through the whole thing. I have a couple of jobs I am looking to apply for so am keeping on plugging away. My university papers arrived last Friday and OMG there is some work in them to be done so shall not be idle. I think I will have to work at some sort of timetable to get the assessments completed. I am up to 3,000 word essays which is fine, but there is research and readings, and my particular favourite (not), referencing, to complete. It will give some extra structure to my days and less time to be playing games on the computer - ouch.

Spent some time on Saturday in town and nearly walked the length and breadth of it looking for shoes to wear to the funeral. Got some trainers as well as I will try and do more walking, it is about a k to the shopping centre so not too far though one steep hill. Also looked for something appropriate for an interview but found nothing that I liked. All my clothes except the ones I bought back with me are still in storage which is a pain in the pixie. Gerard and I did a run to the dump last week, - an outing lol. We took out a load of branches and rubbish from the garden. As dumps go, I was very impressed, no smell and hoards of sea gulls that I have experienced before at home. We went to the "green" part of the dump, dropped the stuff off and then picked up a load of dirt/mulch to add to the garden back here. I should have had my camera with me as there was a kestrel or hawk on top of one of the mounds of mulch, hunting a mouse and it would have made a great shot.

Have been watching a little bit of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver - an Aussi girl won gold in snowboarding I think - I did see a bit of it, and some of the men's skating which always has me waiting for somone to fall when they do some amazing turns and flips. This weekend is a long weekend for the boarding schools - we were offered a chance to go to Kalbarri but one of the girls is working and Bronwyn and Gerard have a friend arriving from NSW on Friday for a visit. The house will expand again, lol. It is nearly 2am so will sign off for now and catch you all later.