R.I.P, Grandma, Grandpa
Jul. 7th, 2012 10:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wiseheartYesterday we finally finished the process of laying the remains of my grandparents (died in 1996 and 1967, respectively) to their new resting place. We had them unearthed and cremated, because the cemetery where they were lying had become an untended-to jungle. Every time we went there, we had to practically dig the grave out from under all that weed and fallen and rotten leaves, spontaneously build ant hills and stuff. It was no longer a dignified place for our loved ones.
They were fairly back in the graveyard, one had to walk at least half an hour to got there, and with the occasional unsavoury fellow lurking among the graves, we no longer dared to go and visit them, unless there was much traffic in the cemetery, like on All Saints' Day. Now they are in the church yard, easily accessible, in nicely ordered surroundings, and Mum's finally in peace about it.
There was a mass for the deceased, and then a priest came, consecrated the urn and the niche, and then the niche was sealed. They do this on every first Friday of the month, putting the remains that get brought to the church to rest. Not many people were present, as Mum's friends are old and it was 43°C on sunny patches, so it was better safe than sorry. As for my so-called friends, I no longer have any. I only ever had them when they needed me to do things for them. Not one of them had come to the original funeral of Grandma in 1996, either, while Mum's friends filled the cemetery. Ah, well, I'm better off without such "friends", aren't I?
In any case, we no longer have to spend almost 4 hours and risk being muggled when we want to go to the grandparents' grave. We can go to and fro within the hour, Mum can go there without me if the fancy takes her, and the surroundings are very peaceful. I've lobbied for this for at least six years - Mum was loath to do it, but now she's very glad she'd given in.
They were fairly back in the graveyard, one had to walk at least half an hour to got there, and with the occasional unsavoury fellow lurking among the graves, we no longer dared to go and visit them, unless there was much traffic in the cemetery, like on All Saints' Day. Now they are in the church yard, easily accessible, in nicely ordered surroundings, and Mum's finally in peace about it.
There was a mass for the deceased, and then a priest came, consecrated the urn and the niche, and then the niche was sealed. They do this on every first Friday of the month, putting the remains that get brought to the church to rest. Not many people were present, as Mum's friends are old and it was 43°C on sunny patches, so it was better safe than sorry. As for my so-called friends, I no longer have any. I only ever had them when they needed me to do things for them. Not one of them had come to the original funeral of Grandma in 1996, either, while Mum's friends filled the cemetery. Ah, well, I'm better off without such "friends", aren't I?
In any case, we no longer have to spend almost 4 hours and risk being muggled when we want to go to the grandparents' grave. We can go to and fro within the hour, Mum can go there without me if the fancy takes her, and the surroundings are very peaceful. I've lobbied for this for at least six years - Mum was loath to do it, but now she's very glad she'd given in.
