Canberra and dad's funeral

I was in Canberra for week.  In that time I was able to spend lots of time with mum, which was really special. We planned the funeral for dad and laid him to rest, just three months shy of his 80th birthday.  It was, as you'd expect, a hugely emotional time. But once it was passed I left wintry Canberra and jumped back on a plane and landed back in the tropical heat of Darwin. The trip had to go on.  I had to carry on. I think that I have said it before.  This was a trip of a life time, a family trip while the kids were still young, around our fantastic country.  I had to try and keep my head up and enjoy it.  And I did.  On many levels I did, but underneath it all was the seething emotions that were still there and could not be adequately dealt with.  And still the sibling squabbles continued, with lengthy phone calls about who did what to who and blah blah blah.  Everyone was emotionally wrought and this was fuelling the turmoil.  Before this I would have considered our sibling relationships as quite sound, I never would have predicted that we would all fall out.  It just goes to show what happens when a little bit of emotional stress is added to the mix.  For into the future we still had before us issues to deal with, such as mum's failing mental health as she gradually slipped into the ravages of old age dementia.  But that is another story for another time.....back to the funeral...

Dairy Entries for the days after the funeral:

June 20

Did some shopping with Shirley and mum.  Bought books for the children.
Had dinner at Lezah and Terry's.  Roast Pork, it was very nice.

June 21

Last day in Canberra.
I am very sad about leaving mum so soon after the funeral.
We walked to the Plaza to bank the money that mum gave me to pay for my flight.
We also paid the Hellenic Club for the wake.
Did some shopping, and then walked home for lunch.
Later we visited the cemetery to see dad's grave with all of the fresh flowers on top.  There was a family wreath of native flowers and a beautiful arrangement sent by Steve and the kids. Beautuful red roses, iris, gerbas and white carnations.

Had an early dinner.

Drove to the airport.  Gary brought Jaimi and the twins.  I drove the green machine (dad and mum's green Magna sedan, that Pa had dubbed the green machine as he was an avid Canberra Raiders Fan) with mum, Shirley and Bernie.
The twins (Chris and Nick) loved the planes.
I flew to Brisbane and then changed for Darwin.  The trip seemed to take a long time.  I feel very anxious to see Steve and the kids again, I have missed them so much.

June 22

Back in Darwin.
I caught a taxi to the tent, in the middle of the night.  Was worried about the bright headlights from the taxi waking up the entire campsite.
I woke up Harry to say hello.
Then had trouble falling asleep.  I felt smelly, so I got up and had a shower.  That improved things.

And now, after that interlude, it was back to the trip. Emotionally, fake it until you make it, because as I said before, life marches on, whether you are ready for it to or not......