July 12 –
Today we get back down to business and head into Falkirk for a change of shops so that we can find appropriate funeral clothes. The funeral is to be held on Monday so we need a black suit for Frank, a black tie for Duncan and proper dress shoes for Gillian. While it was entertaining wandering around new shops and Duncan got a new hoodie and track suit trousers and Frank got some other trousers that aren’t funeral appropriate, the rest of the day was a bust.
Another note on life in Scotland. The majority of all businesses on the typical Scottish high street are either estate agents, travel agents, charity shops or hairdressers. There also seems to be an unusually high number of tattoo parlors relative to the population. I thought maybe this was just true of Stirling but after seeing Falkirk, it seems to be a general truth. Apparently people give away things when they move house and get their hair done before and after their holiday. I can’t figure out how else it would work….
After a quick lunch at a tea shop (where I had the best cajun chicken salad sandwich and lentil soup), it was back to Jim and Therese’s house to help plan the funeral service. Since old Frank was not the least bit religious, there was no question of a church service. So the family decided to go with a Humanist Service. We spent a long time describing my father-in-law’s life and trying to convey a fair picture of the strict but loving father with the wickedly sarcastic sense of humor. It made me realize how important it is to me to have someone who knows me speak at my funeral…..
After the planning it was back up to the shops to finish picking up shoes and pantyhose and other bits before having a lovely meal at the indian restaurant nearby then home to do laundry and watch some telly.
/san/
[Pedometer: 16,702 or about 8.5 miles]
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