Memories

I did watch Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's State Funeral yesterday. It was perfect I think; so very meaningful and perhaps the most beautiful his granddaughter's song of love for her beloved grandfather. It is the hardest thing in the world I think for children to give up a parent and for grandchildren to let go of a grandparent. It wrenches the soul and tears it apart just for a little while until the healing starts. I must admit as I watched the funeral I remember that my husband would have preferred having all of his friends about him for a funeral but he did die during COVID but we actually did not have a funeral until over a year later. But I just couldn't budge myself from that very private place I had moved to and as it turned out we all wanted it to be a very private goodbye with all of us there - the priest, organist, children (including our son in law), grandchildren and myself. The organist was simply wonderful picking everything himself except I did ask for the 23rd Psalm which we all sang. The memory did come back to me as I watched and I have said to my children that when we finally pick a burial spot at Beechwood where he wanted to be buried they can do whatever they want when I pass away. A joint service if that is something they want as it was what he wanted for sure. But if they decide private is what they want then they have my blessing for that as well. Whatever suits them; to me funerals are for the living to commemorate those who died but in a way that reflects the living family. The State Funeral was perfect for Brian Mulroney; when the history books are written (and already he is in the history books) he will be one of Canada's best Prime Ministers. Could he have done more for his country; I am sure he would have said yes but he did so very much to bring us right out of being mentally attached to the British Isles (although I am very much in favour of our King and Royal Family and hope that that is also a forever part of Canada) to standing up on our own two feet as he negotiated NAFTA and tied us economically forever to our great neighbour to the south. As Canada grows and at 40 Million plus we are growing we may one day be a much much larger neighbour than we are now and I am sure that linking ourselves together will prove to be the best forward plan there could have been. Thank you Brian Mulroney. I also feel the same way about the GST; it has done Canada a lot of good; taken the strain out of running government as no need for supply bills constantly getting debated at the last minute. The government has money to fund it. Thank you Brian Mulroney for that and for Nunavut and fighting acid rain and so much more.

A lovely walk again yesterday, two days in a row. I do enjoy a good walk around the block. I did not accomplish very much on Pencombe yesterday. My mind didn't seem to settle to it. I am still perplexed about Philip Pynkeham. Who is he? Is he a Tynkeham? Why is he at Tawstock? I likely do need to do a little more searching to see if I can discover anything more. Of course he was born before the Parish Registers were kept by the Parish Priests for all the inhabitants of the parish so no help there.  I may though, check the 1524-27 Lay Subsidy for the parishes where the Tynkeham/Tinkham family lived. Perhaps then I will feel satisfied leaving him out. It does seem like I should do that. 

We were meant to have snow but the snow fell on Montreal complicating the travel from St Patrick to Notre Dame for the funeral but as usual our honour guards did a perfect job in spite of the weather. The 19 gun salute rang through the cold air and Canada said goodbye to Brian Mulroney while his family took him for a private time and burial. Brian Mulroney was proud, I am sure, of his family standing through all those hours welcoming all the people who came to say goodbye. They did it so very well.

Minus eight degrees celsius, clear and will be sunny. Another crisp winter day with no snow. We are in drought for sure and will be a rough summer perhaps of forest fires. Time will tell. Hopefully everyone will be especially careful to keep them to a minimum. 

Sunday, Palm Sunday, and Church on You Tube. I am looking forward to being at the Cathedral once again. It has been a thoughtful Lent and the Lenten Readings have been most thought provoking particularly as they have very much brought my thoughts to Israel and Gaza. A solution is there but Hamas destroys any solution because they are evil thinking only of themselves and their greed and their hatred for the Jewish people. They desire to commit genocide against the Jewish people and it really must end; they must be sent somewhere where they cannot hurt the Palestinians or the Jews. 

Prayers for the people of Russia, those killed in the attack by ISIS and those injured and fighting for their lives in the hospitals. May God be merciful and help them through this tragic time. 

God bless the world. 

Teatime and Latin. It is a day of rest for my eyes.