The drive to the airport was uneventful and we had a good flight to the UK on February 1^st, 2016. The flights to the UK and Europe are always overnight flights and usually I get to sleep, but not this time unfortunately. The flight arriving at Gatwick was early, but we couldn’t get an earlier train to Long Eaton.

I am always amazed when I go to England how much green space there is. They have had a fairly mild winter and some of the trees were in blossom, the daffodils and spring bulbs were poking there heads up and some already blooming.

My niece picked us up from the station at noon and we had a nap in the afternoon. The rest of the week was busy, visiting family, getting together, crying and of course the funeral. As the hearse arrived with the flag draped coffin and the Last Post playing, I was sobbing, along with the rest of the family.

At the wake there were lots of tears, but also lots of laughs as we remembered all the good times we had with him.

We had a big family photo taken with the siblings and spouses and another one with all the Grand children and Great Grand children.

We were told not to wear black – but as a lot of us have black in the wardrobe, we had to accessorize with some colour. I loved Sharon\’s pink shoes.

Great Grandchildren to the left of Dawn – Grandchildren from Dawn and to the right

Bye Dad we all loved you so much.