A Perfect Day

One Perfect Day

I have taken my time deciding the final resting place for my husband Jamie's ashes.  Twelve months is as long as they should reside in my Walk in Robe where they have been since I brought them home. There were times over the past year when I felt Jamie gently chiding me for keeping him cooped up when his naturally gregarious nature made it essential that his final destination should be in a place where people gather and enjoy themselves.
Over summer the Australian cricketers have been playing against England for the Ashes.  My Jamie was always an avid cricket follower; and in all the 34 years that I knew him he never missed watching a game.  He was always fair and wanted the best team to win, although I'm sure that he secretly wanted the West Indies to win when they were playing.  As I followed the cricket this summer it evoked memories for me of times gone by and I began to wonder if perhaps we could steal into the WACA (Western Australian Cricket Association), grounds and surreptitiously spread Jamie' ashes on the cricket pitch.  Obviously this was not one of my best plans and I dismissed it.

Then a friend of ours from Guyana, Jamie's home country suggested I write to the WACA and as permission to spread the ashes on their grounds.  To my great surprise and delight I received a reply from the Acting Turf Manager saying, yes, they would be more than happy for me to spread Jamie's ashes in one of their rose gardens.

Finally the day arrived Tuesday 14th January. Helen who is the wife of the man who suggested I contact the WACA and I started off early in the morning for our trip to Perth and the cricket grounds.  The whole day was filled with so many miracle moments it took our breath away.  It was as if God was saying 'I have planned this day for the two of you'.
We didn't plan our journey, however as it turned out it could not have worked out better.  Helen drove us to the Train Station where we found plenty of parking space and were able to walk straight on to a waiting train.
On arrival in Perth we had time to enjoy a sumptuous meal at the David Jones Food Hall.  Not called food court because it's meant to be a little more upmarket.  It truly was upmarket with delightful food and a variety of choices.

When we arrived at the WACA we received a warm welcome from Ros, the Admin person extraordinaire.  Initially her plan had been to show us the Rose gardens and then leave us there as she had a Meeting to attend.  However, Ros willingly spent a longer time with us, showing us around the WACA grounds  and then to the Rose Gardens so we could choose the place we thought would best suit.  Ros even took photographs for us and then before she left she held up the Urn and said, 'we welcome James to the Rose Garden at the WACA'  This was so moving and totally unexpected.  We also met completely by accident, Matt the person who had initially responded to my email.  If we had been five minutes earlier or later we would have missed him.

The Rose Gardens are situated along the Player's Walking Path, which is used by the players to when they walk from their rooms to the cricket pitch for practice.  There was a gentle breeze and it seemed to carry with it the whispering of bygone days and yet a whisper of the future and hope.  On T.V. they often show this part of the Gardens when the Commentators are doing interviews and in the background can be seen the cricketers at play.

Helen and I found a lovely red rose bush, knowing that Jamie loved his red roses.  Then I noticed a yellow rose bush in full bloom.  I remembered that Jamie loved the song 'Eighteen Yellow Roses' and had his Carer's play it often.  So Helen and I decided that it should be the red and yellow rose bush where we finally laid the ashes and Jamie to rest.

I dug a hole with a spoon I had brought from home and placed the ashes there.  As I dug I thought I could perhaps have been dressed more appropriately for digging holes and pouring in ashes with a soup spoon. Still, I felt a sense of peace and felt that somehow Jamie knew what we were doing and was happy.  He was in a place where people gathered and enjoyed themselves and where cricketers would be walking past every time they had a game on.
When we left the Grounds we walked toward a bus stop and found the Bus Driver was waiting for us having seen us walking toward him.

Once we arrived in Perth we found we were unable to go the normal way to reach our train station.  It had been blocked off because they are making changes to the Underground, so we had to turn into WILLIAM STREET and passed JAMIE OLIVER'S Restaurant, this wouldn't have happened had we been able to go the usual way to the station.  Was this serendipity, to be reminded of our Jamie Oliver WILIAMS we are not sure, but both Helen and I felt that Jamie was approving our venture and we were both so filled with wonder and delight with what this perfect day have presented to us.
Helen reminded me that today was the birthday of another Jamie she knows so she will never forget this date.  She is also a great Mahjong player and I don't think she ever missed her weekly game and yet she willingly gave that up to come with me to the WACA.

Today was a day of reminiscing peppered with plenty of laughter and enjoying true friendship. I will remember it as a time when we finally placed Jamie's ashes in a place he loved.  With so many incidents that happened during the day we could almost imagine him with his cheeky grin saying, 'Well done girls, I'm proud of you.'
Tonight I received an online magazine and the title of one of the issues was WHO WILL SCATTER YOUR ASHES.  I can only hope that whoever that will be feels some of what this glorious day has been for us.

Margaret River Venture

DAY ONE

On the first day of our trip I wake up to  perfect weather which is to last for our whole 3 day venture.

I drive to Rentia and we pack  her car full of luggage and food, everything we will need for our 3 day holiday.

After a pleasant two  hour drive we stop  for lunch in a shady spot on the edge of Cowaramup and  eat a hearty meal of shredded chicken, and pre made sandwiches of tomato and cheese.

After lunch we continue our drive and arrive in Cowaramup  and  stop to do some shopping.  We meet one of Jamie's nurses at the condiments shop which is packed full of spices, cheeses and such. We cross the road and try a bit of wine tasting both red and white in very generous sizes in our glass. Amazingly we find the Art Gallery cafe is closed for business on a Public Holiday weekend.

Arriving  at our cottage, we announce our arrival to the Owners with some trepidation as a result of one bad review that had been posted in Trip Advisor.  Apparently the reviewer had not enjoyed his time in the bush land of Margaret River.  Amongst his complaints were,  he found ear wigs in the bed sheets and  heard rats running about the house. Apparently on complaining to the owners he was told he could leave anytime and shown the door.

Rentia and I do some detective work and question the very friendly  owners in case they were new and had not been involved in this situation.  We are advised they have been running the cottages for the past 30 years, so they are indeed the culprits.

 Immediately we are in the house we examine the bed in minute detail for ear wigs and anything else which shouldn't be living in the mattress. Thankfully we find we no sign of ear wigs or rats. The place is clean and tidy.

Went into Bob's Shoe shop at Margaret River and admire some lovely boots and shoes.  Suddenly I realize the song playing on the radio is the Michael Franti song we played when they were showing Jamie's photos at his funeral.  I had never heard that song before that day and this was the first time I heard it since. I find a lovely leather purse marked down from $100 to $50, it was just big enough to hold my keys and mobile phone, something I had been looking for for ages.  Rentia and I  both thought Jamie was there telling me I should buy the bag which I promptly do.
As it was late in the afternoon we decide to drive down  to Prevelly Beach and wait for sunset.  We arrive and park the car and walk over the sand dunes on to the beach.  We sit for awhile watching lovely scenes fisherman and  people kite flying;  a boy throwing a stick to  his dog, people swimming.

 Then Rentia suggests we  walk along the beach, making sure to count the pathway openings leading from the path to the beach so we can find our way back. (One of us proves to better at counting and the other proves to be better at being a human Google map)  Walking in the sand is hard because it is so soft and  my aching legs tell me how unfit I am.  We walk along the path for the rest of the way which is  a lot less strain on my legs. As we stroll along we see  four people standing with their backs to the water, texting on their phones.  It seemed rather incongruous.  It is strange now to notice that when something as lovely as a sunset is presented to us we would rather  capture the moment on our phones and cameras rather than sit in the moment and enjoy the scene spread before us.
We watch a wedding on the beach and wonder for an instant if perhaps we could gatecrash and  pretend to be professional  photographers.

A lovely setting to hold a wedding.

Finally we sit on Prevelly Beach, watching a glorious sunset and observing the change in the colours of the sky and ocean as the sun turns both from red to crimson and finally pink as it sets slowly over the horizon.


 'Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under'. C. Joybell. C.



Now the  time has come  to leave this delightful scenario.  On the way back we see a young girl sitting on the beach   playing her guitar, a lovely natural scene, she is  oblivious of anybody else,and  is just enjoying this magical evening and her guitar.
As we walk along the sky begins to grow darker as it does as soon as the sun has set. As we walk we remember we have been so busy chatting and watching the scenery that we may have overshot the turn off that takes us back to the car.  We walk along a different path to the one we had walked down earlier and find there are no familiar landmarks.  However, after a short search we find the car right  where we left it. Although we are two women walking alone we feel safe and thankful for this country we live in.  Even so  it was still a relief to find the car and be on or way home.


When we arrive back at the cottage there is just enough time for a short stroll in the surrounding bush, where we watch the kangaroos jumping across the bush track possibly looking for tonight's dinner.

Although barbecues had been advertised  we found  this was not quite the case when we read the sign on the barbecues stating they can't be lit as no fires were allowed in summer.So back home we go to enjoy a Clayton's barbecue. (actually it was the second  day of autumn but still warm enough to feel as if it was  summer)  The best thing in my opinion about autumn is that we have a whole new summer ahead.  Another summer begins after autumn and winter leave us.  Next morning we find a that there are gas barbecues by this time it is too late.

After our bush walk we meander home and where  Wild Turkey  eases our thirst and we  soothe our beached up legs  with chatting while we sit on the verandah contemplating our meal and  sharing nibbles of  a cheese platter (from the condiments store)  in Cowaramup  and crackers.

Cous cous salad with special ingredients by Rentia and boerewors. is our dinner.
We only had one bed to share so Rentia took some cushions and parked on the lounge room floor. Whether it was the drive  down, the long beach walk and sea air or the scintillating conversation we weren't sure but we both enjoy an excellent night's sleep.