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.

Ridin the newest train route in the southern hemisphere

The Mandurah to Perth Railway line opened a few days before Christmas 2007 so Im pretty sure its the newest so far. There was great excitement everywhere, the long awaited train had finally arrived. It was a bit like the Berlin Wall, there was lots of discussion, then one day'poof'' it was gone. The new railway line has been discussed over and over, there were so many delays we wondered would it ever happen at all. Then just as we had begun to believe it was all a myth, suddenly 'poof' the line was opened.
Early one morning Jamie and I drove to the Mandurah station and caught the train, There were a few little hiccups, for example we were unable to pay for car parking as the machine was broken. Neither could we purchase a railway ticket, the ticket machine was down.

At last the moment arrived when we stepped aboard the train. I was amazed to notice that our new trains had already been targeted with graffiti. Still, it was an exciting time, sitting on the train and admiring the view. There was only one serious mishap when an elderly couple had to alight at their designated station. The doors opened and the wife alighted, however they shut instantly and the husband was left on the train. He was distraught but I hope buoyed by the assitance he received from the other passengers. One person offered their mobile phone, except he was unable to use it. A passenger produced a map to show him how far it was to the next station where he could alight and go back and join his wife.

When the time came for him to get off the train, half the passengers in his carriage jumped up ready to assist him and make sure he left the train. Finally the drama was over and hopefully the man was able to find his wife again.

A summer's day in Mandurah

Last Sunday was the perfect day for an outing. It was 90 degrees or so, the sun shine brightly, (obviously or it wouldn't have been 90 degrees). We decided on a short trip of around 30 minutes to visit Nath. When we drove up to the freeway we realized everybody else had the same idea. Where I live the locals either stay indoors or go travelling away from Mandurah to avoid the holiday crush. So bravely, we joined the holiday makers and drove slowly along the freeway. When we reached a set of lights ten minutes from home we had to wait, as you generally do at traffic lights. We sat patiently, waiting, waiting, waiting. After being at the lights for 40 minutes and being the clever detectives we are we realized there was a problem ahead. Then we had a bright idea, let's go along the coast road and come out further down the free way.
So at the nearest corner we turned and 50 other cars followed us. I felt a bit like Forrest Gump must have done when he was running and half the world followed him, thinking he knew something important.
Off we travelled in convoy, in and out of streets and laneways, once we even went on a dirt track, much to the disgust of my new car. Finally, we reached our destination, and surprise, surprise, the entrance to the main road was closed. Apparently there were road works happening and this was the reason for the hold up. Can you believe it? On a Sunday when every one is out on the one road to anywhere. I thought about going on the road less travelled but got lost once so I remained where I was. Eventually I turned around and headed back where we had come from. Cars were still following me and I felt as if I had made new friends that afternoon. Perhaps we should have stopped and had a picnic lunch with them all. That would really have been blogworthy.
After spending over an hour driving around we decided to stop at our favourite spot at the Marina for lunch and enjoy a leisurely walk along the beach. I'm not quite sure what happened to all my followers but only a few of them turned into the Marina with us.

Later that day we had a surprise visit from Nath. He had decided as we couldn't come to him he would pay us a visit, which was lovely. However, he came on his motor bike and as a mother I had to worry until I knew he had made it home safely. He messaged me the instant he turned into his street, before he went inside his house as per my instructions. Funny isn't it? our kids are always our kids even when they are 27 years old. I love that line from a movie which says, 'a mother holds her child's hand for a short time, but holds their hearts forever.' It was something like that anyway.
Well its summer downunder so I'm happy and can put up with all these small worries.

People watching

I love summer evenings, when, after enjoying a meal we can stroll along the boardwalk, walking away the calories and savouring the sights and sounds of the neighbourhood. In some parts, life has spilled on to the pavements, music coming from cafes and restaurants, people sit outside drinking coffee, whiling away the hours, watching passers by. There are different types of passers by to be observed. Some who work the streets all night. (That is, garbage collectors and the like). Cars zoom by with the stereo volume turned up high, bearing number plates like, 'free spirit', 'fast cars rock' 'one night stand'.
Because Australians tend to live by the Coast or rivers, there is always the sound of the surf or a river view. Even the sound of the mobile phone is becoming the norm. People aren't usually phoning share holders and such, its generally friendly chit chat. For example, hello, I'm out to dinner just checking the kids are ok, or did we turn the gas off before we left? Ah! the wonders of modern technology, how did we survive without it?Someday I will write a book based only on these public mobile phone calls.
Sometimes there are family arguments which are hard to ignore as they waft across on the breeze from the river. I like too imagine that one day I will hear a conversation that is really worth eavesdropping for. For example, where are you now? were you seen? what did you do with the evidence? This is when I watch and try to remember faces, just in case I have to give testify in Court someday. Who know when my moment will arrive and I get to identify the chief suspect?
Usually, I just get to go home and sleep off the meal I have partake and the extra exercise Just being a part of the cosmopolitan crowd on a warm summer evening has been enough for me.