Memorial services are

stressful things to organise if, like us, you have scattered family and many other issues to consider. 

We are having the memorial service for our beloved Senior Cat tomorrow. It has been delayed because of Easter and other matters.

This has been some years in the making. It is not because it is an elaborate affair, anything but that. 

Often when the Senior Cat came home from a funeral he had attended for a family member or friend he would comment on it. He would tell me, "I'd like something like that" or "Please don't do anything like that."

In the past twelve months we worked together on what he wanted. He did not want a funeral. "I don't want people sitting there staring at my coffin." He knew how hard it would be for us to do that.

So, tomorrow is a memorial service. His ashes will be buried in the grounds of the church he attended. His beliefs were radically different from most of those who attended it. The priest knows that. They often talked about such things and, as the priest recently said to me, "The last thing J... wants is a requiem mass."

No, we are going to farewell him with some things he liked. His favourite Psalm 121, a NT reading by P..., a Roman Catholic nun, African music chosen by children in a centre for unaccompanied minors in Africa. It is the grandchildren, the surrogate grandchildren and one of his youngest students who will put symbols of his life with his ashes. His ashes will be interred in the church yard, near the seat we donated after his wife, our mother, died. Later there will be a small plaque over whatever gets planted in that place.  There will be tartan ribbon and one of the great Scottish hymns with his instructions to "belt it out". (Being Downunderites it won't sound quite like it did at the service for Prince Philip but I think we can at least try.)  There are three short eulogies, one from each generation and different parts of the clan, emphasising different parts of his life.

There will be people missing. There always will be. My youngest nephew is stuck in another state. His partner was in tears last night when telling Middle Cat they had to isolate because one of her work colleagues had, knowing he was Covid positive, selfishly turned up to work saying it didn't matter. Friends have long planned trips. 

But modern technology mean they can join in from afar if they want to because, D... - the priest, and Brother Cat are on top of these things. 

If I believed such things I would want to think of the Senior Cat watching all this and saying, "Right, get on with it...and when it is all over could we have a cup of tea?"

And that is just what the women of the church are giving us as a final farewell to our beloved Senior Cat. Thank you.