Ashes to Ashes

 After a few years living in our downstairs gym, it was time for my mothers ashes to be scattered in various parts of Plymouth, which had certain memories for her.

It was delightful that eldest son Tim and his girlfriend Tay could join us from Switzerland and mums friends Lydia dn ian joined us for the first scattering.

That was initially at Effort Crematorium where my father was scattered in June 1980 so they had been apart for the best of 43 years. At Lydia's suggestion we then retired to Saltram House just outside Plymouth where both of them had worked as volunteers. We had a cup of tea and cake before nipping into the impressive floral border area where we did a bit more scattering.

Tim and Tay were not arriving until the next day, so SWMBO and I went to the Barbican for a trip down memory lane. We had a pint in The Dolphin, a pub made famous by Plymouth artist Beryl Cook, and then into the Queens which is one of the oldest pubs in Plymouth before going into the Trawlerman,

Now the Trawlerman is a cider house with a number of brews registering over 8.0% on the alcoholic scale, but many years ago it was called The Friary, and was our school pub. I first drank in there in about 1970 but had not been back there for well on 50 years. It was a very emotional visit as there were a group of young locals singing sea shanties, one of which 'Haul away for Rosie-o' was a favourite of the S -Club ably led by Stu.

The main part of the scattering took place the next day at Wembury beach. Tim did the honours and scattered his Gran in a suitable rock pool which was soon to be engulfed by the English Channel. We watched her start her final journey and were just able to keep a wretched dog owner from allowing his trio of Scotties to desecrate the site. She would have gone mad!!

We then trotted off to Stadden Heights golf club to toast her memory and show Tay one of the best views of Plymouth Sound.

During the trip we ate at Fletcher's, a fine dining establishment near the Theatre Royal,  Supha's, a market stall type restaurant at Sutton harbour and for Sunday lunch, The Dock in Millbay. We also spent some time on Dartmoor and visited Pricetown, Tavistock and Lopwell dam.

They must farm pheasant near Lopwell as I have never seen so many running around on the roads and in the hedgerows. I think SWMBO was a bit nervous of the narrow lanes but we survived and are now back in Scouseland, while Tim and Tay continued their adventure travelling to Falmouth in Cornwall for a few days.

Whether we will ever make it back to Plymouth remains to be seen, but if it is our last trip, then we did pretty much all we wanted to do and we leave with fond memories, the hotel we stayed in, the Moxy was also an experience, and recommended.....proper Job!