An almost forgotten province in the overall scheme of Canada, New Brunswick is full of forest, so much so that three hours driving through the green solidity of trees upon trees has never failed but to have me pull over to the side of the highway, almost in a coma and doze off, head back, drooling I'm sure, for about half an hour. I nearly made it all the way through today, I'd about fifteen minutes to go but my head started to nod. I scrabbled myself and the car off under a tree's comforting shadow before any harm could be done. The somnolent effect of hundreds of miles of trees has to be witnessed to be believed and I have driven this road close to fifty times in the last thirty years and never managed to make it through in one swoop.
New Brunswick also has the world's longest covered bridge,(sorry Madison County) photo above.
On another note: my dear aunt Frances was buried today and a brother gave me a full report. She wished to be buried in the family plot with her mother, my father and my mother and her sister. However, the family plot is full to capacity and there were a few options, two of which would have upset my aunt. One was to cremate her and bury the ashes in the grave. As she was a Catholic of the very old school this was out of the question. The second was to try and determine if one of the other graves around had a spare apartment. But being buried with strangers would have appalled her.
The third was to build a 'penthouse' (my brother's word, not mine!) above the family plot and ensconce her, queen of all she surveyed. This was the most expensive option but as her will had been very specific regarding her eternal location, it was decided to do just that and honour her. I was very pleased and rather tickled at the idea of her, a very humble woman, rising above all those beneath her. RIP, dearest aunt, from your mouth to your God's ear. Save us from peril and from woe.
PS I wonder does the PH have its own little elevator and fireplace?
PPS Full report in September of the penthouse gravesite.
I haven't been by in days anywhere and here you are in New Brunswick already. Do you fee like a hardy pioneer woman traveling around that big country of yours? I can't begin to imagine that much space and I would be terribly intimidated by it. I would be like a child lost in the woods on an alien planet. You must have a natural love for all that wildness and open space in your heart that makes me feel so lost.
ReplyDeleteI always try to imagine the pioneer women on the prairies and how mad they went after a while from the loneliness of it. You see how I would have always stayed in the old country. Of course, nobody knew ahead of time, nor did they know that they'd go crazy when the dust crawled in through the windows and the doors. Such brave people you are!
I would like to be buried like your aunt, if I knew somebody would come by and visit regularly. Even just out of curiosity.
I love the freedom of the roads, Irene, the driving, the possibility, the irresponsibility even, being out of touch and unleashed (well, apart from cell-phones these days!)
ReplyDeleteI'm not too much of a pioneer woman, I like my creature comforts too much but I think I would be totally happy with 10,000 books and my imagination to live with. I have a very vivid imagination that sets up an alternative universe for me to escape to....
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Goodness, a penthouse grave? Sounds very luxurious. And does it come complete with gold taps, jacuzzi and minibar? (Sorry, I have a vivid imagination as well....)
ReplyDeleteoh what a lovely option!
ReplyDeletemy irish grandmother and her siblings and parents are all buried in the same area of Mt. Olivet Cemetery in missouri. a very old section that filled up many years ago.
when my father died, we knew he wanted to be buried there too but figured there was no hope; it had been full for years.
we checked anyway, and lo and behold--they found four plots right near my grandmother that somehow had been overlooked.
amazing.
though i think my dad might have liked that penthouse option.
the penthouse is a new one to me. I look forward to the update later in the year.
ReplyDeleteI have great hopes for the first sighting in September, Nick, there just has to be a terrace too!
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Guv would certainly deserve the penthouse, Laurie. As long as he shared.
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GM:
I just hope he's not pulling my leg on this whole thing, I'll be crushed.
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XO
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it tickles me no end that you called my dad Guv.
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