I had a family funeral to attend in Orewa.
It was a three hour drive each way, so I was happy that my youngest son could be chauffeur.
We went through fog,
And got held up in a snarl of heavy traffic as we crossed through Auckland.
Traffic was much better once we crossed the Harbour Bridge.
We finally arrived at Orewa, in plenty of time for the service.
Coming home, there was a bit of heavy traffic for some of the way but we didn't have to stop at all.
We were treated to an amazing cloud display as we returned to the Waikato (and a much quieter road!).
Back in Hamilton,
And home again, home again, jiggety-jog (I must be tired!).
Margaret xx
I'm sorry you had to get out and away to a funeral. But thank you for those photos. Lovely seeing such those roads, the weather and Orewa. You take darn good photos from a moving car. Mine usually come out blurry. The colours are so sharp!
ReplyDeleteThankyou Linda. I just use my phone - and get quite frustrated when it won't focus and click! Thankfully, that doesn't happen too often.
DeleteI know that feeling of being "Home again, home again..." after a long day. Great photographic 'journal' of your day Margaret. I also had a (local) funeral today, and there is one tomorrow that I will miss as I have a dental appointment at the same time...
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine
Two funerals in the same week is a bit tough. It seems as we grow older, we have more to attend.
DeleteHope your dental appointment goes well :)
One death was not unexpected, the other very sudden... but these days I attend more funerals that other functions, when it comes to non-routine occasions. The dental appointment ended up being just on three hours, being preparation for four crowns... feeling a lot better this evening, than I was this time yesterday :)
DeleteI normally drive up to 8 hours return trip for my country work. This is almost daily. So I feel your pain
ReplyDeleteOh no, sounds awful - and way beyond my current driving ability!
DeleteA long drive but family is worth it! Glad your son was there.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was very thankful he was able to drive me.
DeleteI am sorry for your loss...and so glad your son could go/drive. That would have been such long, lonely drive by yourself.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could have handled the drive by myself. Not now, anyway - once upon a time it would not have concerned me at all.
DeleteThat is indeed an amazing cloud formation over your Waikato homeland. That is a long way for a funeral but it is good to catch up with family at funerals. We said that of my grandmother's funeral - there were many people there she would have loved to see all in one place but had we invited them to a 75th birthday party for her (a few days before she died suddenly), I bet few of them would have accepted and made the effort.
ReplyDeleteSadly, families can be like that. We had a similar thing happen when my father died, and not all family could make the effort to attend a family luncheon but they were all at the funeral.
DeleteLooks like you had a good weather for the event. Bummer your family member passed away though.
ReplyDeleteI was happy it never rained on us :)
DeleteGreat photos taken on the rather sad occasion. Driving through fog is nerve-wracking. Thankfully all went well.
ReplyDeleteAt least the fog we went through wasn't tooooo thick and it never lasted that long. Thick fog at night time is something I really hate driving in (or did, now I would probably just stop the car!).
DeleteMy sympathy to you. Glad you had company on the drive!
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a day's driving. I must have drive through Auckland many times on SH1 going to Northland but I can barely remember it. I only stayed in Auckland a few times then the friend I had there moved down to Napier where I lived.
ReplyDeleteI'd find the anxiety of travelling through Auckland's notorious traffic very difficult. I'm glad you had your son to drive, and you got to the funeral in time, and safely home again. Family funerals are times to reconnect, albeit briefly, and as we age, an important way of recognising the 'changing of the Guard'.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the loss of family...always such a difficult and sad time. It was kind of you to travel far to visit family, it always means so much. I agree...it's so nice to get home again. Feet up, cozy fire, settle in and relax.
ReplyDelete