The final closing of an era ...

Many of my regular followers know the stories of my parents in South Africa as I have shared their stories, their heritage, their letter writing  activities many times with you. 

In 2020, covid locked the world down & our planned trip to South Africa was put on hold as no international travel was allowed from the UK or from South Africa. We were keen to introduce Dad to his great grandson but sadly he only met him on facetime before Covid took my beloved Father's life in January 2021. 

In 2018, we road tripped around South Africa with Dad, he decided on the family he needed to see & we planned the route around that so he could fulfil that wish. 

My Mother & her great aunt loved the sea, Dad & I less so but at the end of that last trip, Dad picked up some shells & some stones & gave them to me to keep for 'when the grave is opened again' and I kept them safe, placed them besides flowers & candles at home during his private cremation in the heart of covid times. 

I placed the stones & shells Dad & I had collected in a small bag, placed them in my crossbody handbag to do this 2022 trip for him. They visited the places connected to his ancestors in his place. 

I had this poem in mind as I kept the stones Dad & I had collected together with me in my bag ... 

So the stones & shells we had collected together in 2019 did the ancestral trip, visiting places connected to my Dad's family history.

They were interred too & a cousin kindly arranged for 3 majestic king proteas for the 3 family graves 

My Father is reunited with his wife of nearly 57 years & with our younger brother for eternity. 

A last request fulfilled with great love, the end of an era, an eternity to rest, 

Dee ~💕~