Yes, indeed.
... & saying "good morning" to you, Swimpy.
Saying "good evening" back atcha, Olga. Tomorrow's the wake. Do you do wakes in Australia? I understand that wakes are a particularly Catholic practice. The town I live in is heavily roman Catholic. We have roughly 50,000 people and no less than 11 Catholic churches.
We sort of have wakes here, Swimpy. It's still very big with some Irish. You meet, you drink quite a bit & talk with great affection about memories of the deceased person. But it's usually it's a simple get-together after the church service & the burial for many folk now.
All the best for tomorrow, Swimpy. Let us know how it goes, OK?
msolga wrote:It's still very big with some Irish.
Guilty as charged. :wink: We don't do the drinking bit and the wake is the day before the funeral.
I've always thought it a
lovely way to see someone off, Swimpy. Much more honest & warm than keeping a stiff upper lip! And a bit of plonk flowing (in Oz, I mean) means that folk can unwind, wax lyrical, get a wee bit maudlin & express their sorrow openly .... A lot to be said for a wake, I reckon!
Hey, I didn't know you were Irish, Swimpy!
Heeven would disagree, but I'm 3/4 Irish. My neice has been pouring through her dad's things to find pictures and other memorablia to bring. That has become the thing to do at wakes. Believe me, I know a bit about wakes. It's a nice way to say goodbye.
I like the sound of the way you folks do it, too, Swimpy.
And I'm
certain you know quite a bit about wakes!
And, hey, 3/4 Irish is better than
no Irish!
Abso-freakin'-lutely! How about you? Any Irish in you?
just seeing this thread now, my condolences to you and your family
Absolutely no Irish in Olga to speak of, Swimpy!
100% Ukrainian peasant ancestry!
But I'm a great fan of the Irish! I love their passionate approach to life. And they're all poets! :wink:
Thanks for stopping in, dj.
a little irish in this canuck and an irish tune for the departed
The Parting Glass
Traditional
Of all the money e'er I had, I spent it in good company;
And all the harm I've ever done, alas was done to none but me;
And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall,
So fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all.
Of all the comrades e'er I had, they're sorry for my going away,
And all the sweethearts e'er I had , they wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot that I should go and you should not,
I'll gently rise and softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all.
If I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile,
There is a fair maid in this town who sorely has my heart beguiled.
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips, I own she has my heart in thrall,
So fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all.
Yes, it is very nice. Thank you for that, my friend.
How are you going, Swimpy?
I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking. The wake and funeral were draining, but the family really pulled together. That's the silver lining. I'm just now realizing how big a hole is left.
Yes, that's hard, isn't it, Swimpy? I couldn't quite get my head around the notion that a person no longer existed (gone, just like that!) when my father died.
Thing is, he was really gone months before. We were just in denial. I don't know if I believe in the concept of a soul. Personality is certainly something that is located in the brain. If your soul isn't your personality, then I don't know what it is.
Could you say a bit more on that (your last statement), Swimpy?
