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Old 18th July 2021, 08:19   #551
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A sad time for you. Will you be allowed to visit Bob in hospital?
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Old 18th July 2021, 08:25   #552
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Originally Posted by Gate Keeper View Post
A sad time for you. Will you be allowed to visit Bob in hospital?
Hi Phil, sadly not. He wants people to remember him how we knew him. His sister goes in every day and sits with him. I have emailed through to Sue a few funny stories of our adventures together. Sent some photos as well.

Memories of Bob will always be dear to me as it was through him, indirectly, that I was to meet my future wife, Val. And for that I will always be eternally grateful.

Many thanks to all for the kind words.
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

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Old 19th July 2021, 13:49   #553
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Default My mate Bob…………..

………………… sadly passed away this morning. His sister was with him at the time he took the hands of the angels.
I will be travelling to London for the funeral. I have to say goodbye to Bob in my own way.
Plus I can visit Val at the cemetery, although I expect she knows the news.
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

onen hag oll
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Old 19th July 2021, 14:25   #554
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In your own words, you have reason to be eternally grateful to Bob; your good, and long term, friend.

I'm sure that you will keep this in mind, during the next few, sad weeks.

Cancer is cruel; but the end is often a relief for the sufferer; whilst it fills with grief, those that are left behind.

But it is those who are left, that can carry the memories forward.


Mike & Jan

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Old 19th July 2021, 15:46   #555
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Safe travels Bob, in all your journies.
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Old 23rd July 2021, 17:39   #556
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Cool Had a visit from the………………

………………………………. Royal Navy today, not all of them but one serving female member.

My bumper crop of strawberries this year meant that I could pot off plenty of baby plants. Managed to over to get 30 pots with two or three new plants in. Allen took 10 pots, 5 for him and 5 for his daughter.

I asked around the different neighbours and managed to share another 10 pots. What to do with the other 10?
So I put a post up on the Saltash Community page over on Facebook. Got three replies.
So the First Lady arrived by car and took 5 of the plants. The second visitor was on foot and she took two of the pots but brought me plant as well. A cutting from a Basil herb.

The third visitor is serving member of the Royal Navy. A slim young lady and she arrived by car. She took the final three, but I found another one that was still producing strawberries so I let her take that one as well.
Happy to help all that I can.

No news as of yet about my mates funeral. I know he had relatives way up North so maybe they are trying to get the time off work. No point me speculating. I’ll just have to wait.

Matt Darke, along with phone help from Dave Lincs, have finally resolved the outside temperature sensor issues on Banana. So we now have her back to almost 100%. A couple of niggles to be sorted but not important to worry about.
I drove up to Matt’s yesterday and then I went with him as a passenger in his car. Destination was Weymouth. Matt had bought Ian & Jan’s MG ZTT CDTi, and I was driving the “Sprout” back.

We had a cup of tea with them. Matt and Ian sorted out the paperwork. Then it was time for the off. I would be lead car. We said our goodbyes and off we went. We went back towards Bridport via the coast road through Abbotsbury. I gave the Sprout a bit of welly and she responded well.
We stopped at the Millers farm shop in Kilington for a break.

Matt had ham, egg n chips and I had the biggest ploughman’s I have ever seen for lunch. Bloomin’ ‘andsum.
Then Matt took the lead as we had to go back across country to avoid the main drag as the traffic was at a standstill. We had heard the news on the radio.
It was a spirited drive back. The Sprout was able to keep up with Grovey.

We finally got back to Matt’s. And then we played that game of finding somewhere to park. I moved Banana so that Grovey could be put in the garden. Then the Sprout had a space with Banana easing into the gap that was left.
Tea? Oh! Go on then.
I stayed till 7pm before setting off to the mini meet in Newton Abbout, it’s a regular mini meet on a Thursday.
Matt ltook the Sprout with me following. A couple of people there had never seen Banana. ( Yes, their are few)

I finally left at 20.30 and was home by 21.15. Warp factor 3 for most of the way home.
I’ll be seeing some of you on Sunday.

Everyone else keep safe.
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

onen hag oll
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Old 27th July 2021, 09:10   #557
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Cool Going back............................

................................... for my mates funeral. He will be going onto pastures new on the 5th August, It be at the same as my crem that my Val went from, Forest Road Barkingside. I plan to travel up on the 4th and stay at Michaels for a few days before returning with Michael.

It's going to be a very emotional day as I have been asked to say a few words at the service, I was unable to perform this service at Val's funeral. I'll be taking Banana.
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

onen hag oll
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Old 2nd August 2021, 18:00   #558
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Cool Started packing…………

……………………….. my suitcase for my trip to London. Part of me wants to go, just to say goodbye to Bob. But part of me is dreading the trip back to London. But go I must. I have spoken to Bob’s sister Sue who has told me that it will be a low key funeral. Be about 16 of us.
And she has revealed what Bob has left me in his will. His entire music library. We shared our interest in music. Looks like I’ll have to buy a record player now.

My plan will include a visit to see Elizabeth and Tim’s parents, whom I have never met. As for Roger I have no idea where he is. He was supposed to be in London with his family but no confirmation on that news. I have made no attempt to contact him.
Also plan to see my two cousins who moved from East London to Romford Essex the year after I moved.
And I will be seeing my god daughter in Earls Colne. That visit I’m really looking forward to. My return trip on the 9th or the 10th will see Michael, and possibly his daughter, coming back with me.

I have three cemeteries to visit whilst I’m back in London. Missing the monthly visits to see Val. Not been back since September 2019. Will be laying flowers on my Uncle/Grandparents resting place. And I have one other place to lay flowers.

Banana will be making the trip, I’ll take a few tools with me but my AA membership is up to date. She has done 514 miles to two events in the last couple of weeks. All without any issues. So fingers crossed we will have no issues.

Had two phone calls from RPWC aka our Richard. One was a video call and he showed me his head where the kerb dented his skull, I did ask after the kerb but Richards answer is best not repeated on here. Once he is home and settled I will go and visit him.

I’ll keep you updated on how everything goes.

Keep safe people
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

onen hag oll
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Old 5th August 2021, 18:03   #559
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Cool It went well.

I left Michael’s in good time seeing as the A406 aka the North Circular can be a right pain. It still took 45 minutes to get to the crematorium in Barkingside, last time I was there was to see my late Uncle off a few years back. I did drive up my old road but drove past the old flat without a second glance.

The sun was out as the hearse pulled up, no funeral cars as the family had decided to make their own way there. I stood by the door and waited, everyone came up to me and said, “you must be Bob”. I replied “yes”. It seemed that the Banana’s reputation had gone before us.

We followed the coffin in, there was just one spray of flowers upon the coffin, just the immediate families choice. Bob’s mum had decided not to attend the funeral and had chosen to stay at home. At 93 and unsteady on her feet plus suffering from the early stages of dementia she had decided not to come.
The first piece of music was very fitting for Bob, “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin and it was the full album version.

The vicar stood up and said his piece then Sue stood up and spoke about her brother. There was things I never knew that opened my eyes about Bob. He was a hoarder, a bit like my brother in law. But Bob kept all his train and bus tickets. There was all the literature from the beer festivals that we attended.
Both my mate Mick, Val and I got a mention as it would seem that we were his only true friends. And Banana got a mention as well.

Then another piece of music was played, “All along the watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix. Again the full album version. Then Bob’s nephew Steve stood up and talked about how Bob had taught him to play chess. He talked about Bob’s fishing holidays. The same place three times a year, and for the last 25 years at a private lake in Herefordshire. He even stayed in exactly the same room in the same hotel. That’s some doing.

Then it was my turn to stand up to speak. I felt dizzy with that clammy feeling. I only knew Sue, everyone else was a stranger to me. Some names I knew as Bob had told me in the past but until today I had never met.
I had written notes on what to say but I had left them at home in Cornwall.
I spoke about how we first met in the Doctor Johnson pub in Barkingside, now a Co-Op store.

I spoke how Bob was instrumental in me meeting my Val. For our wedding reception he had made us a barrel of homemade Bitter ale, 9 gallons of it. He came around to the flat with the barrel with strict instructions on not to touch it for at least 4 days. And then draw off the first pint which had to be tipped away.
It went down very well at the reception.
I spoke about Bob’s love of his music, well into heavy metal although he never ever attended a live concert. I talked about his fish ponds and how he looked after the fish liked they were his children.

There was other things that I would have talked about but I thought I had said enough.
The last piece of music was very fitting for Bob. “Gone fishing” by Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong. We filed past the coffin. I stopped and touched the wood and said my goodbyes, it was only then I felt the tears welling up. I managed to get outside without embarrassing myself.

And then was an arm around me, along with a tissue. It was Sue’s daughter Claire. She walked with me to a bench and got me to sit down. I apologised for crying. But Claire said not to worry but just let the memories continue to roll down my cheeks. Then a bottle of water appeared. I was told to sit still till I felt ok to continue. I felt so embarrassed.

Chris came over and asked if I was ok to drive back to the house, I said yes that I would be ok once I was behind the wheel.
We then convoyed back to the house, but I still felt embarrassed.
I managed to find a parking space outside a neighbours house. It now started to rain.
I was met inside the door and ushered into the back room. Someone helped me off with my jacket and told to sit down. A mug of sweet tea was given to me and everyone was ushered out of the room. I was left to compose myself. Sue and Claire came back in and sat either side of me and told me to relax. Sue took my pulse, she is a retired district nurse. I felt so foolish to break down like I did. But they said that it was to be expected and I had done well not to collapse.

Eventually I felt a lot better. Sue asked me when was the last time I had eaten, breakfast was the last food I had eaten and that was just a slice of toast. Be diabetic didn’t help. They had done a spread and Claire went off to get me some sandwiches plus some sweet cake. Plus another cup of tea.
I started to feel better and was allowed to go into the other room to speak to everyone.
Everyone asked if I was ok. Bob’s nephew Chris offered to drive me back to Michael’s in Banana, with Steve following up. But I said I would be ok after a wander around the garden to get some fresh air.

That soon cleared my head, it was raining. The cool drops on my face woke me up.
I went back inside and finally got to speak to Bob’s Mum, Joan. She remembered me and joked about when used to go to the cinema with Bob, Mick, Val and I. She even remembered when we went to the wrong cinema to watch a film that wasn’t showing there. I had totally forgotten about that.

To be continued……………………..
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

onen hag oll
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Old 5th August 2021, 19:00   #560
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Default Thanks.

You made it feel like we could have been there, no better tribute could be given. Thanks for including us.
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