Saturday 29 June 2013

Long time, no blog

Do blogs have a saddle? If so, I better get back in it. Pronto.

I've been busy, not with crochet, but with life. Or rather, death.

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Not as dreadful as you anticipate, I promise.

Many moons ago, I was a funeral director. Then I had a baby and, sadly, she proved incompatible with work. I don't know if you've ever been a funeral director- pretty sure you haven't, I'm sure I would've remembered you, especially if you're a gal 'cos that's a rare species in undertaking- but the job is pretty full on. As a manager of a number of branches, there was admin, staff, accounts, cars, deid folk, funerals, on-call, training, standards, H&S etc and, with the best will in the world, I didn't want to spend my entire life at work and miss out on the small person becoming a big person. Tried to go back part time but it didn't happen *sigh* and I moved on to, obviously the best job in the world (but the worst titled) Full Time Mum.

Skip forward 3 years....gaily if you like.....and look, there I am, at an interview.  Eek! An actual interview. One which necessitated me wearing a suit that, thanks to 3 years of motherhood/eating buns, no longer fitted and made me walk like I was being unzipped, from the toes up.

Long story,yadda yadda yadda, got the job, did the training and now, after an extensive mentoring programme, I am now, ahem, a Humanist Celebrant.

Ooooooh! Check me!



Currently only available for funerals, but with the aim to complete my wedding training as soon as possible, I think I may actually have the best job in the world. If you don't know what a Humanist Celebrant does, it's pretty straightforward; I conduct non-religious funeral services. Sounds simple but it's a lot of work, hugely gratifying and satisfying work, but hard work nonetheless.  I meet a family and, over the course of a few hours, build up a picture of their deceased loved one (or not-loved one) which I then turn into an appropriate and fitting tribute. I can help with the choice of music, poetry, readings and I deliver that tribute wherever it needs delivered, in front of however many people attend; so far that's been as few as 6 and as many as 200.  Nae hymns, nae prayers and nae references to a God.

I love it.

And so far, it's going well. The feedback has been tremendous and, once I got past the imaginary hurdle of working with my ex-colleagues, I've been kept busy. It's really intense- I could know you for years and not know as much as I learn in the 2 hours I am with a family. It helps being properly interested in people's lives/nosey because you need to take in sooooooooo much information at a time when people are pretty raw or, at the very least a bit hyper and on edge.  Some people lead amazing lives, some people don't; some people have a huge positive impact on a lot of people, some people are horrendous and hard to love. My job is to pay tribute to them the best I can, a great responsibility and pretty stressful given the nature of Scottish funerals and their quick turn around.


Look! There I am there, all proper and shiny new!

My mum is much happier now that I am no longer 'idle'.  Also, in her head, I am on a par with a Minister and therefore respectable and she can tell people what I do. I am no longer her secret daughter :)

Oh, and I made a complete car crash of a cake for Flora's birthday.  Looks like Dr Seuss vommed on a plate.


Tasted good but.

Phew. Better ease myself into is writing malarkey niiiiiiiice and easy. Will continue muttering soon enough.

Laters

luv Egg on a Stick x