We decided to visit the latest festival to hit the Liverpool scene, the Hope Street Festival. Its a very different sort of festival than the likes of the Matthew Street one; lots of craft type stalls and street performance. My twinnies were very intriqued with the African dancing, performed to three drummers. Molly tried her best to join in, but couldn`t match the athletic dancer who cartwheeled and walked on his hands.
Blackburne House was hosting a craft fair, so we went in for a look. There was some unusual stuff, but my mum thought that we throw away better stuff. Needless to say, we didn`t buy anything. After this we decided to visit the Blackburne House cafe bar for a quick drink. Half an hour later, we finally got served. Our beautifully presented hot chocolate was lovingly prepared in elegant, tall glasses and looked delish - but unfortuantely was only luke warm. Not good. The kids were bored now after such a long wait and started running round, much to the annoyance of the disgruntled diners, so I had to get them out quickly away from the bad-tempered faces.
After this, we had a quick look round the stalls outside and had a free sample of beer. for some reason, the beer man didnt like me and only gave me a tiny quarter glass sample - everyone else got a brimming glass. Oh well. I must have one of those faces I suppose.
It was a sad day on Friday. It was Tony`s funeral (Tony`s nephew Tony). As you can imagine it was an emotionally charged day. Funerals are always traumatic but when its someone only 22, the whole thing is tinged with a sense of outrage and incredulation about the whole waste of a young life. The whole thing is even more poignant when the person has taken their own life. What can you say?
Anyway, the service was relatively short and thankfully, a sunny day. His parents made a huge wreath in the shape of a dumbell as he liked to lift the weights. Very moving. After the service we went the function room of a local pub - the same one we went to his sister`s 21st a few years earlier, and had a few drinks and a plate of sandwiches.
Back home, we walked Tony`s mother`s two westies which we were minding while the funeral was on and for a few extra days. Two boisterous mutts, three times the size of our little Yorkie. They went back this morning, and as lovely as they are, we`ll be glad to get back to normal. Life goes on doesnt it. I dont think Tony`s parents, girl friend and brothers and sisters will ever get over such a tragic event, but eventually, some vestige of normality returns, and yes, life does go on.
