Two Funerals and a Wedding

These are photos I took 19th April, the morning Ken died. I woke in the dark from a dream that I was about to be tested for something for which I had not time to prepare, and decided to go for a long walk - started off walking in the dark and eventually watched the sunrise over Ulumbarra, this beautiful mountain which is an old man lying down, the same as the Nightcap range in Nimbin. There is also a woman, Anjali, lying head to head with him. I had a lovely peaceful day until my body/mind received the news from Nimbin and went into shock. One day I hope to have such a good acceptance of death and change that it's a bit easier to deal with - and if people keep leaving the way they have been, it will be essential. I have lost so many family and close friends in the last few years.

Ken had a good send-off. He made many friends while sitting in his open-air office/cum saloon bar outside Mark's shop and they all came and lots of our mutual friends from the old days came to the funeral too, which I really appreciated. I was able to remember him again as he was back then in his prime, once his spirit was set free from all the alcohol and smoking he punished his body with for so long. I have a journey towards forgiveness that I am walking still. So I cry a bit still though I am feeling less vulnerable now, which is good as I have to go back to work very soon.


Here is a photo of Ken at peace with life and birth and finally at peace with death. He was only 55 but looked so old, it gave him much kudos as a street psychologist and guru.





There has been a wedding too - Libby and Pete were married on June 2nd and did it in gorgeous Bollywood style, though I'm sure that was all Libby's idea. Lisa Yeates lent me the perfect gear and I had a great night catching up with old friends like Liz Jensen whom I haven't seen for ages, Neil, Mary, lots of people - even danced to the pappadum japarty band for a while.
Here is the reunion of Bridie's birthing crew - and here is Sophia, Bridie's baby. They are living in Cairns now with Andrew, Sophie's dad.




Here we have a photo of Graeme. This is kind of like another funeral photo, Grazza at the end of the rainbow, maybe looking for the pot of gold or maybe trying to be a good Buddhist. He was so pissed off that I didn't put this photo of him up in my last posting that he decided to embark on a new relationship after Kenn's funeral (it's true, that's what he told me!) It didn't seem like such a great photo to me but I guess he meant he was feeling neglected after three years of just friendship and freedom and maybe jealous of all the attention Ken was getting and scared of dying and scared of grief. So he is off on another journey too and it feels like a kind of a death of a friendship and a funeral, though it is probably the best thing for me.