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March 2007

Barry's News Page

Hello Web page followers!

As I look from my window into the trees that surround the Memorial Garden, I’m focussing on our white dovecote, where six of our doves live happily together and I am witnessing an unusual disturbance. A grey and white pigeon has intruded and entered into the property!

Naturally, the six doves are quite concerned by his presence and are at present physically evicting the pigeon from the dovecote, but this is no pushover. This pigeon is very determined and as they push him from one area of the dovecote, he appears around the other side and tries to enter through another entrance. As I speak, the unwanted tenant has finally been evicted and at present the doves appear to be standing guard at each entrance! Obviously city life is as hectic for them as it is for us.

Spring is just around the corner and my next web news should see the daffodils, tulips, crocuses and buds on the trees, bring spring ever closer.

The stubborn roots from the tree that fell during the storm a few weeks ago remain at the edge of the gates. You can see people stopping to stare as they look at the base of the tree and imagine the history that has passed its way.

Even with the death of this tree, comes the continuation of life and I’m reminded as ever, of how fragile life is. Two of our staff are again in Iraq to repatriate a soldier who was killed in action and two others are in Afghanistan repatriating three brave young men who have lost their lives and it reminds me that I am soon to do a tour of facilities and staff billeting and procedures for both of those war torn countries.

As ever, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those young men and we can only hope for an end to all the violence wherever it occurs in the world.

Our branch in Sidcup continues to flourish as in fact does the whole business and I am proud to say, so much so that we are ordering a new limousine to arrive in August.

We are pleased to announce that Neil who works with us here and his wife Claire, who works at a local primary school, are expecting their first baby in September. I’m sure you all wish them the very best.

My son Simon is now the new United Kingdom representative for FIAT/IFTA, the World Association of Funeral Operatives, of which I was President last year. I wish him well and have every confidence in him for the future.

It is interesting how things have changed. Looking through our staff language capabilities, we have the usual English, Cockney, profanity that we all seem to be capable of from time to time, but we also have through Emerson and Edita, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Russian, Lithuanian and with my ‘Pigeon Persian’ we don’t do too badly do we?

The holiday season approaches and our staff are all busy planning future breaks which they well deserve.

If you enjoy the web page news or would like to hear more about other subjects, please feel free to e-mail me.

Until next month

Cheerio