Saturday, September 26, 2020

Janet's Memorial

We gathered at a small picnic area on Highway 64 on the shore of the West Arm of Lake Nipissing to say goodbye to Sandy's mother, Janet L Jacobs. This was the spot where her father Harry and brother Malcolm had their ashes released and we set Jan free to join them. It was a significant location because Jan and Harry had spent many happy weekends on a houseboat they moored near there.

Attendance was limited by the new COVID rules so the gathering was just cousins and a few friends. Son-in-law Tom held my phone as we live streamed the gathering on Facebook for friends and family around the world.

Kim, Mike and the girls could not make it because they found just as they were ready to leave Cambridge that they had been in close contact with someone who was showing possible COVID signs. They were self isolating until the test results came back. (It was later found to be a false alarm.)

It was poignant as various people shared memories of Jan and then we played Dancing in the Sky by Dani and Lizzy as I released the ashes into the channel. COVID meant we could not have the family dinner we usually hold at times like these so everyone went their own ways after we were finished. Luckily, the weather held out until after we were finished.

On the way back, Heather, Tom, Sandy and I stopped at Kate's Place near Warren for a bite to eat. Leo and I had stopped here September 4th and then found out there was a COVID alert for the time we were there. I got the scoop today. Someone who at tested positive thought he had stopped at Kate's but wasn't sure when, so they out out a blanket warning. It turned out to be nothing.

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