Them bones them bones them dry bones!

I think that is the way the old song goes, and thats the way the bones were, dry and disconnected, dislodged and disconcerting!
Well we were in a graveyard, and who would wander so deep to gather wood, no not for fire as in cremation, but as in decoration...
today was a good day...at the graveyard and grave side.
i was utterly shocked to see my dad has been dead for eleven years and my sister for fourteen.
Time flies, and remember we shall all be them bones.
Hopefully not found on the surface as my twin found as she foraged, she feels they were a joint, definitely a joint and she is an x-nurse.
so either an elbow or knee.
when i told her there was a vast difference, she said she was not going down to sniff it or inspect further or closer, but it was a joint, poking out, dislocated, disconcerting, in the depths of furtherlands at the graveyard.
we had loaded up today.
it was after a wander looking again for our 'forever homes' and we saw some possibilities.  we decided to pop into our Pop's grave to sort of stand and contemplate and ask the dead a favour, that is for Dad and Louise to think of us and find us a home.
we decided then that it was very very bare, lonely and dislocated, although new chippings had been put down, as you could nearly see bones, up until now, literally, the grave had sunk for a second time.
we wanted then, all of a sudden to decorate, make part of the living world, own it, not desert it but care for it.  I believe that is what older folk do do when it comes to the end of their lives.
the younger are too busy being young!
but we felt livened and energetic and called into the Windy Arbour (garden centre), for suggestions and ideas.
 i already had the idea of alpine plants for between the graves.  a tiny gravel dirt inch edging all around would have coped with this sort of plant, i felt.
mags loves flowers, she picked some beauties, gentle soft blues, with a hint of silver grey, they were smaller than a pansy, i think called viola.
she also picked another blueish plant.
Home we went with a few alpines and blues, feeling sunny and all warm as in yellows of the sun rays and shine of sunflowers (which are doing nicely at three inches high).
we had a dinner and debated our housing dilemma and choices, a few emails were sent on this topic and a further debate on whether to wait for the Irish v. England rugby match or come back for the second half.
we decided on the latter.
we wandered my yardenette and chose some Pinks, and some pots and planters, then the tools of the gardening trade, two small seats, the hats, gloves and many a full flowering or ready to, troughs of other greens which will be tulips and other.
As in 'we don't know' but surely will..in time...if time allows, and if the slugs do too.
Now we had everything and off we set.
We sat, purple pots, luminous green watering can, blue floppy hats and pansies, a clatterer on some poor persons deserted and very very lonesome grave of gravel and dirt dating back to the early eighteeth century.  Protestant.
We were on the Prods side of the graveyard, the catholics are on the other. Louise is in the middle being half of one and half of the other, she goes in with our dad who was full Protestant, with never a half about it, but maybe presbyterian, for i believe his mother may have been that, well i think she was and no maybe either.
Hence some family members are on opposite sides and others in Glasnevin on very much the opposite end of the opposite side.
My Dad is here and my Ma is there!
we got digging but not for bones.
Mags sat on a tiny blue plastic stepper, and i sat on a green real gardening seat for disabled and frail!
i scratched the edges, scoured and picked and hacked out pebbles and dry earth.
I had my blue hat on and twin, after she had discovered the bones on a wander told me some bare back of mine was visible so i had to sort that, see the sun destroys my DNA, in truth and reality.
I had the factor 80 or something on as well.
I was hot.  the sun beat down.
my twin sat after the bones and did the planters in the middle.
i scratched, as i already have said and laid out my alpines, pulling them apart to get more plants, but dividing gently so as not to hurt the tender roots.
i gave Mags some to put behind her on that edge, so i could see how it all was gonna look.
then came the adding of peat, the scrouvvel again with the shovel.
and a pat here, a brush there, and a lovingly perfect line of soil, plus a combo of different spreading (eventually) alpines.
i patted all around, stepping on my dad and sis, sometimes saying 'sorry' but mostly not, for i was taken up with the task at hand.
 i hardly noticed the twin but knew she was equally taken up, as i would know when she needed to get off her stool and straighten up!
we were mighty pleased.
a grave decorated, a visual feast for a dead person and persons, and a feeling that we did good in good honour on this small patch in a vast dead place of many.
we were visualising our own homes too, with their possibilities of gardens and sharing and togetherness if possible.
we wondered then after i took pics with my mobile phone, which i will never know how to download.
and so home -
To the rugby match and to our delight it had not even started, someone timed that well and someone got the timing wrong!
we settled, but felt something missing...food, nice sort...sweet and sugary and delightful.
the twin got up, dressed, she was starkers and scooted down to the small shop for a 'surprise' of delights, fully clothed.
i put the tools of gardening trade back in their places, brushed out the unit (it ain't a home).
and then brushed out my yardenette, i love it, as i do all outdoors.
Mags returned and was furious with me, she claimed i had done enough for one day and true i had.
Solpadol next! They are painkillers for those of foreign lands, who may read this!  Ooh, jammy doughnuts, six for two euros. someone did well there.
we settled.
i couldn't for long, it was a right tribal war on that pitch.  very physical and something rather  very macho with bottoms and bums in the scrums, something i coudn't imagine for self and wondered how they coped, and also wondered did anyone ever fart in that situation!
Anyway, such excitement, as we were demolishing England and relishing this fact by manic heart attack type cheering in the full Aviva stadium, i could not cope with.
the dystonia went wild, the legs dug deep and wrapped around the sides of the sofa, the arms were mid air or behind my head in a paralised seizure of contractions, due to excitement of an entirely different type than you are imagining.
i had to move. unwrap and flap to ease the bones and muscles and joints!
i cleaned again, as that too is basic and all i am able for and good at right now.
the twin hollored and told the team off, i asked if she was preparing for another career as coach.
We won.
the Irish celebrated.  Our now world famous Brian O'Driscoll had managed two records, most capped captain and most capped captain scorer and other.
anyway two records on same day two days after Paddy's day, not bad that eh?
Mags and i dressed again, she switched from pink trousers into her purple, and i took the pink put them on and we went..to the train station and agreed it was a varied and very very enjoyable day, a satisfying day.  a fun and nice day, an enjoyable day enjoying each others company, enjoying what we do best together and enjoying the life that is in us and in the day that was innit.
it was a good day for dry bones and joints.