ANOTHER FUNERAL

 Stew and I are heading up to Auckland today.

It's our friend Allie's funeral this afternoon.

We anticipate it being a very big funeral.

She was very well known in the Art community in Auckland.  She was an artist, an art tutor, a mentor to many and just a lovely, lovely person.

ABOVE: A lovely photo of Allie, taken some years ago.

ABOVE:  Allie working on a huge commissioned art work, which now hangs in the Waitakere City Council building.  Allie painted it in celebration of Henderson's 175 year anniversary.

The twist in the painting is that she painted herself in it! ( left hand side of that piece above, with a paint brush in her mouth! In front of her is only a third of the completed work)  All the people in the painting had an important part in Henderson's past, as does Allie.

This is artist Allie Eagle's 7m x 2m watercolour and wax masterpiece work, which draws on subjects both celebrated and lesser known, past and present. Depicted in the artwork are 74 people, places, structures or items related to the West.

Right, time to get a move on.  

Catch ya later.

9 pm: finally home from Auckland.

It has been a long day.

We got to Auckland around 10.30 am, and had a wander around Sylvia Park, then had an early lunch before heading out West for the funeral.

It was  LONG service, 2 hours in fact.

ABOVE: This is Ruby.  She's Allie's dog.  There's a raft of people putting their hand up to take her home with them.  For now though, she's staying with Khady.

Ruby came to the funeral.  Stew and I helped look after her during the service.  She had a lot to say!  Sometimes her timing was impeccable!

😂😅😊

ABOVE:  Allie's coffin was a home made job, using 9 ply.  A friend had painted some of it with Eagle wings... it was BEAUTIFUL.  

That is the sort of coffin Stew and I want one day, no fuss, nice and simple.

After the service we went out to Bethell's Beach to Allie's home.  We helped carry Allie into her neighbour's house, ready for transporting to Otaki tomorrow morning, for internment with her parents.

We had planned to stay for the big potluck dinner, but decided to come home.

The girls had been alone all day and would be wanting their dinner!

So, that's our day.

The girls are now fed and happily in the house with us till we go to bed.

We won't be too long out of bed ourselves as we are tired.  Funerals are a bit draining.