The Good Funeral Guide

A friend was in a minicab when he leaned over and gently tapped the driver on the shoulder. The cabbie screamed, lost control of the car, drove over the kerb and stopped inches from a large plate glass window.

The driver said “I’m so sorry but you scared me”.  

My shaken friend apologised.

The driver replied “It’s entirely my fault. Today is my first day driving a cab — for the previous 25 years I drove a hearse!”

Hat-tip to Jean Francis and Chris Dudzinska

About ten years ago I had just introduced Father Thomas O’Hara, president of King’s College at the time, as speaker for the annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Holy Name Society Smoker and took my seat at the head table next to Father Paul Mc Donnell. No sooner had Father O’Hara begun his talk when the pager of funeral director P.J. Adonizio, seated up front, went off. Startled, Father O’Hara stopped in mid-sentence and said, “Is my time up?” To which Father Paul immediately replied, “Somebody’s is.”

Source

Ever wondered about what to look for in a nursing home?

We know. It’s a pre-need question and just like funeral planning we all like to think we wont need it. Or maybe we’ll get lucky and die first.

But life expectancy is only another way to say hanging around. Street corners are too chilly (and there are no toilets) and the libraries are all closing so maybe the nursing home is all that’ll be left to us.

In which case it’s worth checking this site out. Packed with top tips it’s as indispensible as – dare we say it – the Good Funeral Guide itself.

For example here it is on what to look for when assessing amenities in the home:

Don’t be drawn in by fancy extras like craft rooms, massage pools, visitor parking or other amenities that are never likely to be used.

Focus on the basics and make sure that they have the small creature comforts like heat, running water and around the clock electricity.

Top advice. Read more here.