STILL don't have my computer back, and it's so damn frustrating using the library one. After checking and responding to my e-mail, I have only eleven minutes left, so must rush.
Went to Aunt Claire's burial in Conshohocken, PA yesterday; took me 2 hours to get there and I arrived at 5 of 11:00, just 5 minutes before I was told it would start. Did it? No--when we got there, we were told it was actually at 1:30. Not sure how the confusion arose, but oh, well. Actually, it turned out all right, as I was invited with my cousins John and Tom and his wife, Helen, to Sonya's house for lunch. This is where Uncle Frank had worked and lived (hired by Sonya's father) from 1942 until about the '50's. The main part of her house was built in 1787 and boy,is it terrific. Not at all ostentatious, but lovely and filled with antiques. Anyway, we had a great time, then went back to the cemetery.
The ceremony was very brief. There were only 9 of us there, plus the funeral director and the deacon from Tom's church. Aunt Claire's ashes were in an attractive wood box and on a kind of little stand next to the gravestone. After she died, we were at the assisted living facility where she lived and we came across a tiny baby shoe--Judy's first one, which Claire had kept all these years. Nobody wanted it and I couldn't bear the thought of having it thrown away, so I took it. At the grave site, I asked the funeral director to bury it with Claire, and he immediately agreed.
Anyway, it we freezing cold--we were freezing our asses off, as my genteel husband would say--and we didn't stay long. It was a melancholy, but oddly satisfying day. We had said goodbye properly, and Calvary is a beautiful place.
Not much else new. SIL Marybeth sent me a copy of the Johns Hopkins magazine which features a piece on her and brother Frank's son, Patrick, and the reconstruction he did on the soldier's nose that was on CNN. What fun to read it!
When I went to pick Susan up this morning, she gave me a lovely potted primrose. I like them so much and what a wonderful neighbor to have.
Speaking of neighbors, Leslie and I went to Weight Watchers today and enjoyed catching up with each other's lives. BTW, I gained 2 tenths of a pound--so I'm now at 58.8 pounds off and 140.8. Hmm...if .5 is a half pound, I guess .2 is a few ounces. No matter, I'll lose it next week.
Betty called this morning and we had a good chat. She's "working" today, so was off to Carolyn's.
Ray invited Pat out for lunch with him and Gary L. He went and had a good time. OF COURSE, he had a grilled ham and cheese and Ray had grilled cheese and tomato--these guys are in a rut.
Gotta go--am being timed out. If anybody is still checking my blog, please let me know.