Today is my brother John’s funeral. The Service should be over in just a few minutes, actually. I did not attend, partly because our parents live with me here in Georgia and the services are in New England. They are just not up to the trip, emotionally or physically. It is too much for them to fathom, too much to face. Truth be told, I have never been one to attend funerals. If they were held months or even seasons past the pain and emotion, perhaps. But not so soon.
This is the last Family Portrait where all of eight children and our parents were all together. It was taken at SisterDear3’s wedding, so I’m estimating it was 22 years ago or so. We were planning a new one for this summer.
MotherDear asked me to sign John’s Online Guestbook on behalf of our youngest brother who cannot attend. I searched for a poem I thought would suit them both. As I reread it, it makes me sweetly sad. I think they would both approve.
Remember
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann’d:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
It was a lovely Christmas morning. Me, my SisterDears and brothers were joyfully opening our gifts. Later in the day we were having a large family gathering, my favorite kind of Christmas! Nana Gert, Auntie Jeanne and her family were coming to have Christmas dinner with us. I had crocheted a peach-colored scarf and hat for Nana and I couldn’t wait for her to open it!! It was going to be a most wonderful Christmas Day!
I had just opened a gift. It was a brand new 45 that I’d been wanting so badly, Precious and Few by Climax.
The phone rang and MotherDear answered. I heard the most mournful sound come from her mouth. Nana Gert had died during the night at Auntie Jeanne’s. She had fallen asleep in the rocking chair, knitting a last minute gift for somebody. The doctor said she had likely fallen asleep and had a stroke during the night. She never knew anything.
The rest of that day is just a blur, the only other thing I remember from that day is that I went downstairs to the basement and spent the entire day and long into the night crying my heart out. I played that 45 over and over and over again. I literally wore it out, remembering my Nana and missing her so badly it was physically painful.
It was the first time in my life that I realized that I had to treasure each moment with somebody who I love. From that moment, I am always mindful that it might be my last opportunity to share time with them. Because none of ever knows when the last moment in time may come.
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Visit here if you’d like to do your own Message in a Bottle, you do not have to be tagged. I chose to combine mine with a post because Nana Gert was my inspiration for my Message.
I love Gatherings. I love to gather together all the people I love into one place, at the same time. Any excuse that I can get everyone to rally behind will do!
So often we often hear the phrase “Small World”. Well I certainly don’t think so, at least not in the ways that really matter. Just try and plan a Gathering! We’re scattered up and down the east coast. Schedules make it nearly impossible to gather: work, social, school, sports, dance… Busy, Busy, Busy we are!
The SisterDears and I are trying to plan our first annual “Once a Year, Everyone’s Here” Day for next July when my parents and I travel back to New England. The logistics are quite challenging! We want everyone from all 4 generations to gather. I’d also like as many cousins to show up as would like with their families. We want a new Family Photograph. Perhaps a Burgers & Hot Dogs family picnic. It will be magnificent if we can pull it off!
Happy OY, EH Day! I hope the holiday that I insisted upon will become every family’s favorite! So go ahead, start planning yours! Best Wishes for 100% turnout. Please let me know when you post about it! I’ll certainly be posting about ours!
Thank Goodness, my boys’ schedule always permits plenty of time for me!
P.S. - I so want the necklace in the banner that the ImageChef made for me!
If you like my idea of 100% Family Reunion Participation Vote here!
Are you still here? Leave me some Comment Love & get outa here. Go start Planning your first OY EH Day!
Creature Comforts - cats have this one nailed down, don’t they?
Well, yesterday the humans in the Yellow House gave the cats a run for their catnip.
MotherDear made a fabulous Roast Chicken dinner, with all the fixings. We had some friends over for supper who brought a 3-layer German Chocolate Cake for dessert. We sat by a magnificent crackling fire, built by Dad. As if more ambiance were needed, we also enjoyed a nice glass of wine with a sax CD softly playing in the background.
It was a day full of Creature Comforts! A perfect way to spend a cold, rainy day.
This is the last Family Portrait where all of eight children and our parents were all together. It was taken at SisterDear3’s wedding, so I’m estimating it was 22 years ago or so. We were planning a new one for this summer.
The very best job I could ever imagine is one that would pay me to think… and the currency would be wine!
