Won't bore you with details but my mother's funeral went off well, she had a great 10-year run after my dad died and became herself rather than "John's wife". She made new friends, her own and even friends half her age and kids too.
She had her funeral planned even to the luncheon and it went smoothly and upbeat which was how she wanted it. My friend Gordie always made popcorn for her and it became their connection and Gordie planted a small handful very discretely into her coffin. She would have laughed at that, and probably was.
It was also a time to forgive and forget old feuds which only made the entire experience better for us. My brother, an editor at a Calgary newspaper and I had constant invitations for dinner in the small town of Swan River, in Manitoba, people brought garden vegetables to our door, even some home-made wine, and we couldn't walk down the main streets without someone approaching and giving us their support.
We sold her house in 3 days and I'm now wrapping up everything and heading back to L.A. with stopovers in Calgary, Vancouver, Portland and Eugene (both Oregon) and might enjoy a night's rest at an outrageously expensive Carmel inn.
Life has ended, life has changed and life is all we got.
