My brother died in 2024 in early May. He was 72. He was a "biker" and epitomized the stereotype, a reall asshole at times. Five years my junior, he was aleays a PITA. But I loved him warts and all. Hed bee ill a long time abd his passing was a blessing. My niece arranged a celebration of life in his honor andvit was appropriate and well attended. ( Read more... )

4. What has been the most challenging part of your life to date?
( Behind a cut because it is not a pretty story )

Went to lunch with daughter #2 on Friday. Nice little coffee shop, the only place I will eat in the nearest town. The owner is a friend and since I hadn't been in for quite a time and she hadn't seen me posting on FB, she was concerned that I might be ill or (perish the thought) passed to another dimension. I was going to do a FB post, "Reports of ( Read more... )

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She stood alone arms wrapped tightly around her body, more to keep her from exploding than as protection from the chill air of November. Her newly bestowed state of widowhood had not really sunk in, though her rational mind knew that the casket being loaded from the back door of the hospital contained the mortal remains of her husband of two months ( Read more... )

Well darn. I rushed to the door when the UPS man knocked yesterday afternoon hoping the package contained "Papa Hemingway, a personal memoir." I'm eagerly awaiting it's arrival so I can satisfy my desire to know more about his fascinating life. And undeniable talent. I also ordered "The Sun Also Rises."

I didn't like Hem when I was younger, but my ( Read more... )

I rarely attend funerals. I find the burial customs in this country barbaric at best, and am irritated by the way some ministers grasp the opportunity of a ready made crowd to preach a sermon.

Yesterday, my sister-in-law or what's physically left of her as she was cremated was honored at a memorial service. Her husband's sister, a minister, did a ( Read more... )

There was a candle near the window in the upstairs bedroom, a slight breeze pushed the curtain too close to the flame and  suddenly the room was full of fire. Sweet Sarah lay sleeping in a nearby bedroom blissfully unaware of the fierce heat that sucked the life from her tiny body.  Her frantic mother clawed her way up the stairs but was pushed ( Read more... )