Grandma Linda

Well, the funeral went well yesterday. Aunt Mary and Uncle Al came up from Paso Robles, so I was happy to see two familiar faces to sit with in the chapel. Uncle Steve and Aunt Lorraine appeared just before the service began and sat behind us. My Dad sneaked in the back at some point. Father Wayne from St. Felicitas did the service. He's cool. I've always liked him. He's the same priest who did my confirmation classes and stuff. I always find it amazing how much The Church is ingrained in me. I can't remember prayers for the life of me, but when I find myself in a church setting, the recitation just pops out.... Grandma Linda had a beautiful casket. It was lavendar-ish. Dad said it looked "mauve". The handles were silver and there were pretty watercolored flowers on the brackets. The spray matched perfectly. I didn't actually go up front to go see Gma Linda b/ I was too nervous, but Katie had a good story from the night before that came to me as I sat there.

The night before, she was at the viewing and Grandma Barbara took her up to see Grandma Linda. She said that the dress she was wearing was one Gma Linda had picked out for years now. It wouldn't be too absurd to say that this dressed had been chosen for a good 20 years. She always told Grandma that that was the dress that she wanted to wear "in her box". (The old people get very blunt about death, don't they?) After being told this numerous times, Grandma Barbara was amused and amazed when she was going thru Grandma Linda's closet, looking for something for her mom to wear. Well, she came upon THE DRESS, and she knew this b/ it had a wrinkly, faded note attached to it that said, "dress for my box". :>)

Anyway, Katie wasn't there yesterday b/of school. She was told ooodles of times that she was to go to school b/ that was more important. I asked Kate if she were to ignore Gma Barbara's order and to show up to the funeral if she'd be kicked out... Highly likely. :>) Anyway, the service was good, the funeral procession up to the cemetary at the end of Piedmont Ave was exciting and entertaining. We were a short procession, but we caused havoc and the rent-a-cop escort were CRAZY. Grandma Linda was put into one of those walls, in the same slot as her late husband. I'd always knew that Grandma Barbara's dad had died a long time ago, but the sign said 1975! That's a long time! Plus, Gma Linda was widowed after 53 years of marriage. The numbers amazed me. I hope to get to be married to the love of my life for such a long time.