Day 1 Alone Time Update

Okay, I arrived home just before 2:00pm, having achieved all my commitments.

Ready to start my alone time.

At the funeral parlour this morning, I reconnected with a lot of people from my youth.  Marylou's many siblings were there, all of whom I knew very well through my teen years because our families lived in the same neighbourhood. Marylou and I were in the same class in school, and we spent a lot of time together just hanging out (if that's what you call what young teen girls did in the 60s).  A good deal of that time was spent at her home.

I also reconnected with two of my cousins whom I hadn't seen since their mother's funeral a few years ago.  Marylou was the aunt of these cousins (although Marylou and I were not related) -- are you confused yet?

Here's how it works.

One of Marylou's older sisters (Marylou was the fifth of eight girls) was married to my father's brother.  Her children (who are my cousins) are Marylou's nieces.  So they were at the funeral too and it was nice to see them again and meet their children and grandchildren.  My, we are all aging aren't we?

It was a lovely service. Marylou had made all the arrangements prior to her passing.  She wanted a Dixieland Jazz band to play.  And she got it!  It was simply marvelous.

In fact, the service we were at on Saturday had played recorded Dixieland Jazz music before and after the service.  John and I thought it was a novel approach to a funeral service but it very appropriately suited the personality of the person we were bidding farewell.

And here I was, two days later, at the very same funeral parlour, and Marylou had chosen the same music type -- but she wanted the real thing and somehow her family had managed to arrange it.  Her sister told me before the service that they were just delighted when they actually were able to find someone to come in and fulfill Marylou's wishes.  I was stunned when I looked up and saw a very familiar musician walk in with his band.  John and I pay money to watch this guy perform -- Dave is a greatly respected jazz musician, in great demand in Ottawa and the surrounding area.  Quite an unexpected treat, under the circumstances, and one John will be sorry he missed.

Anyway, now I'm home and it's time to start doing nothing.