Friday-Thermopolis
As we are headed to the Catholic church for the funeral mass, we pass another church. On the side is a huge canvas sign stating "Open Sundays". What's funny is the white canvas sign covers another sign. Due to rain and wind the canvas has begun to come off and reveal a permanent sign with Christmas lights which reads "Seasons Greetings".
The funeral mass goes well. Counting our family there are about 20 people at the mass. Mom and I used to joke that she had outlived her friends. I think other commitments and poor health had more to do with it. I spoke about mom, calling her a woman of faith and optimism as I believe those were two of her strongest characteristics. The urn was made by one of the local parish members as a fundraiser. It was made of 100 year old chestnut from Anoka, Minnesota and it was beautiful. We went to the cemetery for a graveside service and I placed the urn in the freshly dug grave. With all the rain the past two days I brought home some of the grave with mud on my shirt and watch.
At noon our family went to the golf club for lunch and to say good-bye to my brother Bill and my cousin Ann as they left for Cheyenne and Montana respectively. At that moment I felt closure. Our motel had a mineral springs hot tub and a warm swimming pool so we all went swimming in the afternoon. Even the little guys enjoyed the water. We brought in pizza and called it an early evening.