Saying Goodbye

 Put Mom in the vault today... smaller, quiet family affair; about 20 people showed (relatives and a couple of friends).  Fr. Joe said the service, which caused some amusement, as he mentioned my Church service and suggested that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.  This, as you can imagine, caused some smirking in the front row, as we all recalled the many times Mom objected to my various church activities.  But, it was a nice homily -- covered the main points, reminded us that the way to honor Mom's memory was to live in faith, and that was that.  It was a little...sad, honestly, when the funeral director asked if I wanted to put Mom's cremains in the vault...literally the last time I will see her, but I managed to stiff upper lip it (one thing I am good at, at least), and....that was that.

Then off to Metropolitan Coffee for a post-fest (Mom and Dad are in Brooklyn Heights Cemetery) and it was quite nice; Mom would have approved.  Coffee and pastry, bsing, and it was good to see people; the family has not been together much (her Mass an exception). I ate one too many pastry, prolly, and in such did an extensive workout at the gym, and felt it.  I ended NOT buying a new TV today -- more books arrived at the library (I ordered a bunch from the county, and they have arrived, plus some of the delayed Ohiolink volumes) so instead I came home and vegged...I finished The Vanquished last night, which discussed the post-WWI European map and the violence that accompanied the war to end all wars.  Spoiler alert:  lots of people at the time didn't think there would be peace (all those small Balkan states shoved together, for instance) and they were right!  

It is odd; first time in a while I have not had anything to do on a Saturday, and thus just taking two hours to read a book and start another one...it was a little odd, actually, and I think I am a little out of sorts, but the general effect of restful and leisure was a good one; I need to do this again sometime.  Like tomorrow!