Saturday, February 21

After a cold cereal breakfast with a slice of toast, I did a session on the treadmill, followed by resistance exercises. Then we dressed to attend the memorial service for our friend at the local Presbyterian Church.

The memorial was scheduled for 11 a.m., but we knew we needed to be there quite early to find a handicapped parking space and seating that would allow Mother to sit on the aisle. So we left home about 10:15 a.m., to be at the church by 10:30.

The morning was cloudy-dark and drizzly, as if the heavens were as sad as we are to lose this special lady. By the end of the service, though, the sun broke through, as if our friend was smiling down on us.

The church was packed for the service...ushers even had to bring in folding chairs to place near the pews down the center aisle. A gray marble urn, containing our friend's ashes, stood on a pedestal on the altar.

Musicians well known in our town and region performed many of the songs beloved by our friend. We couldn't help but be amused as the guitarist and a female singer performed the 1969 Norman Greenbaum hit, "Spirit in the Sky," with the guitarist reproducing the unique sound of the music.

Other tunes, all chosen by our friend, included "The Wedding Song," by Noel Paul Stookey, "By My Side," from the 1970 musical, "Godspell, by Stephen Schwartz, and "I Believe," by Ervin Drake.

Readings included one titled "God's Embroidery" (author unknown), a lovely little story that reminds us that, like embroidery seen from the backside, our lives may seem messy, but God has a design, which He will reveal to us in Heaven.

Another reading was titled "The Daffodil Principal," by J.A. Edwards, about a woman so busy that she almost misses making a trip to see a riot of different colored daffodils growing on a hill near an old woman's home. The woman has spent 30 or 40 years planting the daffodils, one bulb at a time, proving that we, too, can accomplish great things by just "planting one bulb at a time."

Finally, the service program included a message from our friend, telling us how blessed she had been, how she had loved and valued her life, her family, and her friends.

The service lasted a little under two hours. Outside, on the steps of the church, kilted bagpipers played during the recessional. We opted against attending the reception that followed, feeling that the fellowship hall would be crowded enough without us.

By the time we got home, around 1 p.m., Mother was pretty hungry, having eaten early this morning. We finished the tuna and egg salad from last night's supper, and then Mother and I busied ourselves working on the "Go Red for Women Luncheon" scrapbook pages. Hubbie continued reading the John Grisham book, "The Associate." We all needed these distracting activities this afternoon.

For supper, we had loaded baked potatoes...topped with fat-free, lower-sodium canned chili, chopped sweet onions, a sprinkling of Monterey Jack cheese, and coleslaw, with corn-on-the-cob on the side. Later, Hubbie and I listened to the radio as our favorite college basketball team lost again in nail-biter overtime play.