The flight back to America to say the least was eventful... left Q/town fine but, the rest of the trip was an adventure I never dreamed possible. First of all we never imagined Anne would be returning with us. Three months ago we made arrangements for her cremation and thought we would strap her box of remains in the seat between us in her assigned seat on Qantas Air Lines. Well, the universe came up with another plan. The woman is 95 years old. I cannot imagine living to be 95... please shoot me in the head or give me those viles of morphine and stop feeding my body, there are by far worse things than death...
We made the 18 hours in the air not counting time inside airports. Thank God for Wheel Chairs and nice people that understand OLD PEOPLE...
Arriving in Utah I was shocked by the situation with my own mother and father. After a few days in Utah Michael drove Anne back to WY. I remained in Utah to help care for my mother and father. The week Anne and Michael and Karyn were with me at my folks house my Aunt Edith passed away. My father is not in any condition to attend a funeral. I took my little mother to the viewing and grave side service. I had nothing to wear except Levis and a black shirt. THIS WILL SOUND TERRIBLE HOWEVER, THIS WAS ONE FUNERAL I ABSOLUTELY ENJOYED! (I kinda want one like it. I am not a lover of the drama of funerals... CELEBRATE.)
I met up with cousins I have not seen or talked with in over 45 years!!! I adored my Uncle Melvin and Aunt Edith when I was a little boy and saw them many times into my 20's... then I lost touch except for reports via my parents. The service was at the Farmington UT cemetery which I have known for ever. My mother's baby sister was buried there years ago. Both my Grandparents are buried there plus many Aunts and Uncles.
A perfect early Spring Time in The Rockies DAY! Sunny skies with puffy white clouds. Trees in blossom, green lawns and most of all the blessed energy that love and peace radiate. I have never, ever met any of my Aunt Edith's grand children. I was amazed to see bits and pieces of DNA living within a generation or two of bodies and minds I have not known existed. Sure enough,
I could "see" certain movements, eyes, grins, voices that are reflections of my early impressions of the people I loved as a little boy. Mind you, all and most of the young people at the service were not even a DREAM WHEN I WAS BORN!!!
One of my aunt Edith's grand daughters sang AMAZING GRACE AC CAPELLA. I love that hymn.
Aunt Edith's son Rodney spoke and one of her other grandsons gave a wonderful tribute.
After the service I walked around and laid my eyes upon the headstones of so many people I have loved. I did not feel sadness. My Grandma Keller and my Aunt Phyllis used to create such wonderful parties and celebrations for us grand children... I kept looking up into the firmament... I know they were all there along with so many others that have crossed over who I never met or known in my lifetime except for the stories told to me.
If it were not for my Aunt Mary Ann and Uncle Ski's daughter Debbie, mother and Brent would have ended up at the bottom of the Great Salt Lake. Farmington has evolved into a city I no longer know. Like the city I grew up in Clinton Utah. There is nothing of my childhood's past left. A SUPER WALL MART is on the 30 ac hers across from the little frame house I grew up in and that house GONE. When my cousin Kris asked if some of us would go to lunch at a place in Farmington called CHOP STICKS??? Hell, I could not comprehend such a place. When I was a kid it would have been the Farmington Soda Fountain in the Drug Store or in my 20's the Heidelberg Restaurant or????????
We had a joyful time. Cousins I have not laughed with in ages. The stories and laughs will forever be saved inside my mind and heart. My mother was the 5th child of 10 children. All that is left is: my mother and her baby sister Mary Ann. I adored every one of my mother's siblings. 8 girls and 2 boys.
At the CHOPSTICK PLACE my favorite cousin Shirley said: YOU KNOW I TURNED 70? What the hell, I will forever know and see her as a vibrant young woman... BTW, she still is! Then my mind went into ALERT... I am 66. I remember my father telling me about when he took the Bamburger Train from Sunset Utah to Farmington Utah in 1944-45. My aunt Phyllis and Uncle Larry were living in a little house just below my grandparents and he saw a little boy and a cute little girl playing on the floor of the house. He tells me all kinds of things in his state of dementia... most of it it pretty accurate.
I will write about so many things that have occurred since I came home before opening...
Will open a week later this year. THERE ARE REASONS FOR EVERYTHING. I thought Memorial Day weekend was the last weekend in May... Hell, I was never good at math. REASON
I needed to spend 10 days caring for my parents in Utah and other situations. It will work out fine.
Keep tuned.
