Good Morning...

[Guest guest]

I'm really having trouble sleeping these past few nights... Mostly

it's b/c my bloody cat has been waking me up as she usually does, but

not at the usual 6'ish - but 3'ish. Yesterday I was up for the day at

3 - today I'm up for the day at 4. I'm tired, but my mind is racing...

So, I figured I'd write to you all...

Monday I visited the priest and planned the mass. Mom had chosen a

reading and the priest chose the rest. We chose the hymns. My sister

chose " Ave " and " Amazing Grace " . I chose one hymn that is sung

in both Spanish and English " Pescador de Hombres " . I chose one song

that won't be sung at the mass, but will have my nephew burn it and

play it during the Memorial Service " Going Home " . Mom had said one

day that her brother (who passed) last year was " home " and so I found

this very appropriate:

http://www.lnwhymns.com/products/hymns/15.htm

After meeting with the priest, I did " a mom " , I WALKED from the

church in Roxbury to the church that the service will take place so I

could meet with the organist. This was HER neighborhood and I passed

by the hospital she'd volunteer at, the other church she was

receptionist for (at that exact moment one of her colleagues stepped

out and I was able to tell him so that he could pass the word).

Didn't get to meet w/ the organist, but again WALKED through her

neighborhood and stopped at the veterinarian's office to let them

know, then the photo shop she knew the owners of, then ended up at

Casa Cuong (the neighborhood corner store where she spent so much

visiting time in) and hung out as she would with the Vietnamese

owners.

Then I met my aunts for lunch and did some clothes shopping. This is

what they'd do with my mom a lot. They'd take my very frugal mother

out and have her go wild in the stores - even though my mom paid for

her own, it was still a gift to her b/c it allowed her to let loose

and mom enjoyed those shopping sprees... We also bought several

bulletin boards for the photo project. I now have a new outfit for

each day of the service... aye aye aye...

Tuesday I made the program for the mass service. That took longer

than expected - but it's done and with the printer and I will get it

back today at 10 AM. My brother, his wife, my sister, her husband met

me at my place and we went out to lunch. We toasted mom and enjoyed a

few laughs. Then we returned to my place to do the photo project

together - at least started. I still have some to do this AM. And the

editor at the local newspaper called me so that they could do that

article - I had sent an email and they will be doing a lengthy write

up on mom. The editor called with additional questions. We were on

the phone for about a half hour talking about mom. And I'm keeping my

fingers crossed that it made this weeks edition - which will be

tomorrow... Otherwise it'll be the next edition... Other things came

up that I hadn't written that the editor was so interested in: mom's

nick name by someone she'd walk into a lot was the " Silver Fox " , that

mom went with the owners at Casa Cuong to Vietnam, that our first

home in Boston was opened to borders who were dancers at Boston

Ballet, that she learned how to swim at age 65 to conquer her fear of

water and went on to win a silver medal in the mayor's 'senior

games', that in her late 50s she went to UMass to study Spanish and

then spent a month in Dom. Rep. to learn the language and it's

culture -- all in the efforts to speak with her new daughter-in-law,

etc. So I'll be curious what the article will read in its finality -

will be sure to post it...

So, Today is the Memorial Service... I know the next few days are

going to be very difficult - but I also know that mom will love what

we've put together. As a very dynamic woman - she'll be pleasantly

pleased with the dramatic performance we're planning.

Thanks again for all your posts - it's helped me so much these past

few days...

OH! ONE more thing! Mom is going out with a BANG -- instead of the

tiny chapel or the basement chapel -- mom is getting the MAIN chapel

of Cathedral of the Holy Cross -- that is usally reserved for main

events like Easter Sunday! THAT is AMAZING that she will be getting

that... My dad originally had the tiny chapel but when so many people

showed up we had to move it to the larger area, which was the

basement chapel -- and mom gets the MAIN chapel. Which is sooooo

appropriate since she did so much work for the church and went to

daily mass and sometimes the Spanish mass... :)

PS -- oh and one more thing... Was trying to email a photo of mom to

the editor of the paper and wanted a specific shot - the disk had

over a hundred images w/out names - and I announced, THIS is going to

take forEVER. At that exact moment the photo was found and it was

just the 2nd one checked randomly... THANKS MOM! :)