Melancholy Weekend

I was set for my weekend of stitching and watching loads of tv until my mom called me at work on Friday close to quitting time. She called to tell me that a close friend of the family had passed away and funeral services were this weekend. I would, of course, accompany my dad and aunt to services because that's just what I do. As the years pass, memorial services become more difficult to bear. At my ripe old age of 32, I've been to more rosaries, wakes and funerals than I can count and definitely more than anyone I know. I've probably been to as many as one would go to in a lifetime and I'm not really exaggerating all that much. I've been the young girl at the funeral parlor accompanying my parents as babysitters in the evening were out of the question when I was a girl. My parents dragged me everywhere. Through my late teens and 20's, I'd go by myself to represent the family (sounds so mob-like, huh) and pay my respects. I didn't really mind it then. I was able to hold it together and be stoic; offer calming words to those who needed comfort and let them know that their loved one had gone to a better place. But as I enter my 30's, I need time to prepare for these types of events. Eulogies and memories hit my heart and I'll start tearing up. It just isn't as easy for me to be the stoic calming person I guess I expect myself to be...that girl from the past who would get comments from ladies older than myself who would say that I was a calming effect amidst the sorrow. It's just not in me anymore.

So knowing I would have to attend this rosary, I spent most of Friday and Saturday zoning in front of the tv and sleeping. I managed to watch my Sopranos dvd, The Godfather 1 and The Jungle Book along with some miscellaneous tivo'd shows before completely passing out at the extremely late hour of 6pm! So I didn't get very much stitching done. I worked on Sweet Dreams and managed to finish the right side curtain, fill in the rest of the red in Santa's hat and jacket and moved in trying to fill in the tree. Not nearly as much as I would have liked so I am hoping to make some decent progress on that tree tonight. I doubt I'll be able to finish though.

Yesterday was the rosary and dear Chavela would have been happy with how lovely it was. She was a dear old lady and it was time. She made it to 102! But I spent a lot of the weekend thinking about all the times she came to visit with her daughter and just how cheerful and lively she was for someone so much older. She always had a smile on her face and was the type of person to put kisses all over your face if you would let her. She had such a warm spirit and a kind heart that it put a smile on my face just thinking of her.