At least the day after is so full of busywork, petty annoyances and paperwork that I didn't have to think about what happened yesterday. When I sat down at the computer this afternoon, I realized that I had already come to some sort of--I don't know, accommodation? Well, whatever it is, I'm better off now than I was last night.
I take my mornings seriously. Each one is a sacrament to coffee beans, NPR, and the newspaper. On weekdays I wake up an hours before I need to, just to drink coffee and listen to Bob Edwards. On weekends, I try to be at the computer and writing before Weekend Edition even starts. Not this morning. My mother called at 9:45 to tell me that the appointment with the funeral home was at 11:00. One hour, 15 minutes for two adults and one baby to bathe, dress and drive to western fringe of Toledo. In an amazing feat of multitasking, we even tricked Gabe into taking a nap. We were able to pull it off in one hour, 17 minutes.
Only to find that my mother must have arrived early and had pretty much arranged everything. My mother also committed me to playing a role in the service. In any other family, this wouldn't be a big deal, but my mother belongs to a slightly kooky religion ( or, to be fair, a very kooky fringe of a ancient and respected religion), and I take my religious traditions seriously (which is itself odd, since I consider myself a Congrgationalist-Greek Orothodox-Unitarian-but not Unitarian-Universalist (see what too much education can do to you?)). These requests came very close to crossing the line of stuff I wouldn't do. Very close, but not quite. So I said, "Of, course, Mom." The service is more for her than for me anyway.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on miscellaneous stuff that just needed to be done: making arrangements with the cemetery, buying a suitable winter coat to go with the new black suit, feeding Gabe, getting Gabe to take another nap, ect.
I'm home now, and tired.
8:57:56 PM 
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