What A Month!

As most of you know, I have been in Cincinnati for the past month.  My sister’s husband, David, passed away on May 12^th.   She had called me the day before to say he was not doing well, so I was making arrangements to go to Cincinnati later that week.  However, she called me around 2:00 a.m. and told me that he had passed away.  Since she was by herself, I continued talking to her on the phone until the hospice nurse and her sister-in-law arrived.  Later that morning I called Brian and Tracy and Kevin and Renea to let them know.  Brian made arrangements to take off work so he could drive to Alabama and drive me back to Ohio.

My family has decided it is not a good idea for me to be driving back and forth by myself.  Therefore, either Brian or Kevin take me.  So, Brian drove down, left his car here and drove me to Ohio in my car.  He did get a few hours sleep before we left Alabama.  Brian and Tracy offered to take care of Penny while I was at Jana’s so I didn’t have to board her.

I spent most of my time with Jana – mostly for support.  She is doing quite well.  She is keeping busy.  Everything went fine as far as the visitation and Mass.  However, Mass was at St. Jude’s since St. Al’s was having their festival.  After the ceremony at the cemetery we went to David’s sister’s house.

Jana and I were worried about Smoky.  She is still grieving and seems to be looking for David.  She was so bad that we were afraid she may die.  I think she is doing better but it will be a while before she is herself again.  She knows he is not there but doesn’t understand why.

Penny kept things interesting at Brian’s.  A couple of days after we arrived Brian went to the basement to feed her and could not find her.  However, he did hear a soft meow.  After some searching he found her in his ceiling.  She got up but couldn’t get down.  Eventually, she figured out how to get up and down so she spent a lot of time in the ceiling.  She thought it was fun I guess.  The reason she could get up there is because Brian is getting ready to do some remodeling and he has taken the ceiling tiles down.  Since I couldn’t find all of her toys when I got ready to come home I assume she hid some of them up there. 

Meanwhile, Bradley and Brianna have moved in.  They will be living with Brian and Tracy for the next two years while they finish school and try to save some money.  Also, Samantha graduated from high school.  She will be attending UC Blue Ash in the fall.  I did get to spend an afternoon with Rita and Bob.  I spent a few days at Brian’s, but most of my time was at Jana’s. 

Jana and I spent a couple of hours one day at St. Mary’s Cemetery.  This is where Jim and I will be buried.  Since he was cremated I have requested his ashes be put in the casket with me.  Uncle Clarence gave me a grave site next to him, Grandma and Grandpa Althoefer.  While we were there we walked around to see if we could find where some of my ancestors are buried.  We found quite a few, but we are going to have to go back to find the rest.  I wore Jana out, as she put it, climbing Mt. St. Mary.  There were a few hills.  The next day she asked me to go with her to David’s grave.  She didn’t want to make the first trip by herself.  He is buried by mom and dad so she put flowers on all their graves.  Jana will be buried between dad and David. 

I am home now.  Brian drove me back last Thursday and he returned to Ohio (with his car) on Saturday.  Of course, the grass is butt high and weeds have taken over the garden.  All the birdfeeders need to be filled.  However, the temperature is in the high 90’s and feels like 110.  So the grass and weeds will have to wait.