Okay, a third blog for Fourth of July Weekend...

Thursday night, Lue came for dinner with us. Noi and Greg cooked chicken and pork satays. Just before she came, she got a telephone call that she knew was coming...her sister, Fran Moore, had passed away from a long illness and so that meant we began waiting for the schedule of funeral events in Montgomery, NY, a small town near Middletown - which is 3 1/2 hours down Route 17 towards the city. The schedule was - calling hours on Sunday from 5-8:00, and the Funeral Monday morning at 10 AM. During the weekend we all decided to drive down for the calling hours, and stay over night at a motel for the funeral on Monday. This was decided Friday evening, so plans were made. Of course, since there's a large contingent of people involved, there's always small problems that need to be overcome. Eric had taken Brenda and Emma's good clothes with him last week when he left for California. Neenee had actually forgotten hers in Florida and worn her mother's dress to graduation. Saturday was fourth of July. That meant Sunday morning they needed to go to the mall and get dresses, shoes. Unfortunately, the mall opens at 11 AM on Sundays. Being 10 minutes from the mall, was a BIG plus. So they all went, got back, and we started out a little later than expected, but got to Montgomery by 6. Took two cars, as Sharon also joined us. Lots of family again. Randy came in from Corning, Monday morning for the funeral mass, as did Dorothy, Jeff and Alaina from Rochester...which was 5 1/2 hours. There was a big party at Fran's old beautiful home with a huge back yard (volleyball court again) and picnic tables all around under the trees. Again - about 60-80 people. I am not as overwhelmed as I had been before. I now recognize faces, and am beginning to place names and families together. I didn't take pictures. Didn't think it appropriate. No one else did. We got home last night.

This morning Charles Sidle is getting braces, so Sharon dropped Lee and Ida off so they could play with their cousins. I think I'm caught up now on the news....