Tep, I'm glad you checked in and that Tim makes you laugh. It's important to continue to laugh. Life goes on.

The funeral isn't until Tuesday, because 2 other people in their parish died in the last 24 hours (CREEPY)

That's what happened with my mom's funeral! We're from the tiniest little town and there were two other deaths the same weekend. The funeral director was all kerfuzzled because he'd never had to handle three viewings/burials at one time. We thought it was creepy too.

Huh. So the rule of threes isn't just for celebrities? Neat and creepy at the same time.

Steph, I've lost a lot more people than is normal for my age. Tara said, "It's always sudden," and she's not wrong, but I want to add, "There's always fruit punch moments." That is, there's always those moments where you start thinking: So-and-so isn't dead. I'm just crazy and they're just in the other room.

You are the world's best partner. Tim is so blessed to have you, as is his family. I can't believe how quickly she went, but I'm glad she isn't suffering and I'm glad you all have been spared from watching that. Take it easy and trust yourself. You're a treasure.

The first days truly are a strange, surreal time. Life just...goes on, and it's so hard to believe that it does.

The quiet pause after the crescendo of Event. There's another crescendo to come, the funeral, the denouement, perhaps (or the musical equivalent). And then the lights come up, and you look around and realize that it's time to try and go back to where you were before It All Happened.

And then the lights come up, and you look around and realize that it's time to try and go back to where you were before It All Happened.

Except that where you were before isn't anywhere to be gone to anymore, there is just this weird new Here that doesn't have the person you lost anymore. And you have to realize that again and again and again, countless times. It's part and parcel of the surreality, that feeling that you will wake up and it won't really have happened and you can go back.

Teppy, glad you checked in. You are awesome! Grabbing the phones is a priceless act of love.

Vortex beat me to the news. I came in here to rejoice:

Prop 8 overturned in California! Praise God!

Yup, Teppy, it's a bizarro time. I recommend, once the funeral and related events are over, that you and the Timster take some time off and just go do something stupid and fun.

My parents and I went holo-holo (vacation, with connotations something like hooky) and played around the island the day after my grandmother's funeral. We were still grieving, of course, but it felt so good just to forget everything and leave everyone and just be ourselves together for a while.

There are times when I hear my phone ring and still expect it to be my dad or when I will call down to Mom's house and for just a moment will be surprised when dad doesn't pick up the phone.