The Dinette Set by Julie Larson for February 04, 2012

OMG!! My mother has returned! Her favourite thing at funerals was to flounce up the casket, strike a pose, and announce, “Doesn’t she look natural.”

I liked funerals, particularly those of my Czech grandparents families around Houston. There was very little difference between a wedding or a funeral, though there was less kissing of small children at the funerals. I hated having some elderly cousin plant a wet one on me whilst saying, “Oh Mike-e-ul, aren’t you grown up.” The service was usually over by 11 am and everyone would repair to the parish hall or someone’s farm. There was lots of BBQ, sausage, soda, sausage, pie, cake, sausage, kolaches and watermelon. Did I mention sausage? Us cousins would play outside all day and have a great time while the grownups ate and drank home brew beer until dark. Sometimes we’d sneak in and listen to their stories. We invariably got into trouble and were punished later. It was always worth it.

Why Burl? Does she look better now than she ever did? If that’s so I guess you’ve got to capture the moment, but she’ll turn over before she get’s to the grave.

Good Morning, all

Too bad Stephanie Plum’s grandma doesn’t live in Crustwood. What she can do to a viewing…

Raspberry, I am sorry about your dad, but these were funerals I went to as a small child; dragged by my parents. They were people I had never known or even seen before. I am sure that their deaths left a hole in someone’s heart, but I was just a kid. But to be honest, those folks really knew how to put the “Celebrate” in “Celebration of Life!”

I was wondering who died? Couldn’t have been Burl’s tact, I understand that was a still-birth.

Good morning Crustwoodians. Sleep well Susan, we’ll see you when you get up, all rested. Ditto Marg, Leaky. Are you guys at some kind of meeting that you didn’t tell me about?

As to Burl (who even gets “shhhs’d” by Joy); not the worst I’ve heard in line at a Wake. Matter of fact; “keep it movin’” is probably heard/uttered more than most will admit.

I’ve never seen anything like that “keep moving” and only think it necessary for a public figure or celebrity. And Burl’s comment! I don’t think I’ve heard that since grade school (if someone seemed to be staring at you).

It shocks me that no one so far has complimented Burl, and especially Joy, on their chic attire. So I will be the first, of I am sure hordes, to do so:

“You guys look just fabulous! Joy, you should be a model – for Wŏlch’s Classic (No, I’m NOT Pregnant!) Jelly. And Burl, you watch out when you pass that casket, because you look so rakishly bighearted and handsome that she just may just jump right out of that box and hump you!”

I had already noticed (but not mentioned) the other woman with her “Chanel” blouse or dress.

This is bizarre timing for me. One of my close friends had a mother who just died. The viewing is tomorrow. Luckily we don’t have to go to that. I don’t think Burl was being sarcastic at all. The Pennys and co. don’t know what sarcasm is! Years ago I worked with somebody who actually did take a picture of her dead beloved aunt lying in the casket. Then after she showed me the picture, she told me she would die just like her, before her time and with the same genetic disorder. She actually did die years later, just as she had predicted.

Totally off topic, one or the other readers (Mabrndt) posted a link to my “Picasso” (current avatar) on my Webshots albums. It was because of comments yestereday over at “Priceless” cartoon (if anyone cares to see my paintings)

Here’s one of my “WTF is he thinking about now?” comments about funerals and death and dying. Everyone will agree that death is as much a part of life as birth, but we really, really don’t want to think about it. C. S. Lewis once responded to a plaint about the death of an entire generation of young men in WWI with the observation that every generation dies completely. We have sanitized death and only speak about it in hushed tones. As Dazz notes, children are “protected” and left to wonder what happened to Grandma—and fear that something will happen to them and no one will even notice! Contrariwise, births are shown on TV regularly with all of its noise and mess. Birth is shown as living and human; full of hope. Death is shown as something to be avoided at all costs; we are not allowed to appreciate a life well lived, or even to hold someone up as an example of what not to do.

I will stick with the old Czech, Polish or other ethnic traditions where we acknowledge the life and death of someone and can rejoice on it and weep for our loss.

That’s the first time I’ve actually seen Joy chastise Burl’s behaviour.

In my family (Irish background) funerals tend to be rather like Mikie2’s family. Lotsa food and family and friends getting together. it confused me as a child, but I understand better now.

TO All Crustwoodians….THANKS….. for all the warm B-Day wishes…. ! ! !… and… YES….. today is pretty much just like yeaterday…….. .True Story – as teenagers.. one of our Classmates drowned in the Desplains river…. Before leaving for the wake.. I asked MOM what do you say at a funeral… She said well you could say “Were your suprised ?”….so THAT is what I said….Dum D Dum Dum…… ! ! !

Nothing “nowadays” about it; my relatives took Polaroid shots back in the day. Looking through albums now have creepy pages… reminds me of an Addams Family scenario.

Burl can’t help but be burlish

@Gymshoe, I grew up in Maywood and the roller rink was somewhere that we could walk to along the river (but I don’t remember just where)

I’ll be back in the morning; it’s now past 9PM here.