The day in between

So ... today has been a busy one. So was yesterday. And so will be tomorrow.

Let's start out with today. I have been calling various firms I need to inform about my mom's death. I called American Family Life Assurance Co.--from long, long, long before they became known as AFLAC and had a duck (they need a death certificate). I called Marinette County Health and Human Services (didn't get through--left a phone message). I called Crown Cork & Seal, to stop her widow's pension (they need a death certificate). And I called Prudential Financial (we did a lot of work over the phone; they verified information and said they would be mailing a check).

At this time, I don't know of anyone else I need to contact. Well, Medicare RX, her Medicare drug service provider. Aside from that, don't know. They told me at the funeral home that they would be notifying Social Security themselves.

Phil and his GF are here. They left about 6:30 this morning and called from the bridge at 12:15 or so--the exact moment I was at Pasty Corner, getting four pizza pasties for our supper tonight. Phil said he'd be calling when they leave Escanaba--that gives us our two-hour warning.

The rest of today will be spent relaxing. After work, we had to run to the drug store, the grocery store and clean up in their room, including some leftover wood from when my wife had a mini-closet taken out earlier this summer.

Tomorrow is the service. We set up the plans for that yesterday at the funeral home. Private family viewing is at 9:30 a.m., visitation is at 10, service is at 11, followed by a luncheon at my mom's church and then a graveside service after that. Because the cemetery is so far out of town (20 miles more or less), they'll do it that way, so those who want to go can and those who don't don't.

We had made the major plans for the service in February 2006--a few months after she went into the nursing home--and paid for it then. If we had paid for it now, at today's prices, the funeral director said, it would be cost about $1,500 more. So we saved ourselves some money. If only our other investments had done so well over the last 4 1/2 years!

We were at the funeral home about an hour--going over the plans and procedures and setting up the service, the obituary and so on. The service went pretty easily--my mom and I had talked that over at around the same time, and I still had my notes on the music and the Bible verse she wanted. We had to select a cover for the stationery--the bulletin? I don't know what you call them. That was about the only decision we had to make. Most of the decisions had been made years ago.

They e-mailed me a copy of the obit last night. I made a few minor changes, edited the photo we had submitted (adjusted the colors a little warmer, since they use color on the program (or whatever they call it)) and sent it back.

From there, we went to the nursing home--we had the suit she is going to wear, but we needed underwear, socks, slippers, etc. They had all that there. We also got the TV she had in her room and a few others things. Janet wanted the TV for the kitchen/dining room area, since it has a better picture than the other one (my mom's old living room TV) and also has a DVD player.

There is more left in her room--we will have to return, maybe this weekend.

Then, we went to Penney's, where I bought a black suit jacket, black pants and a white shirt and a tie. Spent a bit of money--but I didn't have a suit jacket that fits well. Now I do. I can build on the wardrobe from there and get less formal, more colorful stuff.

From there, we headed for home. Had a quiet evening. Well, she did. I had a volleyball match to cover. And I did. It went five sets, and West Iron won. So I didn't get back home until close to 9. But I did it in large part so I could kiss off the Thursday night match, since the kids are in town. I've got my photos now.

Thursday will be the service, and then we'll spend the rest of the day with the kids and David. Friday, back to work, and I've got football that night at Forest Park. It will be a little warmer by then, but they have a frost advisory out for tonight. The kids head for home Saturday morning.

While I was downstairs with the kids today, my cousin from Texas called. It was Gloria, Harold and Beatrice's oldest daughter. I called her back, and we talked for a while. That was nice. She said some of the other cousins--ones who don't live far, far away--may be coming over here from the Twin Cities area for the service.

It's 10:45 p.m., and I've got a very long, very busy day tomorrow. And it starts early--we have to be on the road a little after 8. I need to take a shower and then head for bed. So that ends this piece, doesn't it?