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Showing posts with label Memorial Service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memorial Service. Show all posts

Sunday, December 29, 2013

December 29th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy Sunday! It is a cold and wet dreary day in NJ, but at least it’s not snowing! I guess we’re paying for the 60° and sunny day we had yesterday.

Yesterday’s memorial service was very nice. Steve and several other folks said a little something about Steve’s mom, and then Steve’s ten year old daughter attempted giving a speech, but couldn’t get through it. Bless her heart! She had the whole room in tears. Even at only ten, you could tell what an amazing woman the child will become when she grows up.

After the memorial service, my husband and I went to visit two of his favorite clients; two brothers who live about ten minutes apart from each other. They called before Christmas to tell my husband he had to stop over because Santa had left something for him. I had been hearing about these folks for years, so I insisted coming with him so I could meet them. Let me just say, my husband’s stories did not do these folks justice. I absolutely LOVE both couples! We spent about an hour and a half with one brother and then another hour with the other.

We would have probably stayed longer, but the girls were back from Great Wolf Lodge and we needed to go pick them up from their aunt’s house. They had a blast and said it was the best Christmas present ever. 
 
 
 
 
(In the photo: Holly, Lys, Grace, Dani, & Max)

 

Today is going to be a lazy day. All I plan on doing is straightening up a little, throwing a load of laundry in, and then curling up with a book (well, as much as I can curl up with a computer, because that’s where the book is). My friend Linda Rawlins sent me the next book in her series, and I have been chomping at the bit, but with the holidays, I just haven’t had time. Then, as soon as I finish that one, my other friend, Dorothy May Mercer, sent me her new one too. (I’m not playing favorites – Linda sent me hers about half an hour before Dorothy, so I thought it only fair to read in the order received.) I’m sure I’ll be posting review and information on the books in the next few days.


Okay, I’m off for my day of sloth. I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

You are straightening up the presents under your Christmas tree when you find one last wrapped gift. There is no tag on the package, and you do not recognize the wrapping paper.

 

“What’s this?”

Gary bent down the edge of the newspaper and peered over the rim of his glasses. “A Christmas present,” he stated dismissively and went back to reading his morning paper.

“I realize that, but where did it come from? Who’s it for?”

“What’s the tag say?” Gary asked without even bothering to look up.

“Do you think, if there was a tag, I would have asked you if you knew who the gift was for?” Gina snapped. “Seriously, can you get your nose out of the paper for two minutes and take a look at this?”

With a heavy sigh, Gary folded his paper, laid it on the coffee table and placed his reading glasses on top of it, then held out his hand. “I won’t get any peace anyway until I do, so let me have it.” Gina placed the box into his hand, and Gary studied it.

“Don’t shake it!” Gina screeched. “What if it’s breakable!”

Gary handed the box back to Gina. “Oh for Heaven’s sake, just open the damned thing already.”

 

Your Next Challenge is:

‘Tis the time of year for New Year’s Resolutions. You can either write your 2014 Resolutions, write about a time trying to keep a resolution, or anything else, but it has to do with either making or keeping a New Year’s Resolution.

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

December 28th

Hi, it’s Christina –

I’ve been up for four hours already, but I just didn’t have the energy to do the blog. Yesterday’s sore throat calmed down considerably, but I’m still feeling blah. I need to snap out of it though because I have a memorial service to attend at one. A friend’s mom passed away several days ago, and they are having the service for her today.

When he sent me the email telling me about what happened to his mom, I asked him if what he sent was a story he was working on (he’s a writer and I review his work from time to time), but he said no, it was all true. I was shocked. Here is an excerpt of what he wrote:

 
I received a call from my mother’s neighbor that she had been gone for at least 7 days. I called friends and neighbors who didn’t know where she was. I spent the day in her house where hundreds of fruit flies swarmed over rotting fruit and searched for clues with the police. They looked for witnesses, ran APBs, tried to ping her car, filed for financial record warrants, discussed DNA and much more. At the end of the day the police informed me that she was taken to a trauma center 9 days earlier after being struck by a car. It was not a local hospital that I thought of calling, and her brain damage prevented her from getting in touch with family and friends.”

 
The whole situation was a total disaster – the hospital where she was taken never bothered notifying next of kin, however they did manage to have the bill for the TV in her room charged directly to her home cable bill (so it’s not like she was a “Jane Doe”). I won’t go into details, but I think the attorneys are going to have a field day with this one – I’m talking smack yourself in the forehead over the stupidity. Why is it that common sense seems to be in such short supply these days?

Since I am still feeling kinda icky, I think I’ll hold off on the writing challenge until tomorrow. So go enjoy your Saturday!