Saturday, we watched the WVU football game at a sports bar and later attended a lovely dinner at Edgewood CC for Molły and Matt. There were lots of old friends there not only of mine but of my mother's. There were several distant cousins as well. Unfortunately, we took no pictures.
Here's a pic of Dad's grave stone provided by the military.
Of course, the Gov't did not add the requested line that his ashes were scattered at sea. But at least there is a marker keeping Pie's company in the Mountain View Cemetery.
Every time I go to Charleston I start tearing up when I drive near the Kanawha River. I think of all the folks I will not get to see rather than focusing and the ones I am fortunate to see. I wish I were able to go back in time to hug folks in the past. To see me as a little girl living in my world. I wish I would have an hour at different times. One would be Christmas shopping on Capital St. circa 1965; one would be getting ready for Xmas around 1958 with the Kanawha School festive sing then coming home to our house on Quarrier St. to get the tree decorated while Mom is making shortnin' bead cookies; and one would be attending Aunt Canky's King and I performance in 1961. I also would have liked to attend one of those Light Opera Guild cast parties held at our house with pianos in the parlor and den, organ in the dining room, and accordion in the kitchen and everybody singing. Often my great Uncle John would come over and bring his big cards with the words and he'd play the piano and we would all sing all the old songs and new show tunes.
There are times in NYC, Yonkers, and College Park I'd like to revisit as well: going to the Xmas Eve service in Manhattan and coming out to a heavy snowfall (I think that was the first time I sang In the bleak mid winter); hearing Christine Sperry make her entrance as Mabel in Pirates of Penzance; and meeting Paul McCartney ad John Lennon. I would like to hold little ML and rock her in the chair to awaken her for breakfast and getting ready to go to daycare; and to hear one of Moody's great sermons at St Andrew's and feel the electricity his spoken word. But since I cannot go back in time, I must take advantage to hug the folks I see now and to let them no how wonderful they are.
Before coming to WV this week, Rob and Linda visited me for two nights. We did some reminiscing and ate lots of good food, I worked with them at NCHS.
