’07 April

This is going to be entirely random until the end of the month. That’s what I decided since I’ve got all sorts of pictures. And I’ve never finished the story and pictures from New Zealand, which I want to finish by the end of the month. Also Angela took some shots at the funeral and we’ve had many nice outings with the fam.

Now, random family pictures until the end of the month!

At the Getty. Lucas, Xander, Trevor, Windy, Charis, Janice, Betsy, Anya, Travis, Lainee, Caleb, Beth, and Christa.

This is the reception-lobby at the Getty Center and here we are listening to this musical art project…

Travis, Windy, Christa, Cali, Lainee

…that is very cool indeed.

Betsy and Anya listening carefully as that collection of bladders, clothes drier vents, and tp rolls bleats out an engaging tune.

A clip of Lainee from a much bigger picture where she looked too good to pass up. Maybe I’ll change my mind because the focus is so ‘soft.’ We’ll see.

More from the day at Jamaica Bay Inn. From the top: Trevor and Beth; Rupa, Caleb, Hartley, Charis, Bharati; Lona, Christa

Rupa and her Auntie Bharati. When I visited Rupa in India we spent a couple nights at Bharati’s brother’s place in Bombay.

Each one explaining to the younger ones how They used to play with this very same toy.

Christa, Cynthia, Travis, Cali, Charis

Amit (aka by my mother – Amito…Mom’s firstborn Indian grandchild) and his mom Bharati. Mom would have loved that Amit made it here from Canada to be one of her pall bearers. Too bad he couldn’t stay for the days of festivities that followed but we got Bharati for a while longer and that was great.

My little sister Windy, her two grown boys Lucas and Travis, her dearly loved, gorgeous, and kind daughters-in-law Betsy and Lainee…and Grandbabies! Xander, Anya, and Cali May.

Rome gazes at big cousin Cali May. ‘Wow, so cute and capable…can I play…I can color too!’ with Lainee looking on.

Here come some shots from the funeral day. Family members making their way to the church.

Trevor and Lucas gave eulogy-mini-sermons and the Pastor gave a long fundamentalist/evangelical (too bad for you if you’re going to hell)-maxi-sermon. There were also singers, congregational singing, bible reading, and prayers. Mom would have loved it.

Then came the reception with so much food it took a whole big room to hold it. There were tables and chairs and a microphone and speaker’s stand in another room where people took turns for a couple hours telling stories of Mom, themselves, and Jesus. Mom would have loved it.

Then we went to Forest Lawn. The next four pictures are Angela’s.

The pall bearers – Darryl, Trevor, Amit, Lucas, Hartley, Travis.

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More.

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They did the sermon and prayers here…

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…since the grave site, next to Daddy’s, is on the side of a steep hill.

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…and kids of the cousins: Cali May (Travis and Lainee), Xander (Lucas and Betsy), Anya (Lucas and Betsy), Charis (Trevor and Beth), Caleb (Trevor and Beth), Rome (Darryl and Angela), and Christa (Trevor and Beth).

Now adding the spice!

Bottom row: Angela, Travis. Middle row: Darryl, Rome, Cali May, Lainee, Trevor, Cynthia, Lucas, Xander, Anya, Betsy. Top row: Charis, Caleb, Christa, Beth

Let’s ask wikipedia, shall we?!

“A system of degrees and removes is used to describe the relationship between …two cousins and the ancestor they have in common. The degree (first, second, third cousin, etc.) indicates the minimum number of generations separating either of the cousins from the common ancestor; the remove (once removed, twice removed, etc.) indicates the number of generations, if any, separating the two cousins from each other.

“…To work out if two people are first, second, or third cousins, count back the generations to their common ancestor. For example, if the common ancestor is one’s grandmother, that is two generations. If it is one’s great-grandmother, that is three generations.

“Identify the one of the two descendants who is generationally closest to the common ancestor. For example, if one of the cousins is a great-great-grandchild (four generations) and the other is a grandchild, the grandchild is generationally closest to the common ancestor.

“If the generationally closest descendant of the common ancestor is a grandchild (two generations), then the cousins are first cousins; if three generations separate the common ancestor and the generationally closest cousin, then the two are second cousins, and so on.

“If the cousins are separated from the common ancestor by an equal number of generations, there is no “remove,” for instance if both are grandchildren of the common ancestor.

“But if the number of generations between the common ancestor is different for each cousin, that difference is expressed by using a clarifier, “removed,” with the number of removes. For example, if one person is a grandchild of (2 generations from) the common ancestor, and the other person is a great-great-grandchild of (4 generations from) that common ancestor, then the two are first-cousins-twice-removed.”

I took Lucas shopping to get a suit for the funeral and amused myself at the mirrors. I’ll bet we could come up with some excellent symbolism for this photo in respect of the next day’s funeral of ones mother.

April 14

I left New Zealand early and am back now. Mom took a sharp left turn for the worse and the hospice nurses say she is in the last stages of life. She is home with a full-time nurse and a caregiver. Although Mom is not communicating at all, not even opening her eyes, they are keeping her looking comfortable and peaceful.