Dear Group, Last evening I felt that I had strength enough to attend the viewing of Deb's Grandma who had passed away on Monday. I admit I had quite a time trying to find something suitable to wear for the occasion due to my recent surgery but lo and behold I dug out a "frock" I had worn but a few times after I had purchased it in Fiji in 1971 and it made quite a fashion statement. It had originally been purchased as a dress--mini-skirts were in vogue at the time, you know--but it made a perfect top over black slacks last evening. Very full and very colorful. I was determined to attend her viewing since she had been a part of my life for over 50 years. My sister (Deb's mother) had married Grandma's son back in 1948. I had always called her Bea until the more recent years when she was known more as Grandma. Because I was related to her through my sister and my niece and nephew, my brother-in-law and the extended members of their family, I was always included in family get-togethers--birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, funerals, etc., I knew that there was no way that I could just sit at home and not join their family at this particular time. A family friend picked me up and drove us to the funeral parlor. I had checked with the funeral parlor earlier to make certain that a wheelchair would be available for me in the event that my physical strength gave out. No problem. We walked into the parlor--me with the help of my cane. Deb saw me and together we walked up to Grandma's casket while Deb's daughter Dawn found a Kleenex for me. Deb and I agreed that Grandma looked beautiful but that her mouth didn't look quite natural. We agreed that it was because she wasn't smiling. She ALWAYS smiled! Deb and I walked around together for a few minutes and then I joined in with the others who were there for the viewing. That's when hugs were passed all around. Relatives that I hadn't seen in YEARS-- many of us had to identify each other--and then remembered incidents in the past and had some good laughs over them. Cousin June reminded me of the plastic party I had given back in 1950 (prior to Tupperware) and the treasured plastic shower curtain she had purchased--the one with the pink flamingoes on it! Deb's Uncle Cliff and I had a bunch of laughs about the last time we had seen each other. It was at a family picnic, he had had too much to drink . . . and, well, you don't want to know the rest of THAT story! Claude Smith and I were surprised when we realized that we had known each other back as far as around 1946 or 47 when I was just a kid and he was the most handsome sailor in the whole world! We then remembered when we both served in the Navy together at Naval Air Station Niagara Falls and we tried to remember the names of mutual shipmates of that time. Dora and Renie were there and remembered me. Grandma was the manager of a local motel in the 1970s and they worked for her. Deb's brother Doug was there with his wife and kids and it didn't seem possible that the kids now have kids of their own. And so it went. No one was embarrassed to walk up to someone and ask who they were. And in most cases we eventually remembered meeting each other or, at least, remembering hearing their names over all of the past years because they were either friends or family of Grandma. What was especially memorable was that we realized that we were talking and laughing with individuals whose weddings we had attended but who had since been divorced and that in many cases both the "bride" and "groom" were present because of Grandma. It was obvious that at least for the evening, all bitterness or sadness of the past was totally forgotten. It was just a joy to be together again after all the years that had passed that we had known each other.. Among Grandma's immediate descendants there were her two sons, a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren and of course Grandma's pride and joy, little six-month-old Madeline Beatrice Grace, her great-great-granddaughter. Dear Maddie hammed it up for everyone! It ended up being a joyous occassion. Did I need the wheelchair? Ain't no way, my cane did just fine. Auntie Vee was catered to when it came to needing an arm to lean on or to help me get up from the chair I was sitting on, for someone to open a door for me. And I hammed it up just as much as little Maddie did. I swear that if someone would have provided me with a top hat, I would have done a dance routine with my top hat and cane! Yes, tears were shed last night, but there were more laughs and good memories than there were tears. And Grandma would have been so pleased that everyone was sharing such nice memories of her and of each other at her viewing. And trust me, ALL of us remembered the smile she always had on her face. vee