life

So what's the one word that people will use to sum up your life?

Would you prefer they use a different word?

Can you sum your life up in one word?

I hope to be in Texas by sunset. If I'm really lucky, perhaps I'll have a glass of wine with friends before I sleep again.

Until then...

The Presbyterian way of dealing with death is through a Celebration of Life. Commending a soul on to the afterlife. Erupting from the junction of two large, very Presbyterian families, I've known the passing of a loved one to be a time when the family rejoined, shared stories, shared food and shared friendship. Yes, we'd lost a brother or sister or mother or father or aunt or uncle. But, the kingdom of Heaven had gained one. And we knew our loved one was now at peace.

Last night during the viewing, many tears were shed. Kitty's friends and family will all miss her. But along side the tears, many laughs were shared. Those who knew and loved my mom can't help but laugh when they think of her. From her bossing around her "daughter" Frankie and berating her endlessly for breaking her finger in the infamous "rolled it up in the window" incident to 3 o'clock phone calls and "Of course I'm asleep, and you should be too!"

Stories of Kitty's first "car date." Going to the Ritz Theater in an Austin Mini — a double date, no less — to see Disney's Cinderella.

Remembering Nell's admonition "If you kids are going to fight like that you're going to have to go outside!"

We'll all miss you, mom, but we won't forget you. I'm sure you'll be there with us later this morning as we continue to celebrate your life. I hope you like the penguin.

It's all about the timing. For example, I feel there's a fairly certain guarantee that if I'm passing a gas station and it's convenient to stop, then it's at least two of cold, windy, rainy or hot. Tonight, while making 3 trips to the same store to come out with 2 functioning copies of a product, I passed the QT a few times. Finally, I decided that it sure would be nicer to just get over with a fillup tonight than having to will the car home on fumes tomorrow since I wouldn't have time to fill up either to or from work.

So on pass #3, I stopped, got out, and froze to death (yes, 40 degrees is cold after living in Dallas for 11 years) while filling up the tank. At least I'm set. I shouldn't have to put gas in the grey car again in 2009. The truck, will of course, make up for that, though, since there's a bit of traveling on the horizon before we turn the calendar.

The clock is running out on getting all the truck's issues fixed, but only the wheel bearing remains. With any luck it'll be all healed up by the time the sun sets tonight. Let's all keep our fingers crossed!

On a completely random tangent... the last time I checked, apples were supposed to be great in autumn. Perhaps they're angry that we don't have autumn in Dallas (just early summer, summer, late summer and winter). But red apples have been awfully, well... spotty... this year. I cut my apples to avoid any surprises... And I suppose this is why we usually buy Fujis or Galas at home. But the kitchen mommy at my office buys red apples. And some weeks they're ripe, but just not quite right. Crisp-ish in places, mushy in the middle. On a positive note, we do have a splendid apple corer/slicer in our office. It makes the apples all nice and springy!