Drama

Maya

Allie performing heart surgery on her Cabbage Patch doll

we had a family gathering for their great uncle

Maya couldn't come with all her cousins but had plenty of time with her great uncle

meanwhile lots of snow and cold here

A bit of color: the cardinal and my lanterns

I spent almost a week by myself as Steve went to New York to go to his cousin's funeral. It was lonely but I did get a few chores done and I had Maya some of the time. I did go to a Mary Kay party one of the nights even though I hate the idea of these pyramid schemes that exploits women's friends lists. The make up is very expensive and I did buy some which I regret. Just say No, Sue. But it was fun. I did watch a few Netflix series that Steve would not stand and I kept the shades up so I could watch the deer in my yard. Tried not to feel sorry for myself.

I did get plenty of updates from Steve. His cousin, as is most of his family, is Jewish but his widow is not and his funeral was 'Christian". Not sure what his cousin actually wanted. Not my business I guess. My friend who died last August had plenty of time to plan every detail of her service. So instead of being buried within 2 days unembalmed, he was buried 6 days later, embalmed in a casket. This meant he could not go to the family plot. And instead of sitting shiva, there was a wake. The casket was closed though one person insisted on a viewing started to pry open the casket much to the shock and dismay of the Jewish relatives. Steve got to meet the first cousin they all just found about last year as a result of ancestry.com. She cried when she met some of these cousins for the first time. She knew no one from her father's side.

At the funeral luncheon somewhere way out in Long Island (no room left in NYC for burials), they were just beginning lunch when the widow collapsed. She was rushed to a hospital. Apparently she has very high blood pressure which caused a brain bleed. It is almost 8 days later and I still don't think she is conscious yet though her seizures have stopped. Her poor children who have been on  a death vigil for their father for two months now are dealing with their mom. She will probably live but in what condition? Life is so unfair.

Steve's brother came back with him giving me updates at which mile marker they were at. Fortunately no ice anywhere (but here!). Steve brought home classic New York treats: cherry cheese knishes which are becoming harder and harder to find, rainbow cookies and pignoli; the latter being Italian delicacies. And one sfogliatella for me.  Ann Arbor, diverse as it is, lacks a large Italian population though there a few outposts in the Detroit suburbs. When I went for my summer in Abruzzo with people of Italian heritage (I have none), a lot came from Windsor (who hate being called Americans)

So the last few days have been full of family visiting the uncle and me cooking and cleaning. One night we had an euchre tournament (a Michigan speciality though I guess it has some fans in other midwest states)
I have been diligently running even at one point when the high was all of 5 degrees to counteract this feasting. Hope it worked.