Country Time

Two days in the Northwoods and I've learned a few things.

1) Internet and cell connections -- at my parents' place anyway --  are sketchy at best. I was unable to get a signal long enough to blog last night and had to stand in the middle of a dandelion field to get some phone calls made. Not an exaggeration!

So now that I am nestled in the Luck Country Inn, I have a connection and am typing quickly to get my sleep on.

2) The reading materials at laundromats north of Highway 8 consist of Bow & Arrow, Deer & Deer Hunting, and Road & Track. Not an exaggeration! Turns out my mom's clothes dryer is on the fritz so I had to go to the Cushing Laundromat (which did not exist in my day) to dry clothes. Under all the "guy magazines" I found a few Woman's World magazines, I think from 1995. Oh well, good thing it didn't take long to dry one load! I did not get a chance to get bored. Or over-educated on proper methods of gutting a deer.

3) The beauty salon on Park Avenue (yes, Luck has a Park Avenue) is gossip central. One of my sisters set up an appointment for my mom to get her hair done. Her stylist gave her a sympathetic hug and then the next two customers came in and talked about who died. It happened the people who died overnight were people Mom knew in some capacity. Poor Mom, sitting there getting her hair done for her own important funeral and hearing about more sad news. At least she looked beautiful.

4) The devil is in the details. Well maybe he's not, but it sure seems he can make his presence known as we all agree (sort of) on final, final, this time final for real, details regarding the funeral, visitation, etc. After some 800 emails and texts this week, I think we've got it figured out. My Mom, not involved in any of those communications, had her own list that has been keeping her busy enough she has avoided a start to the grieving process. Most of us have. I think it will hit tomorrow when we are sitting down in the church.

4) Where two or more relatives are gathered... there is a party. Visitation tonight was wonderful. Since Dad was cremated, there was not a viewing, which meant there was not a long line of family members waiting to receive hugs while simultaneously crying and making our way through a box of tissues. Instead, we were scattered about the room -- filled with many, many beautiful flower arrangements from family and friends -- and greeting people here and there as they came. Sort of unorganized, a bit chaotic, and loud. Lots of talking like it was a big family reunion. And it was. With well over 200 in attendance, I saw lots of people I haven't seen in quite some time. The support was overwhelming. We are so blessed.

5) The answer is in the clouds. A friend of mine who lost his dad many years back told me to pay attention to the clouds on my weekend journey. He said there would be a sign in the sky that my dad is OK. At first I thought, I sure hope he didn't mean storm clouds! But then this evening, while we were all inside the funeral home hugging, laughing and reliving old times, it rained.

Then the sky was filled with a double rainbow.

That's good. Real good.