I,m back.

I have just finished up a rather intense, long weekend with lots of company.  The major purpose of the weekend was the interment service for my brother John's ashes.  That was on Sunday after church and only for immediate family.  John was quite adamant that he didn't want any kind of memorial service but we had this small service anyway and it was really quite comforting.  The pastor read two scripture readings, the appropriate prayers and a short paper that I wrote about my brother.  Our other brother spoke briefly and movingly and John's urn was placed in its niche (quite close to my husband's urn and where mine will be, which is very nice).  Afterwards we gathered back at my place for lunch and an exchange of memories - many quite funny.  My younger brother and his wife had flown in from Spokane on Thursday night and their son and his four-year=old son drove over from Maryland on Friday.  My apartment was happily crowded and felt very busy.  A lot of that was due to my great nephew (the above mentioned 4 year old) who is a perpetual motion machine.  He's a very nice child, just always moving.  We played games (I lost spectacularly at Mexican Train), took a walk in the park, did a little shopping, had dinner with some cousins from Woodburn, and generally kept busy.  All very nice but when my brother and sister-in-law flew out this morning I went back to bed and almost slept the day away.  Not depression, you understand, just exhaustion.