I got some answers this week, and you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men...Where the mice comes in for that saying is a mystery, but you get the idea.

Monday I finally got a person at the cemetery! And, one of the reasons I hadn't heard anything, even though it is really more of a copout than anything is that all national cemeteries are closed as far as having committal ceremonies and burials. They are not closed to visits, which is why I could drive through, but due to the virus, they are no burials or any kind being done. I did read where a family did a drive through burial where they all had to stay in their cars, but there were no military honors provided. I understand that, but why couldn't they have updated their website with that information, or better yet, answered my email, or fax! The same with the veteran's advocate here. Why, especially in this day and age, is the phone number not forwarded to a personal cell phone, or a home phone for that matter? Anyway, we can't hold the graveside service at this time and I can't have an honor guard for the memorial service at the church. But, that's OK. I told Emily I'll just get to keep Bill home with me for a little longer. There is no timeline for the cemeteries to open as far as the man I spoke to knew, he said they were told maybe the end of August.

I've talked to the church and the pastor I want to perform the memorial service and we've set a date for it. It's going to be July 11. I had mailed a letter to all the family that I knew was coming to the services right before I heard from the cemetery. So, I had to text everyone to let them know to disregard the part of the letter about the graveside service being held on the 10th. 

After talking to the church about the service, I figured I'd better bite the bullet and go to church Sunday. I did make it, there were only 12 of us there, and no-one made a big deal out of me being there, which is a good thing. I don't know if I could have handled that. Just hugs from everyone. I don't know if it will be an every week thing or not yet, I'll just play it by ear.

The programs and bookmarks have come in and they are very nice. I'll post a picture of them later. The guest book has also come in and there is an error on it, but it's my mistake. I typed a date wrong, so it shows that Bill was nearly 1000 years old! I typed 1043 instead of 1943! But, the company had my phone number so they could have called to double check it, or just used their brains to figure out what it should have been. Anyway, I think that it can be fixed. It won't look as nice, but the book will be open anyway.

The video camera also came in and it didn't have the bigger microphone that I thought was supposed to be included. What I thought was the mic from the picture was a table top tripod. So, back to Amazon to order a microphone. It should be here Tuesday.

I also ordered another urn for Bill's ashes. I hadn't planned on a different one, but the cemetery suggests a metal or wooden urn and his is just a temporary heavy cardboard one. And since he's now going to be at the memorial service, it will look nice on the table with his medals.

After thinking I had all of the paperwork done, I got a big packet of forms from one of the investment accounts. The account has been switched to my name, but now I have to apply for an IRA. I just want to leave everything like it is for now. I'm probably going to consolidate everything with a local firm, but that's something that I thought could wait a bit. I read through the paperwork, skimmed it actually, and I think I have 5 years before I have to do anything with it since it is inherited by a spouse. So, on another day, where I think I want to really use my brain, I'll go through them. Right now they are in the accordian file folder with everything else.

It's a cloudy, rainy morning and I would like to be sitting on our little screened in patio in Florida with my coffee. But, when I went out to feed the cats it's so muggy I could hardly breathe. Nearly 80 already at 6 am! So, I'll stay in and listen to the thunder. I've been busy getting things done in the house so that people won't be totally horrified when they come, not that I'm planning on being the gracious hostess. But, remember, nothing was done in the house for the 6 months Bill was in the hospital and it really needed attention.

My friend Phillis wanted the old cat tree for her cat Troubles, so I took it to her on Tuesday. I had told her the day Bill died that when I was ready I would come and see her. We sat on her back porch...for 4 hours! We talked, we laughed, we cried and just had a good visit. We may go to Dyersburg soon. She wants to go to the health food store in the mall and I want to go to Joann Fabrics. So, that should be fun.

One thing I'm finding this week is my thoughts on his ashes is changing. I had never felt the need, or thought I felt the need, to have his ashes sitting on the mantel. But, I've found a little comfort having them in the bedroom on the dresser. And, silly as it may sound, I do talk to him, mainly to tell him goodnight, but I ask him if I'm doing things right. And, I didn't think I wanted a keepsake of his ashes, but I found a website that sells bracelets that are also for a cause. There were several different ones, saving the rainforest and gorillas, elephants, the arctic and the coral reefs and sea turtles. These bracelets have 2 glass tubes. One of the tubes is filled with something depicting the cause. The sea turtle one has ground up pieces of the netting that turtles are getting caught in. The other one is empty and can be filled with whatever the wearer wants. I did get the sea turtle one as his niece Karen worked with rehabbing sea turtles in Florida for awhile and I'm going to put the small bag of ashes in the other tube. I do have to have the crematory do it, as well as move the other ashes to the new urn, as they have to be sealed. I did look at his ashes the other day. The top of the box he's in now opens. They looked nothing like what I thought they would. They are very coarse while the ones for the bracelet looks like fine sand. It didn't bother me to look at them, and Kiyann wanted to see them too and she wasn't bothered by them. She held the urn in her lap for a long time.

I did tell Kiyann that we wouldn't be able to have the birthday picnic at the cemetery, but maybe we'll carry his ashes outside to the patio and have our picnic there. I haven't talked to McKenna about it yet. I don't really want to carry them into a restaurant, so we won't do that, but we'll come up with something.

I think that's all. I still don't have my door installed. Emily asked me this week what Heath had said and I told her I hadn't heard anything from him. She just said "Hmm". Maybe she'll talk to him at church tomorrow. I would really like to have this little project done and the dumpster gone before people start getting here. I'm going to need the parking space! It's getting darker and darker now with a little thunder. Good thing I've got a couple of new books to read. The weather is making me ache all over today, so I don't think I'll be doing much. Have a good week-end.