We left here around 9 this morning to head up to Northern VA for the funeral. We stopped at a place we love in Vienna (Anita’s) and had lunch there for the first time (we usually are there for breakfast). It seemed fitting to have lunch there because the place was introduced to us by the better-half’s uncle. My Florida sister emailed us right at lunch and so I emailed her back letting her know what was going on–it was nice of her to reach out today. After lunch we went to a schmancy grocery store to buy olive oil and truffle salt–we had time to kill and had awesome truffle popcorn while in Chicago and decided we needed to try to duplicate that taste.
The funeral service was really very nice with one of the better-half’s other uncles giving the eulogy. There was some humor thrown in with some frank conversation about the depression that had plagued the better-half’s deceased uncle. I was glad no one shied away from talking about what happened. The graveside service was super short and then we watched as a former member of the Navy was laid to rest. That plot was far enough over that we couldn’t tell if a current serviceman had died or if it was someone older. Either way there were a ton of American flags at the cemetery.
We stayed for about an hour at the family wake/stuff your face full of excellent food thingamajig afterward and drank a ton of iced tea, but didn’t actually eat anything. It was hotter than hell there and we aren’t the mixing type so we talked to a few people, finished our glasses of tea and then left. By then it was rush-hour so we took a scenic route home that was still pretty crowded with traffic. Dinner was in Ashland and then, finally, we arrived at home in a huge thunderstorm. I know it isn’t quite summer yet, but it was one of those sorts of storms…big rain drops, some lightning and pockets of rain followed by completely dry conditions. I’m ready to lay on the couch.
Yeah, lying on the couch after an emotional day is totally appropriate.
It was the perfect thing to do.