tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post9143948933081983170..comments2024-03-10T10:36:09.923+00:00Comments on Gem of The Ocean: Fashion Felony - Guided by the Hand of Godgemoftheoceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-44731381568064415302008-01-14T23:03:00.000+00:002008-01-14T23:03:00.000+00:00My priest at the time, Fr. Moloney, ever the pract...My priest at the time, Fr. Moloney, ever the practical ex-accountant from Limerick said "Don't be tempted to go overboard on the casket, it's going in the ground, you know?" I had everything picked out and settled and paid for within 24 hours of her death. It helped that I knew a raft of priests and had good friends who were singers/musicians and a chunk of change. My dad was grateful not to have to have done that stuff, and I was glad he didn't have to.<BR/><BR/>Karengemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-81057436255554209302008-01-14T22:00:00.000+00:002008-01-14T22:00:00.000+00:00When my Dad died, the funeral director basically s...When my Dad died, the funeral director basically suggested to us that we shouldn't spend too much on the casket. He didn't quite point us in the direction of a pine box, but he did suggest a standard model (and I was quite grateful for that, actually - choosing the cemetery plot was bad enough). It's not that we were having a cheap funeral - far from it, the reception cost an absolute fortune, and so did the flowers - but that was one area where none of us really had much of an opinion, and it was a relief to let the funeral director take the choice out of our hands.<BR/><BR/>I do not, by the way, share my Dad's obsession with matching socks to sweaters. I mostly buy plain black or navy blue socks from Marks and Spencers.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08955770520790267352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-32970125551191584292008-01-14T21:04:00.000+00:002008-01-14T21:04:00.000+00:00When my dad died, he gave us explicit instructions...When my dad died, he gave us explicit instructions not to buy a pricey casket. The cheapest they had was what he specified. When my brother, hubby and I went the funeral home to make arrangements for my dad, the funeral director, after we took care of some paperwork, led us into the "casket room." He said he would leave us alone for awhile to pick one out. They were arranged from the cheapest to the most expensive. We headed down the line to the cheapest, which really didn't look bad at all, and said amongst ourselves that that was the one. I commented that it was a good "starter model" and joked we would upgrade later. The funeral director comes back in and asked us which casket we had settled on. My brother tells the man we want the "starter model" and points to the cheap casket. The funeral director DID NOT laugh, or smirk or anything. But, I know my dad did :)swissmisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11091563100968996825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-60896780834913664912008-01-14T04:31:00.000+00:002008-01-14T04:31:00.000+00:00Esther, glad you enjoyed it. For a few years afte...Esther, glad you enjoyed it. For a few years after her death, while dad was still alive, I only told a few intimate friends, but now that dad is gone too I figure it's safe enough. <BR/><BR/>It was something that happened that for sure got me through that time. That was a moment I dreaded most, along with her coffin actually going in the ground. The funeral Mass itself, was actually the easiest part. I one of the readings and I had an uncle do the other, and I had my aunts bring up the gifts. My dad had a hard time with it, but over all bore up pretty well, and the reception at the eastern rite church was very nice after the burial, with a lot of eastern European comfort food. [I had a nice Eastern Rite customary vigil the night before the Roman rite, thus incorporating both traditions into her funeral.]<BR/><BR/> I can remember when my grandmother died in 91 my youngest three cousins were 6, 8 and 13 respectively. The oldest did not want to be in the same room with grammy when she was in her coffin at the funeral parlor, that was respected and no one made him go in. The younger two, however, had an easier time of it, my 8 year old cousin had one of those little kids cameras and took a picture of her in the coffin -- when developed, a day or so later, there was a little toy turtle image on the photo. My cousin Rosemary and I got a charge out of that and said: "Oh, how grammy would have laughed."<BR/><BR/>BTW, I should say in addition the baseball I put in her coffin, I also put in a painted Easter Egg I'd done -- pysanky style. It had a nice line drawing of an eastern rite church on the front, and an eastern style cross on the back.<BR/><BR/>Karengemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-62452865969870652272008-01-14T00:19:00.000+00:002008-01-14T00:19:00.000+00:00Karen, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at th...Karen, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this story. I think your dear old dad would have appreciated it though. Thanks for a lovely post!EC Gefrohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06821950576683551325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-51991497561031992622008-01-13T23:59:00.000+00:002008-01-13T23:59:00.000+00:00She was, yes. And he had a *lot* of sweaters, most...She was, yes. And he had a *lot* of sweaters, mostly expensive wool ones courtesy of a friend who was the director of a spinning company (they had sample sweaters made for trade shows to show their yarns, and over the years Dad ended up with about 30 of these sweaters).<BR/><BR/>I've inherited some of his socks - mostly through flying home for visits and arriving a couple of days before my luggage, which seems to happen to me every time I connect through Heathrow.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08955770520790267352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-73192607313582634752008-01-13T23:41:00.000+00:002008-01-13T23:41:00.000+00:00Stephen....I bet your mum was tempted more than on...Stephen....I bet your mum was tempted more than once to throw all the socks out and buy all black ones for him, but she figured "not to go there."gemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-19608124246826520332008-01-13T21:03:00.000+00:002008-01-13T21:03:00.000+00:00My Dad's scary clothing obsession was making sure ...My Dad's scary clothing obsession was making sure his socks *exactly* matched his sweater. And he had a *lot* of sweaters.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08955770520790267352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-14945611137267773372008-01-13T20:36:00.000+00:002008-01-13T20:36:00.000+00:00"Frank, you're not earing that g*****n outfit outs..."Frank, you're not earing that g*****n outfit outside or you'll f*****g walk alone!"<BR/><BR/><BR/>ROTFLMAO!!!!! Oh, I well remember those times ... "you are NOT 'casual' you look like a slob in that!" One time when I was about 11 he came to the Sunday dinner table in his ratty undershirt with a hole or two. She kind of lost it and said "Ed, just ONCE in a while can you MAKE an effort?" So he got up, went into their bedroom, and came back with a tie on. No shirt, still the same ratty T-Shirt but the tie. Even she had to laugh. I think that's why they stayed together....because I can remember many a donnybrook where one or the other of them was just NOT going to give in, and one of them said something so funny the tension broke, because you just had to laugh. And you can't stay mad if you're laughing.<BR/><BR/>BTW, I expect you're also an Ann Coulter Fan, her dad recently died. Her column about her dad (A Catholic, who was also a Red Fighting FBI man) is <A HREF="http://www.anncoulter.com/cgi-local/printer_friendly.cgi?article=229" REL="nofollow">well worth reading</A>.gemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-18652370076098661562008-01-13T16:57:00.000+00:002008-01-13T16:57:00.000+00:00Fabulous story, Gem! My father also suffered from...Fabulous story, Gem! My father also suffered from being unfashionable and relied on my mother to tell him, in her delicate Bronx fashion, "Frank, you're not earing that g*****n outfit outside or you'll f*****g walk alone!"<BR/><BR/>My father would come out with some bizarre statements of fact or opinion, and his joke was to ask, "Do you know who said that?" so that the following ensued:<BR/><BR/>Us: "No, Dad, who said that?"<BR/>Dad: "Harvey Keck. And do you know who Harvey Keck was?"<BR/>Us: "No, Dad, who was he?"<BR/>Dad: "Mrs. Keck's baby boy."<BR/><BR/>When we buried him, my brother tucked into his breast pocket a slip of paper that read, "With our condolences, Harvey Keck and his mother."The Digital Hairshirthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15585915716220088744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-44404122483597140832008-01-13T03:37:00.000+00:002008-01-13T03:37:00.000+00:00AA: Well, it's not exactly "King Tut's" whole loa...AA: Well, it's not exactly "King Tut's" whole load, but the sentiment is somewhat the same. Whomever said "You can't take it with you" didn't have a big enough tomb or casket.<BR/><BR/>Karengemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-14978063051787706282008-01-13T02:37:00.000+00:002008-01-13T02:37:00.000+00:00When we buried my mother's 2nd husband (an avid go...When we buried my mother's 2nd husband (an avid golfer), there must have been 10 dimes in the casket (for you non-golfer a dime is often used to mark a ball's position on the green if the ball has to be moved).ArchAngel's Advocatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00475482633072586712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-13302535185412842352008-01-12T22:16:00.000+00:002008-01-12T22:16:00.000+00:00BTW, meant to say that mom had created and designe...BTW, meant to say that mom had created and designed her own wedding dress. In her youth from age 16 until she married my dad she worked in a garment factory and had "the knack." A gene which I completely missed!<BR/><BR/>Karengemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-75120676559190959202008-01-12T20:18:00.000+00:002008-01-12T20:18:00.000+00:00Well, among the things I tucked into the coffin wa...Well, among the things I tucked into the coffin was one of the baseballs that mom had come up with at a Padre's game. We had full season tickets for many years, behind home plate. Over the years I cam up with a few, ditto mom, dad was "oh fer..."<BR/><BR/>I put one in dad's coffin when his time came, and I hope whatever jokers bury me will put one in for me rather than keep the thing. As a joke we did put an ace up my dad's sleeve, as he, his mom and his cousin Diane were pinocle fiends -- they tried to teach me how to play but I never did get the knack!<BR/><BR/>Karengemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-74668877747931716592008-01-12T15:43:00.000+00:002008-01-12T15:43:00.000+00:00The only thing which could have been funnier is if...The only thing which could have been funnier is if your Mother had been dressed in the "links special" (and you know what a practical joer God is!)ArchAngel's Advocatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00475482633072586712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-90628902508813239472008-01-12T15:38:00.000+00:002008-01-12T15:38:00.000+00:00Ma, oh, yes.... I actually walked into that room w...Ma, oh, yes.... I actually walked into that room with a smile on my face. "Mom, *look* what he did!" I think God, my mom, and I had a great laugh.<BR/><BR/>Jackie, glad you liked the story. It's one I'd been saving for a while.gemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-49193833645706994852008-01-12T14:25:00.000+00:002008-01-12T14:25:00.000+00:00Lovely story Karen..Lovely story Karen..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-52427794378718224992008-01-12T13:42:00.000+00:002008-01-12T13:42:00.000+00:00Karen,That was a very sweet post and both your par...Karen,<BR/>That was a very sweet post and both your parents sound great!<BR/><BR/>I'll bet your mother was lauuuuughing.<BR/><BR/>;)Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15840370708098022422noreply@blogger.com