Kind of quiet today. No visitors. Amy made lunch (heated up some food that had been brought over). Mark and Shannon left after lunch. We watched some football and ended up taking the picture boards apart and tried to get the pictures back where they belonged. Think we did okay.

Before they left, Mark and Shannon talked with Dad about keeping Mom’s ashes for a little while. Mark had told me yesterday that Dad wanted to be buried with some of Mom’s ashes. Dad has since told us that he intends to be cremated as well. Mark thinks it would be good if we’d mix up their ashes before spreading them. Not at ALL what Mom wanted. She told us to spread the ashes, no place special, but she wanted them gone, not saved. When her father died, his ashes ended up in someone’s closet and were basically forgot about. Not a fate I want for Mom’s cremains. Dad said he does want to save some for when the marker is up at the cemetery. He wants a little bit of the remains to bury there, so that a part of Mom will be there. I know Mom said she didn’t want her ashes buried, but I don’t think she’d mind just a little bit if it would be a comfort to Dad.

So, I’m a little edgy with my brother and his wife at the moment. I asked Mark about Thanksgiving. His response was to shrug and tell me they had no plans. Amy and I then decided that we’d have Thanksgiving and invited Dad during supper (which was leftovers so the fridge would be cleaned out a bit). Dad accepted.

I should sit down with them and ask them their understanding of Mom’s wishes and what Dad wants to do. It’s like they think because they are older that they know what is better for Dad in this situation. What Dad wants to do is follow Mom’s wishes at this point.

I think Dad thought I was with them because he told me he’d be scattering Mom’s ashes by himself. I told him I want to be there and want to be there when he places some at the marker. I do as it is part of the whole process. Maybe we can ask the pastor to be there as well to say a few words. If not, I’ll have a verse or two ready to go.

We’ll be heading out tomorrow. Dad has some running around to do, taking death certificates to the places we visited on Thursday. He also wants to pay the funeral home and return things there. Then he’ll be heading to Mitchell so he can fulfill a promise he and Mom had made to Mariah (to see one of her basketball games).