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My perpetual peregrinations
Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 01:44AM 
Your humble correspondent has taken to bouncing back and forth between the Carolinas like a ping-pong ball.
That's right! I've returned to the Tar Heel State where I'm once again keeping company with Captain Adorable and the Tootsies.
My visit was more impromptu than planned, since wasn't I just here for a whole week?
But I'm not without a valid reason. Our son-in-law's grandfather passed away last Thursday.
Joel has been asked to preach the funeral, which will be held today, Tuesday, in Pennsylvania.
Stephanie thought she'd be more comfortable in her husband's brief absence if I were here with her to help out.
Which made sense to me, so here I be.
On Monday while Melanie was in school and Stephanie was at home with baby Andrew, Allissa and I did a bit of mad graving.
We bundled up (high of forty-six degrees and blustery) and drove to Belleview Cemetery in Lenoir.
It's large and equipped with well-paved roads that are so hilly, it was like walking the contours of a roller coaster.
But Lissy was game and she alternately rode in the stroller and walked beside me as we chatted about life and death and I took pictures.
Have you ever discussed life and death and funerals and the need for cemeteries with a child not yet four?
It's duly enchanting if a trifle unsettling.
At one point Allissa walked straight up to a large tombstone, put her hands on it, and repeated several times: "Grandpa Weber died on a Saturday."
Which he did.
Then Allissa reminded me that her daddy -- she was missing him dearly -- had gone to Pennsylvania "for Pappy's fural ... furnal ... fearnal ... *big sigh* ... the die thing."
Then she observed: "And here we are, where we die."
I corrected: "No; we're where they bring people after they die."
Then we spotted buzzards circling overhead and they became the topic of conversation until it was time to go home.
Which was shortly thereafter, because buzzards circling overhead is always my cue to go home.
Happy Super Tuesday! America is not dead!
If you live in one of those states, be sure to VOTE!
Reader Comments (11)
How could you NOT go? That's all I would want to know.
Thoughts on Is It well With the Child? Christina Rossetti. Please. I am so bad at poetry, I'm so literal and I always get hold of the wrong end of the stick.
Prob'ly should have emailed that, but look at how I'm boosting the comments section!
Of course you went! And I know you're enjoying the time with all those grandbabies! Of course, I enjoyed the pictures as usual!
PS - I see that Captain adorable continues to live up to his name. :)
oh that is my kind of day, wandering through an old cemetery! i noticed one had my birthday on it, aug 23rd! i had a post last week from a visit to an old cemetery nearby, it was quite strange! beautiful photos!
He really is adorable. You can tell he is going to be a handsome young man when he grows up.
I can hear Melanie with her friends.
"Melanie, what did you do with your grandma this week?"
"We went to visit graves in a cemetery and take pictures of them."
ha
It's always more comforting with a mom around to help out with captain adorable and the tootsies. I love that you help your tootsie talk about death and cemeteries. Mostly kids are creeped out. But I too think I'd love to be a fly on the wall when someone asks her what she and her grandmother do.
"big sigh"......the die thing. I love it. Out of the mouths of babes we are always entertained !! Alissa is precious, and just look how much Andrew has already grown. Precious grandchildren J......And walking that huge cemetery surely did entail taking lots of STEPS, right? ............G.
I KNOW you just HAD to FORCE yourself to go help out with the Captain!!!Hahaaa...
Texas will be voting MAY 29th...ridiculous!
hughugs
Truly a teachable moment. Children need not be separated from all the issues that they will deal with sooner or later. Death is not partial to the infirm or old, but has an appetite for all of us.
I once took my twins when they were toddlers into one of the most historic churches in Lancaster, and it was a hushed and reverential place. We sat and I quietly described the statues, the candles and that we need to be respectful in the house of The Lord.
When one of the sisters got a little too loud asking me a question, the other shushed her and said, " Shhh. God's sleeping."
I too had to explain the "die thing," to my young children. I'm also still trying to come to terms with it myself. You took some striking photos. Cemeteries run from being creepy, to exuding a, eerie beauty. My condolences on your loss.