I didn't like it, so I went

I refer to my whirlwind trip to Toronto last weekend to attend the funeral of my late cousin's widower.  Reading his 'Globe and Mail' obituary, I was nonplussed by the one line with which she had been dismissed:  "Predeceased by wife Betty-Anne."  After more than 35 years of marriage, that was not enough.

"I'm going," I said to B.  So I did.  Not only did the obituary laud mainly his short marriage to his most recent wife as the primary relationship, but the speech given by her daughter also went on and on about how this latest woman and he had been soul-mates who told each other every day how lucky they were to have met. 

Really?  What does that do to the long marriage he had had with my cousin?  Basically, trash it. 

I didn't like it.

Up at 4:30 a.m. to board a 7 a.m. flight to Toronto (ugh), I was welcomed by my dear son with whom I spent a long-overdue, one-on-one weekend.   That part was such a gift.  I had messaged my cousin in Ottawa to see if he would be going to represent our side of the family.  "I don't see a need for me to go," he replied.  Really?  You are the uncle of her sons, I a mere second cousin, yet you didn't think you needed to attend?  Was he not learning the same expected behaviours as I at the knee of our mothers?  His attitude meant I really had to go to support her "boys".  When I walked in they both immediately came over to embrace me and we all had a good, group cry because I still represent the embodiment of their late mother.

Tales from TO, the "centre of the universe"?  The 401 is a nightmare of 12-lane insanity.  I was terrified, in spite of the fact that my son is such a good driver he could turn professional.  Air Canada remains a crappy airline.  "Why do you serve French wine on a national Canadian airline?" I asked the stewardess.  "It's been like that for years," she replied, not answering my question. 

In spite of the fact that my last-minute decision to go to this funeral cost $1,700, I regret not a minute.  Someone had to hold up the side. 

Visited their old house, the scene of many "crimes".  We had many, many wonderful lost weekends in that house.