Trip to the Cemetary

I spent a week in Linden with G-Bob last week and we did all the usual things.  We went to eat catfish at David Beard's, had Larry and Sue over for dinner, picked up bags and bags of sweet gum balls from the yard - although I don't know why because these little buggers have littered her yard for as long as I can remember and to my knowledge no one has ever bothered to rake them much less pick them up one by one, as she did, and dump them in the ditch.  :/  The big field trip of the week was to Red Hill and the cemeteries.  Plural. 

For some, cemetary trips are a solemn thing.  For some it's a time of reflection and a moment with a long lost loved one.  For G-Bob, it's serious business and she's got lots of people to tend to.  She feels a strong responsibility to it and the attention she puts into the the task is nothing short of inspiring. 

First, we had to choose a BUCKET FULL of silk flowers - you know, so we had choices once we got there because you just never know what might strike your fancy.  We also took five pairs of snips and/or wire cutters, a handful of floral wire, gardening gloves, five blocks of green Styrofoam and snacks.  She  pulled weeds, changed out flowers, fretted over forgetting what kind of solution she could mix to clean the headstones, and told me stories about everyone we visited.  We took care of Nana and DiDaddy, a few distant cousins, Aunt Elta, Dad, Charles, Grandaddy Bill, Sister, Uncle Harold and his parents, Mammy and PawPaw - and then there was a surprise stop.  There is a WWII Veteran buried at the Linden cemetery one who either doesn't have any living kin or none of his people are around to tend to his grave, so G-Bob does.  She makes sure there is always a little American flag stuck in the ground and that he has some kind of flowers.  Some people might think the cemetery tour with Barbara might be a little weird.  Not weird.  It was amazing and so honorable to see how she took care of them all.  It was a delightful, insightful, lovely way to spend the afternoon with her, Michelle and our people.

P.S. I heard from a few people that they were having a hard time leaving a comment.  I *think* I fixed the settings and it should be OK to leave comments now.