Tuesday...services

We are up and moving as we switch into service day. The family visitation (receiving guests) starts before 10 and at 11 there will be a formal service with many speakers. The Rev stopped at the house yesterday for Phil to check over the bulletin. We had a chance to think back over the years and reflect on Bruce's body of work...both in and out of the church. I listened to some current stories of his reaching out to the older folk of the church and getting some renewed vigor going.

The daughters worked on picture boards...one board made up of pictures of Bruce alone and then one with others of the family and friends. I got to thinking that Aleene would be hard pressed to come up with ten pictures of me alone over the years...let alone 50 or so. We've talked about that before.

Jim and Nancy are fine...drove almost 500 miles from Cincinnati yesterday. They have a GPS that guides them everywhere: Susie, they call the female-like voice. She got us to the hotel in the dark at 10 o'clock...perfect. Lynchburg is not the easiest place to find your way...hills, turns, "V" intersections...very subtle, unlike the square corners of the Midwest. Susie guided us through. I think it is time for us to have an Susie.

Bruce's sister was to come in last night by train from NJ...her name is Anne. We saw her at their 50th for the first time since their wedding. Bruce's older brother Jim and his wife were flying in from Oklahoma last night, too. Everyone is being accounted for.

After the 11 o'clock service there will be a lunch at the church. At three we are all meeting at the Leesville UMC for interment which is about 30 miles away. There is a long story connected with that...answering the question of why he is not being burried at a National Cemetary. That was the plan at one time. Leesville is very close to Kyle and Cheri's home...

It is a beautiful, sunny day...no weather issues. We look forward to some good family time together.