Mamaw and the cat, front porch next door

October 3rd,2015

The weather has changed to just a bit chilly.  The leaves are falling, and it's been raining.  My husband, the Grizzly Bear is in charge of the local cemetery and we had a funeral last night.
Local people, so Mamaw decided she wanted to come with us to sign the book and visit some. Closed casket, so not so much lingering up front.  
Mamaw is getting so frail and I'm closer to her height, so she likes to hold my arm when we go places.  I don't think she weighs a hundred pounds now.  Have I mentioned that when we go out, she dresses so nice and everything matches?  New leather boots, lots of rings and she still keeps her hair died auburn.  
We sat together towards the back of the chapel, while people she knew came by and would sit for a minute and talk.  In between people stopping to visit with her, still clutching my hand she starts telling me stuff again.  I lean in, and this time it was about her funeral and some insurance policies.  She also tells me that she doesn't think she will be here this time next year.  When she tells her sons things like this, they either try to reassure her,  or get angry because they think she wants attention.  These are the things she tells me, that I'm not sure how to feel about, so I just nod and smile, pet her hand.    
Driving home after dark, in the rain, I'm sitting in the back seat.  Mamaw and GB up front, talking about who was related to who, and  who's family had crazy genes, and who's didn't, and what 3rd cousin was that that married a johnson, and and on and on...  It's like the biblical stuff of the begats.  I love it.  it is so entertaining, the way they go back and forth.  I just sit there, and listen.  I'll never remember any of the names, just those two talking back and forth after a funeral, heading for home.