In case you wondered where the #@!!  I’ve been, or if I flaked out of the postaday2011 challenge, I assure you that you haven’t read the last of me. I spent last week at my mother’s bedside instead of my laptop. I can blog anytime, but mom would soon be gone forever.

This week I have the time to blog, but I am writing something else. An Obituary. Mom passed away on Tuesday, so I am already behind on this assignment.  Sunday’s local newspaper will have one  obit.  I am writing a different obit for mom’s hometown newspaper in West Virgina. She has family and many friends back there who deserve to know.

I knew my mom since I was a little kid, so this should be a snap, right? Ha!

I think the closer you are to someone the harder it gets. Perhaps you know too much and the problem is narrowing it all down. And how much is enough? I could not afford to write all I wanted to in California ($7.00 per 25 characters). West Virginia had a flat rate for whatever you wanted to send them, so guess who will read more and see a photo to boot?

The obits are almost identical. A couple of things were left out and some added to the one being published in West Virginia. I needed to filter out stuff that her kin would not approve of her [women] doing  (i.e.,  gambling, fast cars …).  I also added the High School she graduated from.

Don’t forget about the most important part of an obituary: the survivor list. Why  must we be recognized in an obituary?.  Because we are stuck here without our dearly departed  (who are not going to read the newspaper anyway), and we want everyone to know we’re hurting.

I love and miss you mom!