Thursday, January 26, 2023
In bed around 10, up around 4, thinking again of Tom and his eulogy, thankful to have slept this long, no toddy probably helped. 28 degrees out, like yesterday drizzle and flurries, snow predicted around 5 then a cloudy day with a high of 30, winds between 6 & 11 mph, gusts up to 16. a gloomy day all around as life moves on.
Our Town. An 11-year-old boy was shot on the city's north side Wednesday night, Milwaukee police said. He is expected to survive. Police said the incident happened at roughly 6:15 p.m. on the 5600 block of North 65th Street. The boy was transported to a hospital. Police do not have anyone in custody.
Cost of Seeing a Bucks Game is, on average, $129.37. That covers the ticket, 2 beers, 1 hot dog, and parking. If you go with your spouse, that adds up to about $250. To watch the Knicks play at Madison Square Garden? $261.63 for one person. To watch the Packers at Lambeau this season? Average ticket price was $274.38. That doesn't include the beers, the hot dog, or parking. Home game for the Brewers? You should plan on spending $50 for the game ticket, $15 for parking, $18 for food and if you enjoy beer, around $28. This brings the total cost of game attendance to around $111. Those are all average costs, encompassing wide variations.
Tom's Funeral was worthy of him. Rabbi Cohen presided and did a lovely job, especially with his eulogic comments about Tom. The cantor made a point of assisting me climbing and descending the short stair to the bimah, which was very thoughtful. Saul started the comments with loving and tearful comments about his father and some about the circumstances of his death, that it was not a drowning, and not accompanied by a lot of suffering. I spoke next. Then, Jack, Micaela's brother made very touching comments about Tom and then Madeleine delivered her eulogy which was also very tailored, and thoughtful. She was followed by Rabbi Cohen. As well as the funeral service went, apparently the burial service was not well orchestrated, inadequately prepared for, making the process much longer than anticipated in very cold weather. I was comfortably at home (despite some nasty CPP and exhaustion) so I heard about it when the mourners returned to Congregation Sinai, cold and tired, for the meal of consolation. Andy and I arrived at the meal of consolation separately but at the exact same time and came in together where we were met by Karen Berk, the synagogue's director of administration, and Alan Mendelhoff, the synagogue's president, and then by Miriam Horowitz. We sat with Donald and Judy Shane, Geri joined us when she returned from the cemetery. I spent time talking with the Shanes, with Natalie, with Joanne Watt, whose husband Dave owned the Park Avenue disco and nightclub on Water Street at Clybourn, next to Bob Romano's hair salon, and who died young in a freeway collision. Also chatted with my classmate Tom Brown and was delighted when Ellen Friebert came up to say hello, Bob's older daughter, behind Jon and before Leslie 'the Last' as Bob referred to her. After the consolation meal, I went home and rested a bit while Geri went on her errands of getting two big coffee containers, cups, etc., from Stone Ground in Shorewood. She was stressed because everything was off schedule, running late, and she had her obligations, including picking up Marge at the Pfister. I offered to get Marge at 6, which I did, and enjoyed chatting with her while driving along the lake to Caela's. At shiva, there seemed to be at least 100 people present, literally a full house. Several people commented on my eulogy, including nice comments from Jake. I tucked myself into a corner in the kitchen and schmoozed quite a while with Liz and Larry, and later with Julie Darnieder, and then with Mark Darnieder during Kaddish. I left for home a little after 8 when shiva was supposed to be done and the house was still full. I left at the same time as Rabbi Cohen and asked if I could walk next to I'm while navigating Caela's walkway, a difficult trip for me. The rabbi said they he is another one prone to falling but his wife offered to accompany me. I joked that I had just met her, and here I was with my arm around the rebbitzen. Geri got home a bit before 10 after driving Marge back to the Pfister. When she left Caela's around 9, the gathering was still going strong with younger people, friends of Tom's kids. Geri and I were up until near midnight, unwinding from the day, the week.
A friend in need is a friend indeed: Geri Geri doesn't like it when I call her an angel of mercy, but I was struck once again as I have so often been by her going to provide help to a friend in need. She did so in spades with Caela this whole week, preparing for the upcoming funeral, preparing for sitting shiva tonight, providing rides for Caela's longtime friend Marge to and from the Pfister to Caela's house and to Sinai. She is also such a friend to another old friend dealing with advanced Parkinson. She was such a friend for my lonely old father, to her dear friend Kate when her husband died and so often. She puts herself out when she knows someone could really use some help; she becomes the helper. Really admirable. Not a wonder woman, but a wonderful woman. Mt. 25: 31-46.
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