KICKED CANCER'S ASS FROM MAY 2007 - JULY 2008

Monday, June 29, 2009

Marker Unveiling - The Cemetery

Good afternoon all,

Just a quick reminder that the unveiling of Mom's marker is on Sunday at 11:30 am. When you get to the cemetery (see below), you will enter in the gate off of Montrose Avenue. Then, make a right at the first intersection. On the right is the Carnation Section (YFC knows what you're thinking -- it should have been an Orchid or at least a Lily). Look for the number 22 painted in yellow at the side of curb.

Marker Unveiling:

Date: July 5, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Westlawn Cemetery
7801 W Montrose Ave
Norridge, IL 60706

Click me if you need directions to Westlawn

Post-Marker Unveiling:
Date: July 5, 2009
Time: Immediately after we leave the cemetery
Location: Berba's house
4460 West Hutchinson
Chicago, IL 60641

Click me for directions from Westlawn to Berba's house

See you this Sunday...

Faithfully,
Corey

Monday, June 22, 2009

Marker Unveiling -- Further Details

Greetings to the FoMmie Nation,

When we last met, Your Faithful Correspondent promised that he'd provide you with additional details as they come to light. Well, it's light out now baby, so here's the skinny...as you already know, the marker unveiling will be Sunday, July 5th at Westlawn Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. After the marker unveiling, we'll be heading to B to the Erba's crib (that's be Aunt Roberta's house) for a little nosh to celebrate Mom's life (and really, what says "you lived a remarkable life on earth" better than a deli tray anyway?).

For those of you who have never been to a maker unveiling before, here's the 4-1-1: the immediate family should be at the site of the grave before the others arrive (of course, in our family 15 minutes late seems about the norm). Family and friends gather around the grave. The cantor will begin with the recitations from the book of psalms (Tillem) and then she follows with the eulogy. After this she will recite further psalms and ends with the Kaddish prayer. The veil covering the marker is removed immediately before recitation of the Kaddish.

Some of you neophytes may notice people leaving stones on the marker and will wonder what's going on. According to Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz (who sounds like such a nice boychik, no?):
The leaving of a pebble is in a way the erection of a small, new monument-a tomb-stone to honour the memory of the dead. Indeed, the custom may have evolved from an ancient method of marking graves. So in one sense, it is simply a way of saying: here lie the remains of a person worth remembering. And the pebble also lets others know that someone did come and remember. Symbolically, it suggests the continuing presence of love and memory which are as strong and enduring as a rock. And we know that one name for God is "The Rock of Israel." So the rock is a reminder of the presence of the Rock, Whose love truly is stronger than death.
So now you know.

Clip and save:

Marker Unveiling:
Date: July 5, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Westlawn Cemetery
7801 W Montrose Ave
Norridge, IL 60706

Click me if you need directions to Westlawn

Post-Marker Unveiling:
Date: July 5, 2009
Time: Immediately after we leave the cememtery
Location: Berba's house
4460 West Hutchinson
Chicago, IL 60641

Click me for directions from Westlawn to Berba's house

YFC and 2 will see you soon.

Faithfully,
Corey

Friday, June 5, 2009

Marker Unveiling

Greetings FoMmies,

Several of you have called Michelle and/or me to ask about the unveiling of Mom's marker. Without further ado, here are the details:

Date: July 5, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Westlawn Cemetery
7801 W Montrose Ave
Norridge, IL 60706

I'll provide you with additional details as they come to light.

My love to all,
Corey

Friday, February 6, 2009

A Big Revelation

My Dearest FoMmies,

Enticing title, no? Well fret not, for all shall be revealed in due time. First, we must address an important issue. It has been far too long and Your Faithful Correspondent is willing to shoulder the blame. Should YFC lose the coveted "F" in his name, thus becoming Your Correspondent? Ouch, that would hurt quite a bit. YFC/YC is not one to make excuses, but perhaps an explanation is in order...

You see, it's not that he hasn't been thinking about you (for you are always at the forefront of his thoughts), it's that he's been thinking a lot about Mom. And thinking about Mom can make him a bit emotional, so the urge to write wanes a bit. Actually that's not quite correct, it's just that the task of writing can appear a bit overwhelming when confronting these emotions. So that's it, the mea culpa, the story behind the story, the ugly truth, the whole enchillada -- YFC/YC throws himself at your mercy.

(Just an aside, but you can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, but if everything is about what you expected, can you just be "whelmed"? YFC/YC thinks you should look into it and get back to him.)

Speaking of getting back to YFC/YC ...well, this is a doozy but here goes -- YFC/YC needs your help. Now you cheeky little monkeys are probably thinking that YFC/YC has needed help for quite sometime. Oh you are so very droll my dear simians, but can you stop acting like Jokey Jokerson and concentrate please? This is a serious matter, one of the highest order! That's right, we're in a Double Dog Dare Pinky Swear kind of situation. Never heard of it? Well, it was made up for just this occasion, that's how serious a matter it is.

Oh, for a change you've managed to make YFC/YC lose his focus. Now where were we? Right, help. Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and you shall accept it, oh yes, you shall) is to write a story. Of course there's a catch. It can't just be any old story, it has to be a story about Mom -- ideally about how she touched you in some way, big or small.

Now, as the ubiquitous they likes to say, the shoe is on the other foot. Or perhaps we should say the pen is in the other hand. Pardon? What's that, you say? You can see where the prospect of writing can be a bit overwhelming after all? Well isn't that just rich. When you callously dropped a letter from a certain someone's nom de plume, it all seemed like and games, didn't it? Save your blubbering, you'll get no sympathy here, not after the stunt you pulled. And anyhow, there's more to this tale than you realize, so blot your bleary eyes and then we'll continue.

But first, lunch.

And, we're back. Life seems so much nicer on a full stomach, no? Of course it does. Had a lovely spinach salad topped with poached salmon in case you wondered. Now back to bizness...

All rightie campers YFC/YC is going to put this out there for one and all: The Faithful One is going to write a book. If mere blogging can be intimidating, imagine what the prospect of writing a book must be like (just between us, a shipment of Depends should be arriving from Amazon later this afternoon). As you may have guessed, the subject of YFC/YC's master work is none other than Mom herself. Naturally, your stories will be an integral part of the project. Not that you'll have your name on the dustcover, nor even in the dedication. But there's a very good chance that the letters in your name will appear within the book. So, for example, when you read the word "chemotherapy", you'll know that the second "e" is a special tribute to Y-O-U.

That's assuming that you have an "e" in your name, of course. And if not, well, it's still a tribute, just not a very good one.

Moving on...

Melvin the Wonder Sis is doing well. She's still flying the friendly skies, though she let's on that things aren't quite as friendly as they once were. Rumor has it that she's planning a trip to Reno in the very near future.

The Favorite Child is also quite well, thanks for asking. He's still doing the law talking guy routine with grace and panache. No surprise there really. In fact, if Audrey Hepburn could be reincarnated into masculine form *blamo* she'd be YFC/YC.

Now what are you waiting for? Start writing!

Be good kiddies (it really has been too long).

Faithfully,
Corey

P.S.
A belated happy Year of the Ox to one and all.