The call from Chapman Place came at around 1:30 in the morning on Saturday the 14th: Mom has passed away. It was something of a surprise, as much as these things can be anyway, since although she's been on hospice for about a year, there hadn't been any signs that the end was imminent.  I broke the news to Beth in the morning and texted Laura to call me, which she did around 6:30. In the afternoon I headed to FW, first to the funeral home where Mom is being cremated, got all the necessary papers signed there, and then to Chapman Place where I got her all moved out. There wasn't much there anymore, so I was able to get everything into the truck in a single load. I was all done clearing the apartment by dinnertime. Laura wants the cedar sweater cabinet, otherwise most everything will be disposed of or sold. All of her clothes will go right to Goodwill. The nurse told me she had some laundry in process and I told them they could keep it or donate it. I did find a glass jar that had about 8 of her Zuni fetishes in it; I had thought those were all lost. I'll keep those. Her dresser needs some repair work and we may keep that it we can find a good purpose for it. The cremains and the death certificate should be ready by the end of next week. We'll have a memorial service for her in January sometime after the holidays; Laura and I will talk about it some more when they come by after Christmas. We also will wait for the death certificate before telling the financial institutions, I think. At least this time there are no cars, or campers, or credit cards, or leases to deal with.....Beth is sick again since early this week, this time with influenza, so I was sleeping on the couch when the call about Mom came. It's been bad for her. Coughs, chills, body aches, fever, fatigue, the whole bit. The kids all had flu shots, I didn't. I haven't had one since my Navy days. But after the doctor said it was influenza on Thursday I went and got one. It takes a bit to be effective, but I hope it helps. I was at the doctor myself on Tuesday, for an inflamed prostate. That again. The check absolutely sucks. So I'm already on a course of antibiotics for that myself, but it won't help vs the flu.....