Right up there with Perle

(I wrote this January 18, 2016, on Amtrak train 194, heading north to New Haven).

I just ate a fantastic lunch; more on that in a minute.

Yesterday was Don’s memorial service/celebration of life. I became incredibly nervous as we drove to the hall, but once there and chatting with folks -- some old friends, some new friends -- I relaxed. I was one of perhaps 8-9 people to speak and I managed to get through my remarks without losing it. There were perhaps a hundred people there and it was clear that Don was much loved and that he had touched -- no, influenced – many of our lives. He will be terribly missed.

Perle Mesta, the "hostess with the mostest" on a 1949 Time magazine cover

My brother and I traveled together and stayed at Mike and Becky Dale’s house -- Don’s nephew and niece. It could not have been a more pleasant stay. Becky made lasagna Saturday night, with salad and, more importantly, her legendary yeast rolls. Don had talked about them many times and I had flat-out asked her to make them. (Just ask Ted Cruz how pushy we New Yorkers can be). They did NOT disappoint; I think I ate four.

Sunday morning we had a wonderful breakfast spread with granola, fresh fruit, bacon and eggs and all the trimmings and then just a few hours later Becky put out lunch for twelve: homemade Brunswick Stew with country ham on either biscuits or more yeast rolls. It was wonderful.

This morning there was another breakfast spread and then here on the train I opened the bag Becky had given me to find more ham biscuits, fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts and her marvelous molasses cookies. From a couple hundred miles away she was still taking care of us.

I said in my remarks at the service that in the last years of his life, family had become the most important thing to Don. Having just visited the best hostess I’ve ever met, I certainly understand that. Thank you Becky and Mike for making a very hard trip very enjoyable as well.