This has been, in a lot of ways, a difficult summer with lots of unpleasant news.

I just found out this afternoon that my Aunt Chickie passed on. She was 90 and had been in not the best of health, but still, it's sad news when you get it (she was my favorite aunt).

My mom called to let me know. I guess she's doing OK (it was her sister).

There's absolutely no way I can get to the funeral, and in fact my parents aren't sure they're going, because it's a long way away, they just got back from a reunion, my dad's back is bothering him (and they've had some car trouble). Where my aunt lived is some 700 miles from my parents, and it's more than twice that for me. (My parents are going to arrange to have flowers sent with all our names on them)

I think my mom feels kind of bad about not going but one thing that my aunt's daughter (the one who had pretty much been her caretaker for the past few years) reminded my mom of - which was a good and helpful thing and I'm glad she said it - that my mom had called my aunt twice a week every week for a number of years, and that was what was important, that was something my aunt really looked forward to, especially when she was in the nursing home, and that my mom's having been there for her while she was alive was far more important than her being at the funeral.

Which is true, of course. (Standard comment: pay attention to the people you love now. Hug them, listen to them, even send them flowers. That's what matters, not so much you sitting in a pew after they're gone or sending a big fancy floral spray to the funeral home.)

I'm sad, but in a way this wasn't unexpected. My aunt had been in the hospital last week with what sounded like complications of the congestive heart failure she's battled for years. I guess in the end her body just wore out and gave up and, though I'm sad, at least she's not in pain any more.

But yeah, I'm about ready to be done with hearing about deaths or illnesses in people I care about for a while.