Lives Lived

I feel like that was the theme of my day today.  It started with an 8 a.m. visit to an outdoor antique show in Milton.  I only had two hours to look around (will share the details in tomorrow's post), but seeing the type of things that are on sale at these shows always makes me wonder about how the people who used to own them lived their lives, and how they'd feel knowing these items were now on display and for sale, about to become a found treasure for someone else, so many years later.

Like these wigs - who wore them and to what events? No doubt they were dressing up for something special.

Who used this typewriter, filled these suitcases, sat in this chair?

Goodies on display in the Tattered and Torn booth

By 10:30 a.m., I was having brunch with my mom and our cousin Kathryn in Cambridge, where we caught up on the family news and discussed genealogy while eating a fabulous brunch at Cora's, a restaurant chain that serves yummy looking concoctions that look like this:

Kathryn's waffle, buried under fruit and whipped cream

We then headed to the church where the memorial service was being held for our cousin Laurene, who passed away last week at the age of 86.  This was the main reason for getting together today, a sad occasion but also pleasant and interesting to see family that we don't see often.  Stories were told, tears were shed, hymns were sung.  It was a nice service and hopefully a comfort for her immediate family.  At the reception afterwards, there were many, many family photos on display, including this one of the dearly departed Laurene as a child, which I love:

Afterwards, my mom and I went to the cemetery to visit my grandparents' and great-grandparents' graves.  Alas, we couldn't find the one for my other great-grandparents - hopefully next time!

As always, we also stopped at the headstone of the Canadian woman, Millicent Milroy, who claimed to have been married to Edward VIII (who more famously married Wallis Simpson) when he was visiting Canada in the 1920's as the Prince of Wales (you can read more of her story here.)

Ah, yes.  Isn't it interesting how the lives we live are full of connections, mysteries and stories that are often left to be told only by the people and things we leave behind.