In mid-December, we make a trip to the cemetery where Shelley's mother is buried. It's a time of respect and contemplation, at least for the adults; the boys scamper around the grounds, finding the squirrels and feeding them whatever snack we bring along for them. For me, their laughter and running about are a sharp contrast to the usual goings on at these places; but it's nice to see their 'signs of life' among the reminders of children not so fortunate...

This year I brought along my camera, thinking I could take a snapshot or two of a headstone or perhaps an angel ala John and Sheila. It wasn't until after we were finished cleaning her marker and getting the Christmas tree 'just right' that I had a chance to look around for artwork. I'd recalled statues of the saints in this area so I took two shots of the closest ones. ...and while the boys ran off in the distance, I followed and found this couple in another area. But it wasn't until I really started looking around that I realized there were no angels. ...and not just angels; there were no headstones at all other than the flat-to-the-ground kind. The place was just empty...

In the car, I asked Shelley about this as it seemed most strange to me; she replied that they were forbidden, to allow the lawn mowers and such to operate (they also 'purge' flowers and such on a regular basis). I mentioned that I thought that was unusual, especially since this is not a new cemetery by any means (I later learned it was established in 1926).

By this time the boys were wondering just what we were talking about; they'd only ever seen this cemetery, and of course, the creepy ones on TV (as they flip the channel). So, as we left, I made a left instead of a right and drove over the freeway and into an older cemetery. ...to see crypts and obelisks and headstones. ...and angels. The boys were out of the car and scurrying about to see which one could find the neatest markers. ...and on a cold December day, even Shelley ended up walking around to check out one or two that were just too interesting to leave to the imagination.

Yeah, we had fun. ...and only covered a small portion of three adjoining cemeteries.

...and there will be more later this year; we still have to check out the sights we could see in the distance.