The movers are coming today.

I’m not leaving yet, but most of my belongings are. The movers are due here shortly, and once they’re gone with a few pieces of furniture and a sh**load of boxes, I’ll have another nine days to finish sending things off to be donated, clearing out the excess, and packing my last-minute things to go with me in the car.

And accompanying me on the road trip will be my sister Merna.

Yes, I know she died nearly nine years ago. But, as she had directed, she was cremated, and left it up to me to choose the final destination of her ashes. But I don’t think I’ve ever written about what I ultimately decided.

Merna was an avid Washington Redskins fan and for many years a season-ticket holder, and had once thought it would be fun to spend eternity at RFK Stadium. But after the team moved from their original site in D.C. to a new arena in suburban Maryland, she changed her mind; the sentimental attachment was no longer there.

So I thought about connections to other places she loved. As she was a Civil War history buff, I checked into historic sites around D.C., but nothing really jumped out at me as the perfect spot.

Then I thought of Cape Cod, where we often vacationed together. They have strict environmental regulations, but there are boats that take you the legal distance away from shore for a burial or scattering ceremony at sea. That sounded lovely; but it meant that none of her friends would have been able to attend. So I scrubbed that idea as well.

And then it hit me. We had taken a few cruises together over the years — the eastern Canadian coast, Alaska, and a fantastic Baltic excursion — and were planning another one when she became ill and never recovered. So, since I also want to be cremated when the time comes, I decided that I would keep her with me (in her beautiful Himalayan pink salt urn) until our remains could be combined and scattered in the Potomac River, whence they would drift out to sea for one final cruise together.

You can stop laughing now . . . I’m serious. It’s just whacky enough that Merna would have loved it.

So she will be making the drive with me back to Virginia, where my daughter eventually (not too soon, I hope) will be able to wish us both bon voyage, along with those of our old friends and relatives who may still be around.

*. *. *

So there you have it: just one of the many details of this move from hell that I’ve been agonizing over for the past several weeks.

And now, to get ready for the arrival of the movers. Wish me luck.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
6/27/26