Thank You!

Thank You!

So many of you sent wonderful messages of condolence as comments and emails after my February 24th post about my husband’s passing. I also had many Facebook comments, dozens of cards, texts, What’s App messages and phone calls. The support has been welcome and heart-warming.

Thank you! I am so grateful.

Memorial Service

We held the memorial service for Clem on March 7 at the Unitarian Church in Westport.

The service was amazing! There were at least 130 people in attendance, including the First Selectman of Westport.

After opening words, an Igbo friend broke kola for us, with a prayer. The Chamber Choir, of which I’m a member, sang two anthems (I didn’t sing with them). There were two congregational hymns, piano and organ music that Clem loved, and eulogies from family and a friend.

Clem’s sister and niece came from California, younger son from Nigeria, daughter and her husband from Philadelphia, and grandson and his girlfriend from New York.

Our older son went to Lagos airport to board on Thursday night. But he wasn’t allowed to fly! There was a new regulation that no one could board without a doctor’s note saying they did not have the corona virus!

Can you imagine? It was too late for him to get another flight that would have arrived in time. We missed him terribly.

Here’s a link to the program, and another to my comments. Here’s a link to the obituary published locally. I’ll have a few pictures next time.

Clem’s sister and her daughter flew back to California yesterday afternoon. They left 5 minutes after my daughter who took an Uber to the Stamford station for her train back to Philadelphia.

In Honor of International Women’s Day

I’ve been saving this story since December! Now seems like a good time to share it since we celebrated International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8.

We celebrated International Women’s Day at our Unitarian Church with the presentation of a shawl. It was knit several years ago to honor a woman in the congregation who was a strong supporter of women’s rights.

Women in the congregation blessed the shawl the week before. On March 8th women from the Shawl Ministry brought the shawl forward on a large frame. They invited men in the congregation to come forward to weave in a ribbon to signify their support of women. Most men did!

The story here is about men in Nigeria learning to change diapers!

https://nigeriahealthwatch.com/the-men-who-change-diapers-mens-antenatal-classes-encourage-better-maternal-health-in-lagos/#.Xgz_EUdKg5s

How to Be an Antiracist

A group called SURJ (I don’t know what the acronym is) organized a book discussion at the church this evening.

The book was Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist.

After introductions we talked about each chapter for a few minutes, but gradually got into major themes. We only covered the first four chapters tonight. Further discussion is coming in April.

Nine of us from the church joined Kirk from SURJ.

I’ll tell you more next time!