The wake today, wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. There were some hard parts, to be sure (especially at the beginning), but mostly, it was just like any other family get-together. I have always felt that my family is "fairly functional", and so we're able to not only deal with the everyday hardships, but also the out-of-the-ordinary, special-case hardships as well. I think that today and tomorrow are going to lend more credence to my theory.
One thing that surprised me is how many people read the obituaries. A number of people showed up today who read about Beth's passing in the paper, and were compelled to come and show their support. I was pretty amazed by some of the people who came -- some who my family hasn't seen or talked to in many, many years.
Fermi Lab also represented, showing dad some good support.
So, all-in-all, I think that today went pretty well. It was long, to be sure, but good.
-Andy.