my aunt Ruth

My brother called this morning to tell me that our aunt Ruth has died. This isn't the aunt I've talked about here, and saw recently. She's fine. Ruth was their older sister, who lived in Rockland County, and has been suffering dementia for several years. She had also sick enough physically that this isn't a surprise.

I called Lea this afternoon to ask how she was doing, and let her know I won't be going to the funeral. She was neither surprised nor unhappy to hear that. It's going to be very small, just a few of the immediate family, and Janet saying a few words at the graveside.

My mother is flying over for the funeral--she's due to land at JFK a little before midnight. This worries me a little, though I'm not sure the advice that elderly people not fly right now applies in the absence of a (COVID-relevant) pre-existing condition, but she knows the situation better than I.

I am fairly sure my mother is taking it hard: she made a point of seeing Ruth at least once every time she visited New York, even though Ruth no longer remembered whether their last conversation had been several months before or the previous day.

I'm not feeling much. In some ways it feels as though I'd said goodbye years ago, and I wasn't close to Ruth the way I am to Lea.