Mother, I just killed a man

My mother is in town. For a funeral. And she wants attention. Loads of it. I'm supposed to be flying north to see her next week, having taken leave, and had organised months ago. I was kinda hoping that I'd do the attention thing then.

Funerals are not the best events. They make cheerful people reflective. They make my mother, downright depressed. My sister has moved back home with a bunch of half-grown children, and has found that our mother's grandmothering is very much like her mothering. With less energy.

She's not happy about this. It's not going to be the easiest trip home.