I would like to thank the more than one hundred people who sent condolences. Home now and will start writing again tomorrow. Mum was 98 so can't say it was unexpected. She lived a good life. She is the model for Rick's Mum. While of course all is widely exaggerated she had a horrific World War II. Dad who was in the Battle of the Bulge always swore her war was worse than his. I even helped a little by managing to be born in the middle of an air raid. Mum couldn't get to the bomb shelter so I was born in the bed upstairs. The Germans blew up the house next across the street and blew in our doors and windows. For some reason she never forgave me for that. I was her little Barstead.