Nothing like a good funeral,

to get me to enjoy life, and Jack Reilly's was quite the event. Had never been to an Irish Catholic funeral/mass, and was quite impressed. Lots of good music, esp by the Irish tenor, and even heard Jack's recordings of his favorite Irish songs, sung by himself,before things started. I knew that the kids had a bit of a problem with 'the ol' man', and had heard many of the stories, but was still surprised when Patty, John and Ricks' older sister, explained that there was 'another Jack Reilly' that most people didn't know. It seems he was a mean drunk, and drank quite a bit, in his younger years. I had heard about the poem he wrote and sent to all his kids, entitled, "Not a Tear Will Be Shed, On the Day That I'm Dead." Seems he tried real hard to turn his life around, at age 60, and, bless his heart, seems like he did pretty good. All in all, an unusual, but interesting guy. I need a good funeral every once in a while, and this one was. Later that afternoon, I attended my first wake, an Irish tradition. After the stress of the funeral, everyone gets together for a drink, or two, and toasts the memory of the departed. An excellent tradition, I think, and hopefully, when the day comes, there will be a wake for me.