March 6, 2004
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So I was hanging out in this cemetery in Missouri and I decided to share some things I found. Bellefontaine is the name, and it’s 310 acres, has over 87,000 people buried there and for the low price of $2.000. you and 7 of your friends can be buried there too. The thing that I noticed first is that no one does monuments like these, not anymore. Nobody could afford it
. There are hundreds of obelisks of all sizes, angels, Celtic crosses, and dozens of vaults. Then there was Drew……made in 1916, so I know its not really modeled after Drew Barrymore. Maybe she had a great aunt.
Either way it was pretty strange to see her face and hands on a reclining lady in memory to an apparently perfect wife. I told my sister he probably treated her like crap in life and felt so guilty he put up this monument to make up for it. Maybe I’m just a cynic and she really was the angel her husband thought and he truly appreciated her. Who knows now? One more picture to show how weird life and death can be. All of these were taken on Feb. 23 rd, now look at the date of this one. Barring suicide how would you know the day your going to die. And would he be 18 or 72?
In case you can’t read it it says Lawrence B. Gardner
Feb. 29. 1932
Feb. 29. 2004
It makes me want to go back and see if there’s anyone there now. That might be a little morbid so I will live with the mystery.
Chicago here we come!
Next week AllieMcNally and I will be flying to Chicago for a couple of days. The choice now is what do we do with just a day and a half of tourist possibilities in a city that needs weeks or months to see right. Since it’s still winter I’m leaning toward something indoors like the Adler planeterium or the art museum. Then on Friday night a club. Who lives in Chicago? Any suggestions?
I know Spring is coming the Daffodils are blooming and the Girl Scout cookies have been delivered. Speaking of Girl Scouts, when Allie was little I was her Girl Scout leader. There were 18 girls in her troop and I took them to Murfreesboro to dig for diamonds. (in case you didn’t know AR. has the only diamonds in America.) So we spent two days camping and it rained for two days so we dug our diamonds in the mud. Or rather 18 girls played in the mud. Even now, over 10 years later, I will see one of the girls from my old troop and they say it was the best time they ever had. We didn’t find any diamonds but we did make memories that last.
Have a great Saturday!
Comments (8)
well, i go to chicago enough to practically live there.. still i have no suggestions. oh wait! i do. if you go to the mueseum (chicago institute of art) they have free admission on tuesdays (though i don’t know what days you will be in town). but they have this rembrandt exhibit which is absolutely amazing. there is an extra charge for it ($12) on the free days, but if you go on a normal day you pay for that and it also buys you admission to the muesuem. i saw it, it was great.
That is bizarre about the date on the tombstone in the future! Maybe it was a mistake? Cemetary’s are creepy, but interesting none the less. Near my childhood home there was this family cemetary that was hidden in the back of the Mosley estate. It dated pre-civil war. I used to go and look at the tombstones, so many died so young and I always wondered what happened to them.
mom, did you mean February 23? cause it’s only march 7th. I am confused now. Anyway. I love you and will go to sleep now. *hug
This was very interesting. If it hasn’t ALREADY been done (I may have to Google), I think a book about cemetaries in general would be great subject material for a whole book on the matter.
Diamond digging sounds like it would be quite memorable!
I love going to cemeteries and seeing all the old monuments. They’re so beautiful. There is a really great city cemetery in Austin that I visited. Some great mausoleums (sp?), and a ton of history.
You will be able to write a book titled : ” The adventures of 2 girls scouts in Chicago “.
About the cemeteries I always have a mixed feeling . I am born the 12th march 1933 !!!
In friendship Michel
Great cemetary pics. I love visiting them, walk around and read the tombstones etc.
Very interesting monuments…I went to one of the city’s biggest graveyards, hoping to get some photos like these, but none were to be found.
Good luck with the packing.