Mike's step-mother died on Friday. His Aunt Joyce, the last of his father's siblings, called to give him the news on Saturday, and to sarcastically express condolences. We will not be going to the funeral at 10:00 today. She was one of our most unfavorite people, one of those sly, devious, underhanded people whose bad vibes put me off from the start. I didn't hate her so much that I would want her condemned to hell, but I didn't trust her at all. All my suspicions were validated after Mike's daddy died. Everything he had promised for Mike's inheritance had been signed over to her in a flimsy, fraudulent, handwritten codocil to his will. Mike sued and got part of it, but the rest had already been distributed among her 3 sons. No records existed to disprove her claim, so Mike was screwed.

At my insistence, Mike persuaded his dad to sign over the Madison property to him a couple of years before he died, otherwise, she would have had that, too. After that event, we were not welcomed in her house, the house his daddy built for her after her first house accidentally burned. Funny how certain sentimental artifacts were saved when everything was supposedly lost. I still think one of her sons torched it for her. She was greedy and grasping, a pitifully insecure woman who resorted to dishonesty and deceitfulness. I hope she is held accountable. There will be no tears shed for her in this part of Rankin County.

Sunday was a peaceful day in our house. I went to church alone, Mike was not in the mood, he said. I found out that David arrived in London last Weds. before all the trouble started Thurs. with the terrorists. He should make it back ok one day this week. Our organist yesterday was drafted at the last minute because the sub he arranged cancelled. Her playing made us appreciate David that much more. Jeanne and I sang a descant in one of the hymns; that's as close to special music as we came. Tom preached a better-than-average sermon on the John 6 passage, coming pretty close to the universalist idea, but not committing to it, just suggesting we think about it.

And I have been giving it a lot of thought. The idea of anyone burning eternally in fire and brimstone has always bothered me. I've got more reading and research to do on the subject, but if and when I reach a conclusion, I'll try to write it out.