At my funeral I would like the song "For A Short Time" by Weddings Parties Anything to be played. I know, you're saying WHO? And aside from the lovely Kathryn in Australia (where WPA hailed from) and perhaps Kyle, Kevin in Arizona and a few others who I gave some WPA tunes, most of you have never heard of the song or the band. Anyway, if I kick the bucket, please tell the wife to have it played. Frankly, she's sick of my obsession with the band.

As to what song reminds me of my mother, well, last year at her funeral service I played a tape of mom singing one of her own. It was called "My Thing" and it brought a few tears to the group, most of whom had had the privilege of hearing mom sing it in her living room. For those of you who have too much time on your hands or those who want to get a sense of what my mom was all about, here are the lyrics:

Note: there is even a sexual innuendosin there, I mean mom was a WAC during WWII!

My Thing

I’m gonna do my thing and let the heaven’s ring,

I’m gonna do my thing if it kills me.

I may be forty-five but I’m still alive and I need to do the things that thrill me.

When my kids were small they were my life, my all, correction my man goes in there too.

But now kids have grown and I’ll miss them when they’ve flown, but kids remember, your ma’s a person too.

For those who love it, let them have their housework, to me it’s always been an endless chore, and to those for whom bridge and clubs will raise a shout, I say “bully girls but count me out”, I’d rather give myself to being a …..war correspondent.

Just give me my beat-up, old upright piano, and lots of time, I’d have a ball by heck.

My bag would be writing musical ditties, some sad, some hopefully witty, and my live-in-maid would be Erma Bombeck.

I’m gonna do my thing and let the heavens ring, I’m gonna do my thing if it kills me.

I may be forty-five but I’m still alive and I need to do the things that thrill me.

By Mary E. Thompson 1969