That trip to CitiField to see the Mets play the Nationals two weekends back was exactly what our family needed on the night before the services for my sweet middle sister Frannie.
My dear wife Karen and I had planned for more than a month to drive down from Syracuse with terrific daughter Elisabeth and her fantastic significant George Three on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend to meet at the baseball stadium with the Long Island half of the family.
And then we decided to continue that part of the reunion even though our sister passed away the Wednesday before the trip. Her husband Jack wished the eight of us well but decided he couldn’t bring himself to attend the night, saying he’d see us all the next day.
Yes, we celebrated Frannie at the Mets’ house.
Karen, Elisabeth and George with the outside Apple.
Elisabeth visits the Mets’ stadium for the first time.
My dear wife Karen and I wait for the gates to open.
George and Elisabeth enjoy the atmosphere.
You can tell by the looks on our faces that the five hours in the car didn’t take away any of our enthusiasm for this encounter.
The Long Island contingent didn’t have that long to travel, so we entered the stadium before they arrived.
Our sentiments exactly, my dear wife.
We settled into our seats high up in the promenade section, in left field. Then we all left again to buy food and drinks.
Before game time, Long Island came to Flushing.
Erin and James, younger Mets fans.
My baby sister Dory, happy that we’re all together.
The Mets won the game, too. And afterward, they shot off fireworks, from down on the field and up top on the rim of the stadium.
In the coming days, I’ll post cool stadium shots, field shots, and fireworks shots.
Where is the neatest place you’ve met a large group of family members? Why did you pick that place? Which is your favorite photo, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
This evening — family all together — was exactly right, because it was right for all of you. That’s what we all need at times like these.
Glad you won the game, too.
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Thanks for the sentiment, always, and the wishes, this game, my dear friend Elyse.
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i’m so glad that you were all able to get together for this event. my favorite part was seeing more of the people who are important in your life. we had a family reunion planned for the weekend after my mom died and we all went and it was nice to be together, even though some people didn’t really understand why we choose to do that.
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I understand, Beth. So totally, my dear friend.
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Aww, I’m so sorry about you losing your sister. 😦 That makes my heart sad for you, Mark. ❤ *BIG HUGS*
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I’ll take the hugs, Rachel. Thank you so much, my dear friend. ❤
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❤
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That’s really neat that you combined a Mets game with giving respect to our sister. Pretty hard to plan that. There are those who would tsk tsk that : saying that it was improper to do anything but mourn or grieve. I’ve come across this before Mark and my perspective is that I do what I think the deceased would like me to do – what memories would Franny want associated with her celebration of life- happy or sad? Different cultures and religions believe very different things. Around here the Irish party and drink hard and tell randy jokes, the baptists gather and eat more food than can be believed while they quietly talk, the Jews gather to offer comfort, the Anglicans grieve, etc. Personally I think all lives lived shoiud be celebrated. I was thrown out of my Grandmother’s funeral by my Mother when I cracked up laughing (in the kitchen area of the Funeral Home – not a grieving area ) at my Uncle’s jokes. Serious mistake for an Anglican. Ha! My defense was that it was Mum’s brother telling the jokes and I was just following family desires.Ha! He was much funnier than normal – on a roll.
Anyway, taking in a Mets game to celebrate your sister’s life is way cool Mark. I bet you are one of a very, very few who have ever done that.Our family seldom gathered except for funerals and once for Nan’s 8oth birthday. There were about 120 relatives there – families were much bigger back then – and the photographer had lined everyone up on a stage when the stage collapsed and everyone, including Nan, fell over backwards. No one was hurt and Nan thought it was hilarious. One of the bystanders was also taking pictures and got an excellent one (his camera was pointed directly at the stage when it happened and he was quick enough to snap)of the stage collapsing and Nan’s legs pointing straight up in the air as she went over. That became the photo of the family gathering . The paid photographer took family pictures after but everyone wanted a copy of the funny one.
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You have the right perspective of grieving, Paul. It’s in the minds of those left to handle it! And you have the perspective of that 80th birthday for Nan, too. She loved the moment of unplanned hilarity – nobody was injured in the taking of this stage collapse photo – and so too did the whole crew.
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Glad to know Mark you did make it to the game! Gatorette
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Yup, Cheryl, we sure did, and it helped us all. ❤
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