I just got back from the funeral. It was a nice service. The people we expected to be there were there. It was nice to see family I hadn’t seen in some time.

But it’s nice to be home. There are only so many ways you can answer the question “How are you doing?” with a genuine mix of sorrow and positivity before it sounds like a badly scripted Aaron Spelling show (oh who am I kidding? They were all badly scripted).

First you have to have the mix more on the sorrowful side: “I’m hanging in there. But it’s not easy.” “I’m just okay right now.”

Then you can mix in a bit more positivity: “I’m doing okay.” “I’m doing better, but it’s still hard. She’ll be missed.”

Then toward the end you can just wing it: “I know she’s up in Heaven with Grandpa. Probably playing Canasta. Or spying on you at night.” “I’m doing good. How’s that hairpiece sticking to your head, anyway?”