On 11/23/2017 12:09 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Thu 23 Nov 2017 08:06:38a, jmcquown told us...
>
>> On 11/22/2017 5:39 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>> I had to fly out to BC last weekend to attend a celebration of
>>> life for my oldest and bested friend who had died suddenly.ÂÂ* He
>>> had a large extended family. He had one daughter, two stepsons
>>> and two stepdaughters, and a bunch more extended family that
>>> included the kids' half brothers and half sisters, and more who
>>> adored the guy. Some of the kids own a "Organic Farm Community
>>> and Wellness Centre Organic Farm" on Saltspring Island where the
>>> hosted the event.
>>>
>>> There were no church lady sandwiches. In fact, I don't remember
>>> any bread at all. There was a platted piled high with slices of
>>> salami and a couple types of cheese, a platter of the most
>>> delicious onion tarts you could imagine, a platter of the 4 or 5
>>> huge fillets of smoked salmon, a couple platters of assorted
>>> cheeses.... Brie, Camenbert, creamy Brie, Blue cheeses and many
>>> more.ÂÂ* Then there huge selection of fresh fruits. They had an
>>> assortment of nice wines, Champagne and some craft beers.
>>>
>>> My friend had been a musician and some of his friends and former
>>> band mates provided the music.
>>>
>> I'm sorry for the reason, it's no fun to lose a friend. I'm glad
>> it wasn't the church-lady sandwiches and casseroles in a church
>> basement. I've never actually attended a dead spread, just heard
>> about them here.
>>
>> Jill
>>
>
> Barb Schaller used to write about them on occasion. I've only been
> to one and it was truly wonderful food.
>
Yep, Barb sort of coined the phrase on RFC.

The first funeral I attended was for a girl I went to high school with.
She had just graduated a few months before. She was killed in a car
crash on her way home from work. It was too depressing to consider
going back to her family's house for a gnosh. The only funerals I've
been to since then were my parents'. After Dad's funeral Mom was in no
shape to deal with visitors. When I was making the arrangements she
said NO to the idea of a dead spread.

Jill