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Let me qualify that I do not choose the ads to the left of this message. It is relevant marketing sifted by the content of my blogs. Presumably the word "grief" and "pass away" brought up the crop of vulture ads currently displaying.

Forgive the term, but I'm more than a little frustrated by the "grief industry." Many of the companies built around laying a loved one to rest are legitimate needs, some are not, and unfortunately it seems the rule that because they pretty much hold everyone hostage, they can charge outrageous prices (to be fair, there is a funeral home in Mt. Vernon called - appropriately if not cleverly - Affordable Funeral Services, who live up to their name. They didn't gouge my Dad like so many others are).

Mom and Dad bought plots at Floral Hills Cemetery, right next to Mom's parents. The purchase did not include funeral services. Another company handles the remains and preparing them for interment - in this case an urn with some expensive plastic sealing capsule ($200).

Nonetheless, Floral Hills wants to charge my Dad just under $600 to dig a 2x2x4 hole. With all the other nickel and diming, it comes to around six thousand dollars to lay Mom to rest. It makes me see red. There is no way to justify the amount they charge. It bothers me as much as the scam where crooks take an expensive order of "something" to a grieving widow or widower and guilt the survivor into paying for goods the deceased never bought. God help anyone dumb enough to pull that on my family.

That fellow who sings "Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die" has got the right idea.