Trip to Illinois and losing a job
Well, over the weekend I went on a trip to the small town of Marion, Illinois to bury my grandmother. I went with my father and mother, my mother's sister and her husband. I despise flying so naturally the flight, plus spending any extended amount of time with my mother, made Friday miserable. Thank God for my Ipod, though it has horrid battery life these days. I was motion sick all day, and on top of that we couldn't even fly directly to Marion, we had to fly to St. Louis and rent a car and drive two hours to get there. That night we went to some country bumpkin restaurant and ate family style, with cousins and cousins and more cousins, along with great aunts and uncles. Most of these people I hadn't seen in over ten years, so it was actually nice to get to know them. Especially my second cousins, Tammy and Trisha, who all have kids of their own now but they are not too much older than me, in their early thirties. They are really nice people.
The hotel was awesome, it had a heated pool and a gym and free soda/popcorn 24/7. =) But it was cold. My motto I've decided is 'born in florida, die in california.' I hate the north. can't stand it. no offense to you snow birds up there, its just not my thing. I'm a beach girl.
We journeyed to the town my Grandmother was born in in 1911, which is still standing. My grandmother's great grandparents, the Storme family, as well as their in-laws, The Reeves family, moved to the area from Kentucky and founded the town before the Civil War. It's called Cambira. My grandmother's grandfather was in the civil war and lived down the block from her. The church where she was babtised is no longer there but a church is standing there on the same site. My grandmother's parents are on a stone as descendants of the founders. My family's name is also on the stone.
The trip was all very educational. I saw the site where the very first cabin was built in Cambria. We have a photo of my grandmother's great grandparents on the porch of the cabin. My great grandparents were married on the porch of that cabin. We went to the Storme family graveyard, where my great grandparents are buried. In that same graveyard the leader of the KKK is buried. There are bullet holes in the mosoleum where the body is. People even today come by and shoot at it.
I had not been to Marion since I was 3, and I didn't remember the trip, so this was all very interesting for me. I saw for the first time in my recollection my late grandfather's grave, who died about two weeks after my mom got pregnant with me. I have always sort of idolized him because I grew up on stories about him. He was quite a character. It was almost as upsetting for me to see his grave there, though I was there to bury his wife. Also saw the spot my parents will be buried. It will be right next to them. You know it costs over $1000 these days to bury ashes? My dad wants me to put him in his "Lone Ranger" lunch box and bury him in the backyard with mom in a tin can. But I won't do that. I keep telling them I'll put them in whatever they want to be in, but they are going to be put in the ground, and not in my backyard. That would really weird me out. You know my late grandfather chose that plot, and not the Storme plot, not only because he wanted to be buried next to his mom and dad (his family name is Bridenstein), but there used to be a drive in movie theater across the way, and he wanted to watch movies there. =)
We saw the house where my grandmother's aunt lived and they had Storme and Reeves family reunions every year for many many years, up until my cousin Misty was a teenager. Now somebody else owns the house, but my cousin's children said they wanted to buy the house. Perhaps when we're all older and settled we might buy it as a family property. I think that would be nice.
After the service we went to the church my grandmother was married in to have lunch. My second cousins and my first cousin once removed also got married there. I think if I ever get married, which I won't most likely, I will be married there too. In the spring time though. Not going back when its cold X_X
My grandmother's favorite brother (she had 5 brothers and sisters), and one of the two siblings still alive, is too old to travel so this was my only opportunity really to see him. He said something really beautiful at the service. He's a really private guy so it was really moving to see him talk about his sister. This must be really hard for him, maybe even harder than for us.
Sunday I traveled all day and got back around 8, exhausted. And that's enough about that trip. In other news, I'm still looking for an editor for the novel, and my business might be going under. I interviewed at another job a couple weeks ago so I really hope that goes through so I can leave, like a rat fleeing the sinking ship.
And that's it for now, ladies and gents. Later-o.
The hotel was awesome, it had a heated pool and a gym and free soda/popcorn 24/7. =) But it was cold. My motto I've decided is 'born in florida, die in california.' I hate the north. can't stand it. no offense to you snow birds up there, its just not my thing. I'm a beach girl.
We journeyed to the town my Grandmother was born in in 1911, which is still standing. My grandmother's great grandparents, the Storme family, as well as their in-laws, The Reeves family, moved to the area from Kentucky and founded the town before the Civil War. It's called Cambira. My grandmother's grandfather was in the civil war and lived down the block from her. The church where she was babtised is no longer there but a church is standing there on the same site. My grandmother's parents are on a stone as descendants of the founders. My family's name is also on the stone.
The trip was all very educational. I saw the site where the very first cabin was built in Cambria. We have a photo of my grandmother's great grandparents on the porch of the cabin. My great grandparents were married on the porch of that cabin. We went to the Storme family graveyard, where my great grandparents are buried. In that same graveyard the leader of the KKK is buried. There are bullet holes in the mosoleum where the body is. People even today come by and shoot at it.
I had not been to Marion since I was 3, and I didn't remember the trip, so this was all very interesting for me. I saw for the first time in my recollection my late grandfather's grave, who died about two weeks after my mom got pregnant with me. I have always sort of idolized him because I grew up on stories about him. He was quite a character. It was almost as upsetting for me to see his grave there, though I was there to bury his wife. Also saw the spot my parents will be buried. It will be right next to them. You know it costs over $1000 these days to bury ashes? My dad wants me to put him in his "Lone Ranger" lunch box and bury him in the backyard with mom in a tin can. But I won't do that. I keep telling them I'll put them in whatever they want to be in, but they are going to be put in the ground, and not in my backyard. That would really weird me out. You know my late grandfather chose that plot, and not the Storme plot, not only because he wanted to be buried next to his mom and dad (his family name is Bridenstein), but there used to be a drive in movie theater across the way, and he wanted to watch movies there. =)
We saw the house where my grandmother's aunt lived and they had Storme and Reeves family reunions every year for many many years, up until my cousin Misty was a teenager. Now somebody else owns the house, but my cousin's children said they wanted to buy the house. Perhaps when we're all older and settled we might buy it as a family property. I think that would be nice.
After the service we went to the church my grandmother was married in to have lunch. My second cousins and my first cousin once removed also got married there. I think if I ever get married, which I won't most likely, I will be married there too. In the spring time though. Not going back when its cold X_X
My grandmother's favorite brother (she had 5 brothers and sisters), and one of the two siblings still alive, is too old to travel so this was my only opportunity really to see him. He said something really beautiful at the service. He's a really private guy so it was really moving to see him talk about his sister. This must be really hard for him, maybe even harder than for us.
Sunday I traveled all day and got back around 8, exhausted. And that's enough about that trip. In other news, I'm still looking for an editor for the novel, and my business might be going under. I interviewed at another job a couple weeks ago so I really hope that goes through so I can leave, like a rat fleeing the sinking ship.
And that's it for now, ladies and gents. Later-o.