(no subject)
My orange shirt and tie have done a lot of duty today: the day started with a funeral and ended with a wedding, with a big ol' birthday party in between.
I left the house in Indiana this morning about 10 to run to Target for some presents and then into Illinois to pick up my niece and nephew - which turned out to be just my niece, since my nephew wanted to stay home and play his new Playstation with a friend who was over. I get that, I'm a guy. (I tried to say, dude, it's not a bunch of girls sitting around, it's a comedy show! but no dice. Can't compete with karaoke and Lego Star Wars.)
I was wearing jeans and my nice shirt and tie because - though I didn't really think I'd need it for my daughter's birthday party - there was a good chance I'd be meeting Una and MB at a wedding this evening, back here in Indiana. If so, she'd bring my suit with her. If not, no big.
About 11:30, with niece and birthday presents, I stopped in at the Illinois funeral parlor for a visitation - the other reason I was wearing a tie. One of the ladies from my dad's church - the one who prints up the church newsletter after I put it together, among many other things - lost her husband recently. I'd never met him, he's been in a nursing home for some years, but he did pass on just before Christmas. She was holding up well, pragmatic as ever. There were a lot of people there, but still, I'm glad we could squeeze in a short visit with the widow before heading to Wisconsin - especially as I'd told her we probably couldn't.
While there, we also talked to several other church ladies, who asked how my stepmom was doing. They've seen my dad at church a couple times, but it's been a while since she's been there. I had to tell them I didn't think she'd be leaving the house again. We saw her at Christmas, and she did not look good. Still spirited, and chatty, but very very thin, and very very weak. I guess she had a good and active (for her) Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day, when we saw her, she was in bed all day, paying for the day before. My dad said she sat at the table the day after for a while, putting photos in albums, so that was good - before she got tired again and went back to bed.
I might tell you more about Christmas later. Anyway, the church ladies and I just said the usual things, like "hanging in there" and "day at a time," and nodding a lot.
Niece and I wrapped Darling Daughter's presents in the only non-Christmas wrapping paper I had, in the funeral parlor's waiting room - I'd thought ahead, and brought paper, scissors, and tape - and headed off for another two hours' drive to Milwaukee.
About three and a half hours at ComedySportz, and back home again. Called Una, who said she didn't think she'd be going out again for the night. MB a little snorfly. This is about 5:30 and wedding's at 6 - I wouldn't be there til 8 or 9, and I'd known that. I'm also not surprised that the girls are thinking of staying home. I encouraged them to stay in, and relax, and try to get child to bed early (which happened even earlier than we'd expected, as Una reported in her journal).
Niece and I talked, and listened to the radio, and she played Tetris on her new cellphone. Two hours' drive, and I'm dropping off Niece at my sister's house. Nephew still-or-again playing PS2 games with his friend (Shrek this time).
I decided that, in jeans and orange shirt and tie, I'd stop in at wedding for 10 minutes to pass along our well wishes. It was literally about 10 minutes, but I saw many theatre friends (it was a theatre-friends wedding) and hugged the bride. (Bride and groom are each widowed, they're elderly grandparents, did I mention that? A testament to finding love again late in life, after losing the person you were married to for decades.)
As I was coming in, Amndad and her sweetie were just leaving. They were heading to another wedding happening at the same time. More theatre people. Kids, this one, just starting out.
Then the last leg of the journey, the rest of the way home. Got in about 9 tonight. Collapsed. Played a couple songs on Guitar Hero. Kissed my sleeping child, hugged my darling wife. Went to bed.
A full day. But I feel I have connected with my fellow humans today, in many walks of life, and in many of the milestone rituals. Happy New Year, everyone.
I left the house in Indiana this morning about 10 to run to Target for some presents and then into Illinois to pick up my niece and nephew - which turned out to be just my niece, since my nephew wanted to stay home and play his new Playstation with a friend who was over. I get that, I'm a guy. (I tried to say, dude, it's not a bunch of girls sitting around, it's a comedy show! but no dice. Can't compete with karaoke and Lego Star Wars.)
I was wearing jeans and my nice shirt and tie because - though I didn't really think I'd need it for my daughter's birthday party - there was a good chance I'd be meeting Una and MB at a wedding this evening, back here in Indiana. If so, she'd bring my suit with her. If not, no big.
About 11:30, with niece and birthday presents, I stopped in at the Illinois funeral parlor for a visitation - the other reason I was wearing a tie. One of the ladies from my dad's church - the one who prints up the church newsletter after I put it together, among many other things - lost her husband recently. I'd never met him, he's been in a nursing home for some years, but he did pass on just before Christmas. She was holding up well, pragmatic as ever. There were a lot of people there, but still, I'm glad we could squeeze in a short visit with the widow before heading to Wisconsin - especially as I'd told her we probably couldn't.
While there, we also talked to several other church ladies, who asked how my stepmom was doing. They've seen my dad at church a couple times, but it's been a while since she's been there. I had to tell them I didn't think she'd be leaving the house again. We saw her at Christmas, and she did not look good. Still spirited, and chatty, but very very thin, and very very weak. I guess she had a good and active (for her) Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day, when we saw her, she was in bed all day, paying for the day before. My dad said she sat at the table the day after for a while, putting photos in albums, so that was good - before she got tired again and went back to bed.
I might tell you more about Christmas later. Anyway, the church ladies and I just said the usual things, like "hanging in there" and "day at a time," and nodding a lot.
Niece and I wrapped Darling Daughter's presents in the only non-Christmas wrapping paper I had, in the funeral parlor's waiting room - I'd thought ahead, and brought paper, scissors, and tape - and headed off for another two hours' drive to Milwaukee.
About three and a half hours at ComedySportz, and back home again. Called Una, who said she didn't think she'd be going out again for the night. MB a little snorfly. This is about 5:30 and wedding's at 6 - I wouldn't be there til 8 or 9, and I'd known that. I'm also not surprised that the girls are thinking of staying home. I encouraged them to stay in, and relax, and try to get child to bed early (which happened even earlier than we'd expected, as Una reported in her journal).
Niece and I talked, and listened to the radio, and she played Tetris on her new cellphone. Two hours' drive, and I'm dropping off Niece at my sister's house. Nephew still-or-again playing PS2 games with his friend (Shrek this time).
I decided that, in jeans and orange shirt and tie, I'd stop in at wedding for 10 minutes to pass along our well wishes. It was literally about 10 minutes, but I saw many theatre friends (it was a theatre-friends wedding) and hugged the bride. (Bride and groom are each widowed, they're elderly grandparents, did I mention that? A testament to finding love again late in life, after losing the person you were married to for decades.)
As I was coming in, Amndad and her sweetie were just leaving. They were heading to another wedding happening at the same time. More theatre people. Kids, this one, just starting out.
Then the last leg of the journey, the rest of the way home. Got in about 9 tonight. Collapsed. Played a couple songs on Guitar Hero. Kissed my sleeping child, hugged my darling wife. Went to bed.
A full day. But I feel I have connected with my fellow humans today, in many walks of life, and in many of the milestone rituals. Happy New Year, everyone.