Death and Family
So my grandpa on my dad's side died this weekend. He was 92 and had been wasting away in a nursing home for a long time, but still it's sad.
I hadn't seen him for many years due to a falling out I had with my grandmother a long time ago. I spent all day at the wake today and she was cordial but a bit aloof to me. Whatevs... I also saw all the rest of my dad's side of the family who I hardly ever see because of the aforementioned row with grandma. The rest of them are pretty cool to me, they know their mom is an alcoholic old biotch hehe.
Anyway, I saw all these old pictures of me with my aunts and uncle and all my zillions of cousins, plus they were playing a video they made for my grandpa back in 94 when he turned 80... all this old family footage. It was nice to see. It made me feel bad that I had to miss out on a lot of time with my family members because of my grandma hating me for having a baby when I was a teenager/not yet married. It's weird, the old lady seemed to get along with me until I had all three of my kids - I mean, I know she disapproved when I became a teen mom, but I still went over to her house on holidays with my son and fiance/then husband when we got married. But all of a sudden when I had all 3 of my kids, when I had been married for like 4-5 years, she told me there wasn't "enough room in her house" for us to come over for Christmas. WTF? So we had a big fight and I never went over there again. It was funny, the year she told me not to come, all my aunts (my dad's sisters) confronted her at Christmas dinner about how she had treated me. She got in a big fight with them and got so drunk she fell on the ground. I was glad they stood up for me. Still, I missed out on a lot of holidays with my dad's side of the family because of her.
Seeing everyone and all the pictures and videos today made me realise that. And LMFAO there were pictures of my dad in the 70's when he was a long haired dirty hippie! There was a video of my mom and dad when they were both decked out like hippies and my mom was all thin and they were kissing in front of a VW bus. My dad picked my mom up and spun her around haha! It was totally weird to see because now they're both total stuffed shirt robo Catholics who never display affection to each other hehe. It was so sweet. I also saw videos of me and my brother as babies which was cool.
Iono... it was nice. I'm told an Irish wake is supposed to be animated and celebratory, sometimes at least. There should have been booze there, then we would have been acting like a proper big Irish Catholic family hehe. My husband who is Jewish and totally scared of death I could tell was pretty creeped out seeing my grandpa's body. God, my grandpa had wasted away. I wouldn't have recognized him if I didn't know who it was. In life he was always big and jolly and ruddy and laughing. He looked really bad in the coffin. My kids were good. Christy had been sick last night so she didn't go to school. Luckily by the time the wake started she had rested and was feeling much better (staying home from school can do that to you I think!) Bobby and Lisa joined us after school and Jason came after work.
Tomorrow is the funeral mass and reception. Jason can't get out of work but I'm keeping the kids home from school so they can go. My son might serve (as an altar boy) and my dad will be a pallbearer. Anyhoo...
I have homework that is due today and my prof doesn't allow extentions "for any reason, no exceptions". I guess sick kids and dead grandfathers wouldn't make him change his mind. Poop :(
I hadn't seen him for many years due to a falling out I had with my grandmother a long time ago. I spent all day at the wake today and she was cordial but a bit aloof to me. Whatevs... I also saw all the rest of my dad's side of the family who I hardly ever see because of the aforementioned row with grandma. The rest of them are pretty cool to me, they know their mom is an alcoholic old biotch hehe.
Anyway, I saw all these old pictures of me with my aunts and uncle and all my zillions of cousins, plus they were playing a video they made for my grandpa back in 94 when he turned 80... all this old family footage. It was nice to see. It made me feel bad that I had to miss out on a lot of time with my family members because of my grandma hating me for having a baby when I was a teenager/not yet married. It's weird, the old lady seemed to get along with me until I had all three of my kids - I mean, I know she disapproved when I became a teen mom, but I still went over to her house on holidays with my son and fiance/then husband when we got married. But all of a sudden when I had all 3 of my kids, when I had been married for like 4-5 years, she told me there wasn't "enough room in her house" for us to come over for Christmas. WTF? So we had a big fight and I never went over there again. It was funny, the year she told me not to come, all my aunts (my dad's sisters) confronted her at Christmas dinner about how she had treated me. She got in a big fight with them and got so drunk she fell on the ground. I was glad they stood up for me. Still, I missed out on a lot of holidays with my dad's side of the family because of her.
Seeing everyone and all the pictures and videos today made me realise that. And LMFAO there were pictures of my dad in the 70's when he was a long haired dirty hippie! There was a video of my mom and dad when they were both decked out like hippies and my mom was all thin and they were kissing in front of a VW bus. My dad picked my mom up and spun her around haha! It was totally weird to see because now they're both total stuffed shirt robo Catholics who never display affection to each other hehe. It was so sweet. I also saw videos of me and my brother as babies which was cool.
Iono... it was nice. I'm told an Irish wake is supposed to be animated and celebratory, sometimes at least. There should have been booze there, then we would have been acting like a proper big Irish Catholic family hehe. My husband who is Jewish and totally scared of death I could tell was pretty creeped out seeing my grandpa's body. God, my grandpa had wasted away. I wouldn't have recognized him if I didn't know who it was. In life he was always big and jolly and ruddy and laughing. He looked really bad in the coffin. My kids were good. Christy had been sick last night so she didn't go to school. Luckily by the time the wake started she had rested and was feeling much better (staying home from school can do that to you I think!) Bobby and Lisa joined us after school and Jason came after work.
Tomorrow is the funeral mass and reception. Jason can't get out of work but I'm keeping the kids home from school so they can go. My son might serve (as an altar boy) and my dad will be a pallbearer. Anyhoo...
I have homework that is due today and my prof doesn't allow extentions "for any reason, no exceptions". I guess sick kids and dead grandfathers wouldn't make him change his mind. Poop :(