Ketchup
So the week after Hitchcock passed, Chuck's mom passed. I'm glad my cat went first because I think it increased my understanding of what he was going through. I know a cat does not compare to a mother, but it allowed me to be a better girlfriend when he really needed me. She had been battling breast cancer for three years and had recently stopped treatments and begun to just try to manage the pain. The good part was that she was ready, she had said all she wanted, done all she wanted, spent a lot of time with her kids and grandkids and passed in her sleep with a smile on her face.
She wanted no services of any sort, she just asked to have her ashes scattered in the woods near the family home while Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" was played. This was her most earnest request and everyone that knew Jane for anytime knew it and understood why. The services were so perfect for Jane and her delicious sense of humor, I could not imagine a better send-off. After all had gathered, we marched a haphazard procession into the woods while someone's MP3 player played Queen. Some brief words were said after which each of her children took handfuls of ashes and scattered them into the woods. As you can imagine, then you have the trouble of having ashes all over. Chuck and George turned to each other with handfuls of ashes and joked, 'Wanna have a mama fight?' The girls were trying to figure out if they should wipe their hands on their dresses. Some folks said 'go ahead, you'll have a little mama to go home with you.' Todd, trying to brush ashes off of his pants said that was the first time he'd ever smacked his mama.
This doesn't diminish grief, but not to laugh about it would have been a dishonor to this sparkling and witty woman.
Right after, Chuck and I headed to Michigan for my bi-annual family reunion. I offered to delay, but he wanted to get out of town anyway, and it was a good time for him to go camping for a week away from everything. So off we went. Actually camped in Indiana at Potato Creek State Park, where every staff person is apparently meticously groomed and graded on rude and snooty behavior. Longest reunion meeting ever, ya da ya da ya da, family loved Chuck beyond belief, 'bring him back next time', Mom reminded me they aren't going to trade me in or anything, but I have my doubts. :) Currently my grams only calls me when she wants to talk to Chuck, but to be fair he does deliver oxygen to my step-grandpa, so she's got good reason. Related to that, Chuck and I had a one-year dating anniversary while in Michigan and my general rule is that my relationships don't last more than 2 years. If he's at the next reunion it will have been 3 years and he'll officially be a keeper.
umm, what'd we do?
We went to Splashdown Dunes, a smallish waterpark. Had a blast, no lines, but then my 7-year old niece got lost and scared the crap out of me and her mom. When I found her she was coveting a sticky monkey out of a gumball machine in the arcade.
Warped my young cousin by turning him onto MC Chris & shooting off South Carolina fireworks in a Michigan grocery store parking lot. Then skedaddling before the law came. He now says I'm his favorite cousin.
Went to the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry. I've always loved the Chicago Museums and I wish we'd had more time to go to some more, but we went because Chuck had never been up that way so we had to pick one to visit for one day. Next we'll have to check out the Field Museum and the Planetarium. We actually got lost on the way out and spent an hour learning that every road in Chicago has a sign that says I-90 ->
Saw Transformers. Chuck's a huge fan and the movie was fun for all of us. But it was really obnoxiously loud in that theater. I actually balled up pieces of napkin and stuck them in my ears so it wouldn't hurt.
Spent a perfect lazy day at the lake in our state park. Perfect beach. Some sand, some grass, some sun, some shady trees, a sprinkler that would blow the slightest bits of moisture onto you when you were hot, concessions, and clean bathrooms. I really spend most of my summers looking for beaches like this.
After all that, we were too exhausted most nights to stay up for long at the campfire. We hardly drank any of the beer we'd bought. So the last night we got sloshy with the whole fam and left the remainders for them.
I really do have the coolest family. I just wish they were closer.
She wanted no services of any sort, she just asked to have her ashes scattered in the woods near the family home while Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" was played. This was her most earnest request and everyone that knew Jane for anytime knew it and understood why. The services were so perfect for Jane and her delicious sense of humor, I could not imagine a better send-off. After all had gathered, we marched a haphazard procession into the woods while someone's MP3 player played Queen. Some brief words were said after which each of her children took handfuls of ashes and scattered them into the woods. As you can imagine, then you have the trouble of having ashes all over. Chuck and George turned to each other with handfuls of ashes and joked, 'Wanna have a mama fight?' The girls were trying to figure out if they should wipe their hands on their dresses. Some folks said 'go ahead, you'll have a little mama to go home with you.' Todd, trying to brush ashes off of his pants said that was the first time he'd ever smacked his mama.
This doesn't diminish grief, but not to laugh about it would have been a dishonor to this sparkling and witty woman.
Right after, Chuck and I headed to Michigan for my bi-annual family reunion. I offered to delay, but he wanted to get out of town anyway, and it was a good time for him to go camping for a week away from everything. So off we went. Actually camped in Indiana at Potato Creek State Park, where every staff person is apparently meticously groomed and graded on rude and snooty behavior. Longest reunion meeting ever, ya da ya da ya da, family loved Chuck beyond belief, 'bring him back next time', Mom reminded me they aren't going to trade me in or anything, but I have my doubts. :) Currently my grams only calls me when she wants to talk to Chuck, but to be fair he does deliver oxygen to my step-grandpa, so she's got good reason. Related to that, Chuck and I had a one-year dating anniversary while in Michigan and my general rule is that my relationships don't last more than 2 years. If he's at the next reunion it will have been 3 years and he'll officially be a keeper.
umm, what'd we do?
We went to Splashdown Dunes, a smallish waterpark. Had a blast, no lines, but then my 7-year old niece got lost and scared the crap out of me and her mom. When I found her she was coveting a sticky monkey out of a gumball machine in the arcade.
Warped my young cousin by turning him onto MC Chris & shooting off South Carolina fireworks in a Michigan grocery store parking lot. Then skedaddling before the law came. He now says I'm his favorite cousin.
Went to the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry. I've always loved the Chicago Museums and I wish we'd had more time to go to some more, but we went because Chuck had never been up that way so we had to pick one to visit for one day. Next we'll have to check out the Field Museum and the Planetarium. We actually got lost on the way out and spent an hour learning that every road in Chicago has a sign that says I-90 ->
Saw Transformers. Chuck's a huge fan and the movie was fun for all of us. But it was really obnoxiously loud in that theater. I actually balled up pieces of napkin and stuck them in my ears so it wouldn't hurt.
Spent a perfect lazy day at the lake in our state park. Perfect beach. Some sand, some grass, some sun, some shady trees, a sprinkler that would blow the slightest bits of moisture onto you when you were hot, concessions, and clean bathrooms. I really spend most of my summers looking for beaches like this.
After all that, we were too exhausted most nights to stay up for long at the campfire. We hardly drank any of the beer we'd bought. So the last night we got sloshy with the whole fam and left the remainders for them.
I really do have the coolest family. I just wish they were closer.