Saying Goodbye

Happy 4th of July

(Max and his Granny, what a darling little boy)

The past weekend was one of the quietest 4th's we have had in many years.  Because of all the rig-a-ma-role that goes into taking Max or even two children anywhere they stayed home for the weekend festivities as did B&B2 and Snicklefritz.  I missed them but honestly I really enjoyed the quiet, or as quiet as it can be on the 4th at the lake.  I NEEDED the rest.  I'm still hacking and coughing up crap and this morning sneezing my head off.  I think it's allergies and took a Zyrtec to help, I hope.  I REALLY don't need another rebound illness to descend on me.  I'm sleeping nearly 8 hours every night now and before it was at best 6 hours.  I think my body, at 67 years young, is saying SLOW THE FUCK DOWN, or I'm going to fight you!

Sunday we headed back to town and went to my brother and sister-in-law's to celebrate the life of Dana.  It was quite wonderful with a meal and family on what was one of the most pleasant weather days for July.  I know some were thinking that we didn't do the memory walk just right but it was my sister and her family, hell, my family and we are just not like that kind of thing.  We don't do the touchy-feely kind of thing and frankly, it was Dana.  Memories, good memories, are kind of hard to bring up with it comes to Dana and have to be honest here, most of my childhood I hated my sister.  Didn't help I shared a room and a bed until I got married and left home at age 19.  We became friends after her marriage and then divorce.  She was a great aunt to my girls and they loved her dearly, but face it she was mostly a mess.  Dana was extremely opinionated and used the word FUCK like it was everyday language.  I had issues with how she raised her children, she was a horrible pet parent (she failed miserably at that), and basically how she saw life, but SHE WAS MY SISTER and I did love her.  We are each individuals and she certainly was.  We were extremely different people, and if you met both of us you would not be able to figure out that we were raised in the same house by the same parents.  But, she was my sister, and I DID LOVE HER.  Life moves on.  I spent most of the weekend dreading Sunday.  I was on the verge of tears most of the day but honestly Sunday worked for me and allowed me to get past that.  It was good to be with family.

And The Hits Keep Coming

No real update on Dana except she is in a lot of pain, lots and lots of pain.  So much so that the 4-6 hour pain meds are only lasting about 2 hours.  They're going to have to wait until Thursday to do the biopsy and I have to tell you my sister is NOT a good patient.  I hope she holds her tongue and lets the doctors do what they know. 

Then late in the afternoon I received an email about a kiddo I used to know, that was in the youth group at our church that I worked with.  His parents were darling.  His dad, Bud, passed away about 4 years ago from early onset Alzheimer's.  My artichoke dip recipe that I am now known for was his recipe.  Bud and his wife had two sons and Drew was their oldest.  He was about my youngest's age I think, maybe 36-37.  Drew had some learning disabilities and probably ADHD pretty severe.  They had their troubles with him but Bud was so thankful that our youth group was a place that accepted Drew.  He cried to us one time that it gave him peace that Drew could be a part of the group.  Last weekend Drew was killed in a hit and run.  I saw that on the email and absolutely cried.  His poor mother, Sherry, what she must be going through, losing her husband such a short time a go and now her darling first born.  My heart aches for her.  

I am OVER this bad news.  Please no more hits.  My heart is bursting with sorrow right now.  I know it is life but enough is enough.