1. You know, everytime I look at Leo’s school picture I see my Dad in his face. Something about those gentle brown eyes. I’ve never thought that before but I see it now.
2. My sister Judi has always been the most competative of the three sisters and she has definitely now won the ‘worst time in church’ contest. After getting out of the house later than planned they hurried over to church. Dad was rushing evidently and decided to go in the side entrance which he normally doesn’t like to do. So he goes in and tell Judi, “oh we go up this ramp” and proceeds to try to walk right into the pulpit DURING mass. Judi’s behind him yellling, “Dad, Dad” and pulling him back but I’m sure it was both audible and visible….. So she gets him back down and through another door and they sit down in the second row. He goes up for communion and when given the wine he decides to guzzle the whole thing. Judi ends up having to go up and take the wine from him. The man doesn’t even drink.
3. As much as we laughed and laughed about it it made me very, very sad. I think it’s easier for me to laugh when I’m in the midst of it because it relieves the stress. Yesterday just made me sad. Judi took them out for drinks and appetizers to a restaurant my mother has been wanting to go to and she said she noticed as Dad got out of the car, not only did he have one brown shoe and one black, but both were left shoes. sigh.
4. Judi and I are going to lunch after I get off work today and then over to the nursing home to talk to them. My mother is having some nasty symptoms that I’m rather worried about. I think I’ll try to force her into the doctor next week.
5. In brighter news, the boys’ heads have not yet popped off despite their excitement. I actually gave in and let them open a present this morning. With Debbie’s bounty there will be no shortage on Christmas….
6. I think Ernie’s going to try to make Christmas cookies with the boys today. He’s a better person than I am…….just let me make that clear….a much better person…..
7. Here’s another Christmas Past picture. This is Ernie and his brothers on a Christmas morning a very long time ago. Ernie is the little fat faced one by the tree. My sweet pea. I believe that Dennis is in the jeep that ran over Ernie and gave him what is now a huge scar on his upper arm.
The last time I went to Christmas Mass it was at St. Matthews. We could not sit in the same pew because it was too crowded so my brother keeps whispering from behind me stuff, like, “I’m going to get a beer. You want anything?”
Then in the middle of Judy Frazier doing a reading the PA system starts emitting a sound identical to that of a long, slow, never-ending passage of gas.
Happy Hanukkah.
Cynthia, You have a long road ahead of you. I read these posts about your father and I realize what is in store for me down the road. Enjoy your time with them and laugh as much as you can! These are the times. Merry Christmas!