The weekend was.....

     I actually made a note to come in and write a blog tonight.  Figured what the Hell.  Do a run down of the weekend and such.  A question first.  Does  anyone subscribe here or is it all just foot traffic.  Either way pull up a chair and enjoy the ride.

     Saturday.  Usual.  Eventually woke up, when I say eventually, I mean I slept.  Think I got up at 5 and thought what the Hell and went back to bed.  Got up about 7ish.  Today we were going to see my Grandfather.  He doesn't live to far, about 40 miles west as the inebriated bird flies.  Last I saw him was at his wife's funeral 2 years ago.  He was 90 then.  From time to time I speak to his son, my Uncle, mothers brother.

     Let's just say relations between him and us are strained.  I could write a whole blog on him alone.  Let's not and say we didn't want to.  In fact he just moved from round the corner and hasn't let us know.  Anyway.  I've mentioned from time to time about going to see my Grandfather.  He, my uncle, always says the house is in shambles, the bathroom doesn't work so well.  Really discourages the idea.

     My sister has been wanting to see him.  The last time she saw him was nigh on 8 years ago, at my mom's funeral.  Mom, I pause here.  I still miss her.  This isn't a blog about that either.

     The last time I got ahold of my Grandfather, at my sisters insistence was....interesting?  I made the call, got him on the phone he said hello and asked for her.  Now I was standing next to her and she waved that she wasn't there, why I don't know.  My Grandfather promptly said okay and hung up on me.  Yup.

     Don't think I mentioned in the heart blog this tidbit.  We only learned that his wife had been in hospice, for months, after she passed.  The summer I was recuperating from open heart surgery, and my sister was in rehab from her ovarian surgery.  Yeah, my Uncle lived around the corner.  Getting the warm and snugglies yet?  Me neither.

     My Grandfather was a rapscallion of sorts in his younger days.  A fun guy.  He's now in his early 90's.  I say 92 sister says 94, she exaggerates a tad.  Anyway.  She wanted to go and see him, I told her to call.  She called while I was out Saturday morning, she got him.  His first words were when are you going to come and see me.  She replied today.  She was elated.  I was apprehensive as to what we would find.

     We both told my brother in law he didn't have to come.  He was not in a good mood.  He came.  Whined and bitched a bit.  Was annoyed about getting lunch in the deli, I got nothing cause I wasn't hungry.  And we were off.  Made it out just before our town had it's St. Patricks day parade.

     The ride was nothing special, just irritating to be in close proximity to them.  Always feeling held hostage.  Anyway we arrived and he was waiting for us.  He's lost a lot of weight and walks with a cane now.  Looked and sounded very well.  We all should be so well at his age.

     The house?  It was immaculate, I mean gorgeous, not like the squalor we live in.  But don't get me started on their lack of cleanliness please.  Anyway.  (anyway appears to be the word of this blog huh?) 

     It was a nice short visit.  Little tour of stuff.  His television and the box on top of it that at he paid $45 for and got Lot's of channels.  Saw a few rooms.  He doesn't go upstairs anymore.  And it was a lot about his son.  I could see my sister was getting annoyed by that.  As for me?  Not sure.  The conversation was mostly directed towards her.  And her social skills were failing quickly, I'm usually relied on to keep the conversation.  He didn't really seem that keen on making conversation with me.  Anyway.

     It was a nice visit.  We were in the middle room, seeing old stuff he had.  The inmates saw it was snowing and got worried.  That helped end the visit.  Grandfather said not to be strangers.  My sister felt great about the visit and wants to do it every couple of months.  Of course I will have to be dragged.
 
     It is difficult to talk about certain family members and such.  You, in this case I, want to say so much.  And it would all seem silly and petty to those on the outside.  I know, and maybe some of you know.  It was a nice visit.

     And he's slowed down a bit.  He no longer has 4 or 5 of everything.  2 now.  Know many 90+ year olds with 2 cars?  Yeah didn't think so.  Heard a lot about my Uncle.  He's going to inherit everything, and he should.  He is his natural son.  I don't begrudge that.  It's the little silly things I mentioned in the paragraph before.

     The only example I offer.  Walking in through the kitchen I saw the table.  A table you say, no I say.  The Table.  See it was my mothers Grandmothers.  My mother did her homework at that table.  When Grandma died, his first wife, she asked him for it.  It was promised to her.  He said yes.  Almost a year after he died he remarried.  They used that table as a dinner table.  It always hurt my moms' feelings.  Stuff like that.

     Anyway.  Took a break to let the dog out.  She balked, no not barked, balked at the snow.  Refused to leave the stoop, so I'm guessing I'll be on clean up during the night.  Lucky man.

     Hopefully I didn't come off to petty on the above.  I'll let it stand anyway.  (the last 2 were intentional.) 

     I was asked to grab cheesecake after we got home and I did.  Sister ate it right away, real smart.  I had time to make mass and we ordered dinner from one of our usual joints.
  
     Apparently hers was hideous.  She had me call to let them know.  Brother in law was in fits.  Don't know why, he just doesn't like to make waves.  I view it like this.  We are regulars, we know the managers.  I expressed that I knew it was a busy night and probably someone new on the grill.  They're giving me a credit for her dinner.  Not mine or my brother in law's, ours were fine. 

     Sunday.  Really not to much and I'm typed out.  Some online gaming in my game and bed for me.  Later.