Because I slept till almost noon today (no. really.) what’s in my head within this first waking hour is profound.
The McKain family has been a whole lot of democrats for generations. Imagine my surprise when an older cousin posted an anti-democrat themed graphic today on Facebook. This is the very cousinthat publicly stated at a funeral, “As children, we believed we were the Kennedy family only poorer.“
The graphic shared was a photo of Saddam Hussein with the following quote, “We cannot defeat America by the sword. America must be defeated within their politics.” This was followed by, “He was telling the truth and this is exactly what the Democrats are doing by seating one Muslim at a time.“
I couldn’t find any verification via Google that the dude actually said that (doesn’t mean he didn’t), but for the sake of what I’m sharing, that isn’t what’s important.
What matters is that when a Kennedy turns against the Democrats, the entire future of the party is in trouble.
If you’re not from around here, you might think my awesome family met at some classy establishment for brunch — the Bluebird Cafe. If you ARE from around these parts, you know we met at a bar that’s located in a pretty remote area that only served popcorn with beer tonight.
There was live music for our entertainment. Not a band, but a guy that can sing while playing a guitar and a harmonica all at the same time is almost a band. TheREAL entertainment was provided by my crazy cousins…
Debra, (the one with the beer above) was insulted when some old drunk geezer said she couldn’t play pool. Determined to prove him wrong, she whispered (loudly), “Gimme 50 cents. When I’m drunk I think I’m an $@$*$ pool shark. I think I’m a good singer too.” She’s lucky the Bluebird doesn’t charge by the hour for a table AND the rest of us were lucky it wasn’t karaoke night.
The McKain tribe lost another member — the funeral for my cousin, Sue Lauster, was today.
Sue was the daughter of Dad’s sister, Ethel. Oldest of the cousins — closer in age to Dad’s baby sister, Shirley, than she was to any of us — she felt more like an aunt. She and my Aunt Shirley were inseparable from the start.
Mary Ellen, Shirley, Sue, and some boy I fail to recognize
During adulthood, they went to dirt track races together, lived together for a time, and enjoyed mushroom hunting together every spring. That special bond continued — the bond you can only have with a relative that’s also a friend — until Shirley’s passing. Sue lost a daughter (close to my age), 5 months ago today. Incredibly difficult on the immediate family to lose a mother/grandmother… sister/grandmother… in a such short timespan.
Sue — and her daughter, Jamie Lee — will be missed.
I received a couple personal calls during the funeral. Although I turned the ringer off on my phone, my arm vibrated like crazy each ring as my watch alerted me. It also vibrated to let me know that Tom Judd — my principal from high school now minister — was stretching the eulogy out too long and it was time for me to stand up. 🙂
My trees and decorations are already down and packed away ready for next year. Highlights of the celebration on the Eve included Colette letting everyone know Katie is her very best friend — as referenced in her “GERNELL” (journal).
Dinner was prepared by Chef Shelley on a stove she’d never cooked on before. Even though it thad burners that are MUCH hotter with the same settings on the one she’s accustomed to, dinner was edible (barely).
The pesky non-neighbors left directly afterward and are currently enjoying a warm, sunny days instead of the cold, windy, AND rainy days we’re experiencing here in southern Indiana.
My trees are up and you can find a few holiday decorations around the house, but I’ve yet to put up lights outside and there’s not one single gift wrapped and under the tree. With Christmas at Ben’s this year, he took Colette’s presents home to put under their tree. I’m pretty sure he did it to drive her crazy for the next 30 days.
It’s probably a good thing because I’m weak. Back in the day, my kid could bat those big brown eyes at me and ask for, “just ONE.” I would always give in — he had it down to a science. Of course, afterward I’d look under the tree and figure he needed more gifts. So then I’d have to find more money to replace what he opened… and so on… and so on… until Christmas Eve.Â
I seriously still do that. Now I not only have a son with big brown eyes, my granddaughter has them too.
