lily of the valley: November 26, 1999

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(age: 21 years, 11 months, 30 days, 23 hours, 45 minutes)
[history: 2006... 2003... 2002... 1990... ]

Friday November 26, 1999

26/XI/99 - twas turkey day

What a great Turkey Day I had. First I got to sleep in (even though I did get up at ten, it was purely by my own choice and readiness... no force or deadline pressuring me!). Then I surfed a bit, and followed that with a semi-session of roller coaster tycooning. Finally, Canela called and reminded me that we should head off to grandpa's pretty soon here.

Our fashionably late arrival was just in time to sit down for a hold-over lunch. Complete with freshly cut pastrami Shelley finaggled from the deli man, who had just cleaned his blade in hopes of heading home. Breads, meats, cheeses, and veggies of your choice were abundant (well maybe not, since ThaiAnn got jipped the chicken after Lou had inhaled his three sandwiches). The only thing wrong was the elusive ranch dip Jenni had brought. I never actually tasted it, but judging form all the compiled reactions and comments... it was that icky ranch and avid ranch lover must avoid at all costs.

there's more where that came from...

After we had eaten lunch and talked for a good amount of time, the younger cousins made an official request to play Bop It. At first I shook my head at the idea thinking it wasn't something I was interested in. But later I happened to watch them play for a while, and I couldn't help but join in! Addicting and challenging is a good way to out it, frustrating is yet another! I tried to spice things up once by making everyone start to hold it the opposite way then we had been doing, that was a huge mistake. No one could do anything holding it a different way than they were used to.

My contribution to the dinner was that green beans, cream of mushroom, and crinkly onions casserole thing. So it really dodn't require a huge amount of time in the kitchen. Unfortunately, that also meant that eventually I got somewhat bored. I had forgetten to take The BFG with me, I thought I could plow through it in the lazy afternoon. Worst of all, after hobbling around the entire house with my aching foot, and searching through box after box and shelf after shelf... I still couldn't find something to read. Grandpa was in the middle of Angela's Ashes, and it wasn't even his book, so that was out even though I would have liked to have started it. I finally spotted Fatherhood sitting on the back of a chair and settled down for a good laugh. I made my way through over half of the book before the surrounding noise was too much distraction.

We had a later dinner than usual, due to our lunch break. I filled my plate with the casserole, dark turkey meat (Colin makes the turkey on the barbeque outside after an intensely delish marinade!), mashed potatoes, and stuffing, all smothered in delicious smoked turkey gravy! I had thought I'd be quick to refill my plate, but I filled myself faster then I'd expected. After sitting and talking for a while, Shelley and I looked at each other and went for the seconds. Needless to say, I couldn't finish off my second plate. It was yummy, but oh my poor tummy!

Grandpa wanted to do a sort of ritual in memory of Grandma and Great Grandma. (For those of you who don't know, my great grandmother passed away shortly after I returned from Argentina after my year of exchange. Later, this year actually, I began the year with the loss of both my paternal grandfather and my maternal grandmother in a matter of 12 days.) It was a candlelighting memorial with eloquent words read by each child (my mom, Billy, and Jenni) and Grandpa. More than anything, it opened up doors of grief that I haven't been able to really deal with yet at all. When this all happened. I was extremely sick, and in my dad's house alone. Sure I cried and all, but the comprehension of the losses hasn't made itself present until moments like yesterday where Grandma would have been present in any and everyway possible, yet this time she wasn't.

Like we all agreed, she was an amazing woman. She did everything in her power to make us all happy and provided for. She would spend hours in the kitchen preparing and then cleaning up, only to then join in on whatever game had been started in the meanwhile. When she wasn't in the kitchen , she would be sure to escape long enough to play with the grandkids. I believe I was one of the luckiest of all of us, because I was the only grandchild for a good 8 years. I got to go spend the night there, play endless hours of Barbie with her in the basement. She was great!

Laughing was a big thing for her as well. She always would find something to giggle at, like Grandpas said. Our whole family is like that, and now I see where that stems from. We can sit and reminise about things (some we were never even involved in) and laugh until we're crying.

Mostly I think it was important for me to remember her and how she lived her life as such a strong woman of God. I want to be able to embody that like she did. To really live out the life God has planned for me, putting others before myself and finding real joy in that sacrifice.

Later in the evening Grandpa announced that Grandma had some jewelry that we could go through and have. All the girls (with the exception of myself) went delving through every box and collection she had, picking out little treasures. I wanted to find something I would use, but that would mean something to me as well, smoething significant. When I went to the bathroom a while after their frenzy had settled down. I noticed everything laid out on the bed. I slowly went through everything and settled on three small items; her class ring (it's so worn down that the school emblem on the top looks more like a shiny beetle then an emblem, and her engraved initials are barely visable inside), a pair of black hills gold cross earings, and the most coveted item by all of us (and I was the only one who had the audacity to claim it, but I asked Grandpa if I could): a lovely locket with a young picture of Grandma and Grandpa on each side. I had hoped no one would notice that that's what I had ddecided on, I knew it might cause a ruckus. Somehow I feel that being the oldest grandchild, maybe I have a right to it. Besides, they are were there going through everything way before I even set foot in the room, and no one actually took it. They talked about it, but no one took it.

In all my sorting through things, I saw lots of necklaces that I had actually made years ago, and know that Grandma actually wore many times. They were clunky fimo things, but she wore them proudly. What a woman!

The other big thing was Grandpa announcing his new prospect. He was reunited with a girl from his hometown when he went back for his reunion. She had also just recently been widowed and they have been supporting each other and enjoying each other's company and connection ever since. She is the one who sent Bop It, and a card that she wanted him to read to us all. They both want to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with their respective families before making any such jumps into something different. All Shelley had to say was that Grandpa can't move! Personally I am, and infact I think everyone else is as well, estatic for him. He's still relatively young for a grandpa, and he's got lots of life and love in him. She's lucky to have snatched him up!