California

I just got home the other day from California. I was there for my Grandpa's memorial service. We were there on Monday and ther service was on Saturday. My mom and I spent the days cleaning the house along with my Gramma, one of her sisters and the occasional friend. I swear, that has to be the cleanest that house has ever been since they first moved in...it was spotless. My Gramma's sister, Ellen, was there, driving me crazy. She is a very sweet person but is Ms. Busy Body. She kept trying to move things and get rid of things and put things away even though she had no idea where they went. My mom or I would try to tell her that she should leave certain things b/c my Gramma is very particular on where her things go...especially in her kitchen. My Gramma would get sooo irritated when she kept rearranging her kitchen b/c she just "thought it looked better". I thought my Gram was going to slap her on more than one occassion. However, another sister came so between the 5 of us, we got that house sparkly clean.

The memorial was fantastic. My mom had made posters out of pictures she had of my Grandpa and we put them on the walls of the house outside. The service took place on my Gramm's back patio and we had chairs set up, this really pretty veranda, plants (both real and fake), pictures, and poster boards my mom made with pics from different parts of his life. She had ones focusing on his hobbies, one on his family, one on his Marine time, a few others from the time he worked with NASA, all of them were amazing. Plenty of people showed up which was nice. Pastor Cody read a nice eulogy which my Gramma had prepared. My mom and I were responsible for leading the songs. We sang Amazing Grace last, which Cody nearly forgot, and that nearly made my Mom cry again. I did a descant on the last verse, I kept it together until the third line and I lost the middle, I came back in the end but oh well, it was still decent. I held it together until it was my turn to talk (after my Mom and sister). I shared a few of my memories of him and some of the things he taught me. I told them that there was something unforgetable about him, whether you knew him for 5 minutes or 50 years, he would have an impact on your life you couldn't easily forget. Plenty of people that had known him for a short time said that comment was very true and only wished they had known him longer...

We had so much food at the house it was rediculous. We had 2 large tables packed with food and then 2 smaller tables with dessert items. There was plenty to drink (no booze thank god) and plenty of places inside and out to sit. My Gramma was so upset, she got herelf together at last but I could still look in her eyes and see the tears she was fighting to hold back. During the seremony, 5 Marines had come to honor him and give him the final salute. They played the song on the trumpet and folded the flag. Then the head Marine kneeled down in front of Gramma and said how sorry he was, and that he was an amazing Marine who served his country well, and to please accept the flag as a token of their condolences and in his honor. That made me cry...along with my Gramma, Mom, sister, and plenty others behind me.

After nearly everyone left we started to clean up and a few graciously stayed behind to help. We had a lot of food left over so Gram won't need to cook for like the next 3 weeks. :) Her 3 sisters were supposed to hang around and just be with her b/c she was so upset. Well they went back to their hotel room and said the following day we would all get together to go to lunch and then maybe go to Yosemite. Yeah, we didn't here from them. Patty said she tried both Gramm's cell and the home phone but since no one picked up she didn't worry about it. So, rather than try back a while later they just left without us. They went and had lunch and went touring, didn't even bother to call to see how Gram was doing. Gram was hurt, my Mom and I were simply pissed off. We thought it was so incredibly rude to just ditch their sister the day after her husband's memorial. The finally called after 8pm and said they were coming over. I said I had nothing nice to say to them so I wasn't going to bother. Mom at least said hi to them when they arrived, I didn't look up from my book. Mom then left to go get a shower, I put my legs up on the couch, stuck my nose in my book, and pretended they weren't there. I said only one thing to them and that was something of a "uh huh"/grunt. I did say bye to them when they left buth tht was only b/c they were standing right next to me. I was polite and said to have a nice trip home, thanks for helping, and that was it. I heard later from my Gramma that they were all pissed off at us b/c mom and I had been so rude. Gram sort of told them why, Sue was really upset and even cried so I think she understood. Patty and Elen though didn't seem to care. Even as they left the house they never asked her how she was feeling or if they could do anything for her, nothin. The only thing Ellen said was "oh I wish we had more time together". I was so tempted to remind her (not so nicely) that she had all day long and couldn't even bother to call. I didn't though and my Gram told me later she was impressed/proud that I didn't blow at them. My temper is well known...it doesn't take much to set me off and when that happens, it's not a pretty sight. So I did well in that regard. Mom and I had to leave Monday afternoon and arrived in Cinci late that evening. I am proud of my Gramma for holding out as well as she did and my heart continues to go out to her.