Friday, November 09, 2007

Start of the Season

As well you all know 2007 has been a stinker for the most part. For me it kicked off with Mrs. X's death on day three of the year and has been a veritable roller coaster of emotions. For you it may have been different. This week has been quite the charmer frankly what with having to figure out this surgery deal, my work computer going toes up with no notice and taking all of the information I use to actually do my job with it, having to justify my choices about the surgery to people who tried to manipulate me and the stupid time change.

However, this week and this year would have had to step it up considerably to be the worst ones of all time. (Note to Fate: this is not a challenge just an observation so there's nothing to see here, feel free to just move along).

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the kick off of the worst 6 month period to date. I got a phone call at work that my grandfather was very sick and that no one could reach my father. (Welcome to the downside of the world of a lineage of only children. It's like being third in line to the throne...sort of.) Before I could track my father down I got the second call and you can guess what that was. The second call is never, "Whoops! Sorry, he's feeling much better now, false alarm, as you were."

I don't know what my grandfather was like as a parent. I suspect he had his strengths and weaknesses because he was human after all. By the time I got to know him, though, he was one of those people who came across as simple, deeply good. The man was on the ethics committee of the state legislature, that's pretty good.

I'm finding it really hard this year to tell you anything about him. It's been a rough year on that side of the family and I don't know that he'd be too terribly proud of any of us. By god I miss him, though. I hadn't finished learning from his example yet.

I recently got scanning capability at work so I'll try to get a picture, they are after all, worth a thousand words. For now I'll just mark the day he left and say that it stinks.

It stinks.


  1. It stinks is right. It's been 5 years since my Granny died and I still miss her every day.

    *hug* from here, too.

  2. For those of us who know you and know your heart, let me just say that you learned enough by his example to lead us, beautifully, by yours.

    For those of us who have felt that kind of's another hug.


  3. Aww. Yep, here's another hug coming your way.

    I never met either of my grandfathers. On my Dad's side, from the stories I've heard, I didn't miss out on much.

    But my mother's father was apparently a hoot and a half and I miss him pretty badly when I consider that I never actually laid eyes on the man.

  4. Grandpas rock. Yours sounds like a great one. Sorry you are missing him.

  5. There is never ever enough time is there?
    Even when I am complaining and cranky and all...
    I still, um, not enough time.

    They do leave us with such great memories though.

    Bless your pea pickin heart, its time for fate to lay off you for awhile!