This weekend was grandma's 80th birthday party, and that meant a big ol' shindig - which ultimately led to a few shenanigans.
On Friday night I arrive home and Mom is trying to figure out what to wear. This is when we get the phone call that sent Friday night into a tizzy. "Yeah, I'm about a quarter mile up the road and I hit a (expletive) deer. I can't get out of the truck."
Great. So we pile into the car and go up the road to rescue Dad, who hates killing animals. Because "he has a right to live just like I do," it kind of bothered him to see the buck laying in the ditch.
Having hit one of these about a year ago - I wasn't sorry. They should learn to look both ways before crossing the highway, I mean, we put those signs up for them and everything! Just another example of giving an inch and taking a mile, but I digress.
When the damage was surveyed to the pickup, I didn't feel so bad for the deer in the ditch. He did a number on the ol' Chevrolet. So, the green machine is back in business until the truck gets fixed, or hopefully totaled.
Once we got the deer fiasco handled we headed back home for the fashion show, because everybody has to look their best. At our house fashion shows are less show and more… “I look fat." "I don’t like that." Does this hang right?" "Oh my god, I look like a green grape," (another blog altogether).
Sis and I reviewed different choices for Mom and finally settled on something she could be happy with. Sis was over it before it even started and on the second to last outfit asked, "is the fashion show over, I'm about ready to drop."
As Saturday rolled around and we pulled into the parking stall in front of the church sis just said, "let the games begin."
Dad's response was to make a trumpeting noise, “doot doot doot dooo!”
Mom gets out of the car and her pant leg came up a little and she sighs and says, “sure girls, blue socks will look fine.” We all started to laugh. “They look neon.”
Dad is still in the back seat trumpeting in great fanfare…”doot doot doot doooo!”
There were photos, and more photos. It was like a regular Lifetouch session, but without the creeper telling you to “tilt your head toward me, now tip it down and turn your chin. Now say jellybeans!” The only downside is there is no retake day, so you’re stuck with what you got – and let’s just say it is what it is.
Once the extended family started pouring in it became a Guess Who game. You know you have a huge family when you don’t know who your family members are. By their looks you know they are related, but you have no idea how. That’s us. There is a lot of pointing and, inconspicuous whispering. “Who do they belong to?” and "Which famlily are they in?"
Then comes the open house. You people watch from the cake table and see people you grew up with, that are now well into their golden years. There are a few awkward hugs, but overall it’s a pretty good time. There is always at least one awkward moment. Ours came when an older lady was speaking to a cousin (we’re all cousins) the convo went something like this…
“Oh, hello,” the lady smiled.
“Hi, how are you,” cousin A said.
“Oh, I’m just wonderful, it’s such a beautiful day,” the lady smiled. “Now who do you belong to?”
“I’m so and so’s daughter,” cousin A answered.
“Oh, that’s right,” the lady said. “Oh and speaking of, I got such a nice Christmas card from your folks this year.”
Cousin A blinked a few times and smiled and nodded. And as the lady walked away Cousin A looked at Mom and kind of snickered. The funny part is, Cousin A’s mother and father have both been dead for at least 20 years.
In the grand scheme of things it was a great way to celebrate my Grandmother’s 80th birthday. The family was all together and that’s what is truly important. Oh, and she got us all to mass – and that was the biggest accomplishment.
No comments:
Post a Comment