Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Nysha]

23 hours ago, Barbie said:

 

    Just watched a youtube special about the Rayford family from UK..... 

 

they have 19 now.... I will never understand wanting this many kids... 

 

 

I wanted to have 13+ after reading "Cheaper by the Dozen", "A Room for One More", "The Patchwork Clan", and other books about large families as a teen. Then I married a man who couldn't have kids, so we adopted two sibling groups and went from zero to 5 in 18 months. After that, I didn't even want the kids to have sleepovers.

[Porkchop]

My mother-in-law was one of 18 live births (including one set of twins). The first 15 (FIFTEEN!) were girls! followed by three boys. We have a newspaper article that was written about her when she had ten little girls, with pictures of the barefoot darlings on the porch with their mother. Her husband had a large but not profitable farm, and she took the train into the city every day to her job in a factory. Talk about having it all! When the 18th baby arrived, she took him and left town, never to return. (It's funny to think that, nowadays, the newspaper article/pictures would probably have gotten her an agent and a book deal, an appearance on Ellen, maybe a show of her own .... how times change!)

[Love2dance]

4 hours ago, Porkchop said:

My mother-in-law was one of 18 live births (including one set of twins). The first 15 (FIFTEEN!) were girls! followed by three boys. We have a newspaper article that was written about her when she had ten little girls, with pictures of the barefoot darlings on the porch with their mother. Her husband had a large but not profitable farm, and she took the train into the city every day to her job in a factory. Talk about having it all! When the 18th baby arrived, she took him and left town, never to return. (It's funny to think that, nowadays, the newspaper article/pictures would probably have gotten her an agent and a book deal, an appearance on Ellen, maybe a show of her own .... how times change!)

Oh my gosh....I would be interested in reading what happened to the family left at home as well as the runaway mom and baby.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Love2dance
Grammar, baby!

[Arwen Evenstar]

Houston luckily dodged the bullet, but there were a lot of problems in NE Texas and Louisiana.  It looked even worse after it left that area.  Hope everyone in the path is ok.

[bigskygirl]

I am going in for bone density test on 4/27. I am feeling better, but the cold makes me ache all over. The two acid reflux medications can cause possible osteoporosis/bone loss. I also have back and neck issues not helping. I am feeling better, but like I said, the cold and/or heat do not help. It also does not help when my allergies act up because everything else kicks in. I do not think the aches and pain are thyroid related. I see the thyroid specialist and sleep specialist in June.

[Porkchop]

Love2dance ... I am old and this story is older, and there's no one left for me to find out more about it. It probably was about 1935 that the mother left. She never came back, but the boy baby, when grown, was back with the family. The father was left with children ranging in age from toddlers to twenties, with the 15 oldest being girls, so the big kids helped raise the little kids. When I came into this family, about 1960, I knew most of them as adults, and loved some of them with all my heart.

[Sew Sumi]

Friends in the Southeast and Ohio Valley, STAY SAFE!!!! It looks brutal out there today. ❤

[emma675]

Ugh, a guy texting and driving ran into the back of my car this week! He was just flying down the road and I only noticed him in my mirror right before he rammed into my car and sent me sailing across two lanes of traffic (luckily I didn't hit anyone else). I'm fine but the back end of my car is totally destroyed and the insurance estimates it will probably take two weeks to repair. I would get a new car but this one is paid off and I really enjoy not having car payments, lol! My insurance asked if I'd like to pay my deductible and get the repairs started and I was all "hell, no, I'm not paying a dime for any of this!". His car was an old Cadillac and is totaled, so this is going to be an expensive lesson for him.

[zoomama]

glad you are okay, emma. that must have been scary!

[Jynnan tonnix]

2 hours ago, emma675 said:

Ugh, a guy texting and driving ran into the back of my car this week! He was just flying down the road and I only noticed him in my mirror right before he rammed into my car and sent me sailing across two lanes of traffic (luckily I didn't hit anyone else). I'm fine but the back end of my car is totally destroyed and the insurance estimates it will probably take two weeks to repair. I would get a new car but this one is paid off and I really enjoy not having car payments, lol! My insurance asked if I'd like to pay my deductible and get the repairs started and I was all "hell, no, I'm not paying a dime for any of this!". His car was an old Cadillac and is totaled, so this is going to be an expensive lesson for him.

Wow! Thank goodness you are OK and that you didn't hit anyone else! For that, and the other guy hopefully learning a very valuable lesson, I was going to give your post a "like", except that I hate to sound happy about your having had to go through that. Scary, indeed!

[Love2dance]

@emma675, so very sorry about your car. But I am so glad you are ok, although I am sure very shook up. I can't believe your insurance asked you to pay the deductible. Oh, he%# no. And his insurance better give you a rental car, too!

[Aja]

You guys: I hope you will allow me a small indulgence on an overwhelming morning. 

Just want to say thank you--to all of you. No matter how extreme the highs and lows of my every day life, it has now been years that I can come into this space and forget about it all and laugh, share. I "know" many of you so well that I don't even have to look at your handle to know who is writing, I can tell just from the style. Without even knowing, you all have been a steady rock, a buoy in the storm, an immense comfort, always bringing the inhaler laughs (that's what I call it when I laugh so hard I need my inhaler) and the interesting points and the constructive discussions. 

I'm not doing badly right now or anything--these thoughts just occurred to me, so I thought I'd let them out, spread some goodness. :)

Thank you, Duggar Forum people. I just straight-up love you. No lie. Love. <3

Edited April 14, 2017 by Aja

[Love2dance]

@Aja, I feel the same, and even tho everyone doesn't post all the time, I think about you all and hope you are doing well. I worry sometimes when we don't hear from someone who usually checks in. This forum is a comfort, for sure.

[MunichNark]

Happy Easter to you all, if you celebrate it, and good vibes if you don't.

Agree with the sentiment, although I don't post that much, I do read every day and do send good digital vibes to those who feel the need of it.

[zoomama]

'What a wonderful Easter Day we've had celebrating the Risen Lord! We are so thankful that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. He restored a path between God and man and overcame the grave through His resurrection. We truly serve a living God, and because He lives we too can have an abundant and eternal life! Happy Easter from our family to yours!'

i snaked this from the dugger page on fb. why? because it is one post that i 100% agree with and can relate to. they sound normal here. i hope you all had a glorious day yourselves. 

[Happyfatchick]

On ‎3‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 9:00 AM, Jellybeans said:

Where is HFC?  

I'm here, catching up on this thread - I've missed you guys!  Nothing bad is happening, no one's sick, life is fine.  I mean, I'm trying to sell one house (you know, that whole "keeping it clean" thing is exhausting!) while ripping the guts out of another house (where dust and grit and little tiny bits of wood/electrical wire/insulation/etc make "clean" a very distant memory).  Packing, hauling and stuffing (literally STUFFING) things into Mama's little downsized castle.  So not much going on in my corner.  Oh, add to that THREE shows dumping orders on me back to back to back.  Oh, and "could you bring this one grand to a mandatory test 30 miles away and wait 2 hours for the test and bring her back?"  Or "could you keep this other grand (who's 16 months old) because I got a job..."  I don't want to sound as if I have issues with my grandchildren (I ADORE my grandchildren!), but I HAVE A JOB TOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!  My brother used to work from home, and he always said people have no respect for your time if you work from home.  He was right.  I love them, but they all think I'm superhuman with super powers and can get'er done!  [Side note: my DIL said the other day that she thought maybe she should have someone else keep her 16 mo while she's working, because she felt like she was inconveniencing me.  I truly think she was SHOCKED when I said, "OK"].   It's very late and I sound pissier than I really feel.  You people made me stay up late to get caught up!

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 6:17 AM, GeeGolly said:

Question - butter, maple syrup and Parmesan cheese; refrigerate after opening or not?

It is very late, I had to read this twice, as on the first trip, I thought you were giving a recipe. 

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 8:57 AM, Aja said:

You guys: I hope you will allow me a small indulgence on an overwhelming morning. 

Just want to say thank you--to all of you. No matter how extreme the highs and lows of my every day life, it has now been years that I can come into this space and forget about it all and laugh, share. I "know" many of you so well that I don't even have to look at your handle to know who is writing, I can tell just from the style. Without even knowing, you all have been a steady rock, a buoy in the storm, an immense comfort, always bringing the inhaler laughs (that's what I call it when I laugh so hard I need my inhaler) and the interesting points and the constructive discussions. 

I'm not doing badly right now or anything--these thoughts just occurred to me, so I thought I'd let them out, spread some goodness. :)

Thank you, Duggar Forum people. I just straight-up love you. No lie. Love. <3

AAAAAAAAJJJJAAAAAAA!!!!!  Me toooo!!!  I know EXACTLY what you mean.  There are people that make me snort out loud, people I feel I know like family, and people I instinctively look for that need a support system - MicksPicks, Arwen, that's you - and many many people I'd love to spend a Saturday with until it turns into a Saturday evening that includes Margaritas and table dancing. 

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 5:29 PM, Natalie68 said:

I don't post here often, more the other pages, but I read it pretty often and there have been posters a time or two that I have given the side eye to.  I think they are full of it but you never know.  I am always suspicious when someone ONLY posts to small talk.  But it could be that I have grown more suspicious as I have gotten older.  

Ah-hem.  That's me.  I do read (sometimes) the other threads, but I can probably count on one hand (and not use all the fingers) my posts on other threads in the last year or so.  I think the Duggars are all ridiculous and I'm not really interested in them at all any more.  But this particular thread has been an island for so so many of us that we just continue to roost here hoping everyone keeps dropping by to share.  [Or to pick up a blessing in our special season of life. Or something - - BTW, my mouth fell OPEN tonight when I clicked on some trails and saw Jinger wearing pants... and no WAY... SHORTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am embarrassed to admit how stupid thrilled I was to see that.  Get OUT!!!  I did NOT see Jinger breaking the Duggaloos Duggalaws.  I am still shocked (and tickled!)]

It's already a way overlong post (but hey, you guys made me stay up to read it so I'm sayin'...) and I'm way behind the other posts about this - but I was completely sucked in and under by WW when that was going on.  I've never actually been involved in a long, complicated bloggy type thing like this ever before.  Naïve - I mean, that's how we're built mostly, in my neck-o-the-woods, we tend to trust people until they give us a reason not to.  I felt completely sorry for WW.  Why would ANYONE take advantage of this whole basket full of mamas and grandmamas (and Kokapetl)?  Never occurred to me.  Until, well, you know.  GEML was not a fan of me, nor I of her.  She had so many wonky pieces in her story.  And she knew everything about EVERYTHING!  I couldn't help myself, I outed her a couple times when she gave bad information, and she didn't love me for that.  (Which is so sad:  what's not to love???  My ex-husband asked me that once).  The third - Seashell - somehow I missed that she was outed.  Is that right?  I just thought she disappeared.  WW burned me I guess - I never bought into Seashell's story.  All that to say, there are probably plenty of us who only post here, and plenty more who lurk but never post at all.

I went to a graveside funeral last Friday... but I'll save that story until later and its a good one.  Missed you guys!

[zoomama]

glad to see ya back, HFC.

[Jellybeans]

Good to see you HFC!  :-)

[Westiepeach]

Missed you, Happy!

[Barb23]

Welcome Back HFC!  Have been feeling a little under the weather with allergies this year & your post made my day.

[Love2dance]

@Happyfatchick, so glad to hear from you today and that all is well.  I need the distraction today and was so glad that Small Talk had a new post today, especially from you. I am in the ER with hubby waiting to have him admitted to the regular hospital.. We thought he might be having a stroke but maybe not. Fever and low sodium levels, whatever that means. And so we wait.

Thank goodness for the internet and all of you, and the Duggar threads.

[lookeyloo]

Welcome back HFC!!

16 minutes ago, Love2dance said:

@Happyfatchick, so glad to hear from you today and that all is well.  I need the distraction today and was so glad that Small Talk had a new post today, especially from you. I am in the ER with hubby waiting to have him admitted to the regular hospital.. We thought he might be having a stroke but maybe not. Fever and low sodium levels, whatever that means. And so we wait.

Thank goodness for the internet and all of you, and the Duggar threads.

Oh gosh @Love2dance - I know about that except it was a stroke the first time and recrudescence the second.  All seems okay now, thought.  sending positive healing thoughts your way.

[Love2dance]

Thank you, @lookeyloo. I appreciate it.

[Rabbittron]

Help me I am turning into a female Duggar. My company merged with another company and I had to buy business clothes. So I got a few long skirts and I bought them new but on clearance,?

[MargeGunderson]

1 hour ago, Rabbittron said:

Help me I am turning into a female Duggar. My company merged with another company and I had to buy business clothes. So I got a few long skirts and I bought them new but on clearance,?

Just don't wear them with flip flops or a mustard sweater and you should be okay.

@Love2dance, positive thoughts from me as well.

[Love2dance]

Thanks @MargeGunderson. We're still awaiting tests, but he is looking and doing better.

[lookeyloo]

Don't know if this is the right place, but I had a dream last night that I was at some kind of Duggar event in what looked like a small hotel meeting room.  Lots of Duggars. Jana was smiling mysteriously and had a wedding ring on and looked a little "fluffy" in the middle and was holding a baby.  No one addressed that.  I was milling about and later had the opportunity to talk to Jim Bob.  I came out and said "well it seems Jana has found herself a man, not a boy" and he hemmed and hawed and finally I said "I won't tell" and he smiled and went to shake my hand and then remembered I was "not his wife" so pulled back and tried to do a fist bump that missed.  And, then a very thin Josh walked in, wearing khaki pants and white shirt and Jim bob said "you are allowed to come in here".  And then I woke up thinking what the heck!!!!!!!  crazy stuff.

[AUgirl]

Y'all I'm helping my sister at her dance recital. It's hectic and crazy. The main idea is to keep the girls moving as quickly as possible. 

This one room mother constantly kept giving me attitude and just being a major uncooperative bitch. Then I see her shirt: Creation Museum. I suddenly understood a lot about what I was dealing with. 

Pray for me, send good vibes whatever because all I've dealt with for the last 4 days have been holier than thou hypocrites.  The things we do for family. 

My daughters baton routine to Grrst Balls of Fire does stand out nicely among all the worship and praise music. And her costume is cute not trashy but doesn't cover her from head to toe. Think modesty dance wear. 

[lookeyloo]

@AUgirl - sending tons of good vibes.  I've done that with granddaughter and she is in the midst of a competition today too. Lucky for me I am home across the country so don't get to "enjoy" all that backstage hoopla.  I hope your daughter's routines go great.

[Rabbittron]

Am I  seeing things? I was on the bus coming home from work and on the interstate I saw a converted school bus painted blue with pillows covering the windows and it had a Arkansas license plate. The bus was going to slow so my driver passed it i looked and the driver looked just like Blob and I  thought to myself what the hell are they in Colorado for.

[GeeGolly]

Anyone heard from @Arwen Evenstar?

[Sew Sumi]

Maybe she found a job? She has gone dark before when employed. 

[Happyfatchick]

Ok, here is my completely PC-incorrect funeral story (and I'm sticking to it).  I'm going to give honest descriptions of some family members and they really are sketchy, so read it with a grain of salt please.  My sister-in-law's father died recently and I attended the funeral - graveside service only.  My suspicion is he expected the gathering for his funeral would almost fit around the kitchen table - so a funeral pole tent ought to suffice with room to spare.  He was a crotchety, cranky old man (not true: I've known him 50 years and he's always been crotchety and cranky).  Good upstanding, honest man - just ornery.   Given his personality and his tendency to verbally shoot and get details later, it was a surprisingly sweet funeral.  His son conducted the service and did a marvelous job - tearing up occasionally which indicated he loved his dad, while admitting and joking about his orneriness.  It was 80 degrees, which is not hot, but no wind and no clouds.  Just the sun beating down on the tent and the few people standing.  The deceased was a Mason, and there was a small group of Masons there, standing near the casket wearing suits.  All roughly 106 years old.  80 degrees in the standing sun (while standing) is pretty hot. 

I saw one of them separate from the group and came around the back end of the tent.  I noticed he looked confused, and then clearly not well, and then... his legs buckled and he went down.  BOOM!  Several people darted over to him and were caring for him, so I stayed out of the way.  At one point, his arms and legs shot out and he looked like he might be having a seizure.  It took several minutes for him to come around but I thought he was going to be fine.  Meanwhile, a nurse standing near me had dialed 911 and was calmly whispering that this was a funeral actively in progress, but she wanted EMTs to come just check him out.  Please use discretion - don't use the sirens, etc.

In the interim, Betty (who is a big dawg at the funeral home we use in this area, and who is understandably well known and recognized) comes back to the commotion to see if she can assist in any way.  Betty may help run the funeral home, and she's quite capable, but Betty missed "funeral day voice" in mortuary school.  Betty's funeral whisper is ABOUT LIKE THIS!!!  She really does believe herself to be whispering, but her lungs are jet powered.  Nobody in the front of the tent turned around when Papa Mason keeled over, or when the nurse was making the call, or when people were flapping air and giving him water - but when Betty got involved, SEVERAL people turned their heads and gave her nasty looks - totally unaware of why she was talking during the funeral. 

I guess it was a slow news day in Henry County, because within 5 minutes, a honkin' red ladder firetruck comes blaring into the cemetary, lights and siren going full blast.  (I guess there's not a volume button, right?)  I don't even know where the firetruck parked, but the ambulance right behind it pulls up right NEXT to the tent.  Funeral still going on, meanwhile.  Speaker didn't skip a beat. 

Several young beefed up EMTs with all sorts of equipment jump out and rush to the obviously distressing very elderly man who's clearly embarrassed now that he's cooled down some.  Picture it:  very young rushing up to save very old.  With the funeral still in progress, one of them kneels by his chair and shouts "I'M DWAYNE FROM THE HENRY COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.  I'M AN EMT AND I'M HERE TO HELP YOU.  CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?"  (Betty was absent on "funeral day voice" lecture day, but Dee-Wayne - with the Henry County Fire department - was ABSOLUTELY there and taking notes on "speaking to OLD PEOPLE" lecture day).

And the funeral continues on.

And here (as promised) we go all Politically Incorrect.

My niece, Sandra, was there (the deceased being her mother's dad).  Sandra weighs... well, let's just say she weighs A WHOLE LOT but fancies herself to be most attractive in very tight, very short hooker attire (preferably with sequins).  She has lots of tats, wears dark (almost black) lipstick, has a tongue ring (I don't even WANT to know what else is pierced).  She thinks she's cutting edge - and I guess she is, considering she is the daughter of my brother, who is the brand of Independent Holiness Baptist who gives my slightly heathenistic, uncaring, wildly partying, drinking, carousing, cheating, belching Southern Baptists a bad name.  They don't wear pants but DO wear lots of makeup, and they DO tend to be a little condescending to the rest of the family (due to their higher standing with God, I expect).  And to this union, SANDRA was born.  (Which brings a deliciously wicked smile to my face every time I consider God's sense of humor when that birth happened.)  Every day is a fun, new story about Sandra - who, thankfully, had a tempering effect on the whole holier-than-thou thing.  Sandra is very proud WT.  WT, loud, tacky and proud.  I mean, that's what WE call it, at my house.  Sandra has "presence", to put it mildly.  She is entertaining, I'll give her that.  Her husbands name is "B".  Everybody calls him B; his given name is William.  B is not a smart man.  He's a GOOD man, but he's not smart.  We say at my house (because we're mean as piss) that B is a Ball.  He really is.  He stands about 5'2 on a tall day, but he's completely round.  With a little round ball on top for a head.  I'm going to put B around 400 and I'm dead serious.  B can't hold a job, although he really does try.  Sandra can't work either - but she just doesn't want to.  B is a sweet man, he's just sort of out-maneuvered.  B's job at this funeral was to video the speakers.  He took his job seriously, planted himself in a spot near the end of the casket and stood in the sun with his eyes glued to a video camera.

Back to the funeral. 

About the time Dee-Wayne is yelling in the face of our 109 year old Mason, I see Sandra barreling around the end of the tent pointing and yelling "Y'all, we got another one over here!!!  HEY!  Y'ALL!!  WE GOT ANOTHER ONE OVER HERE!!!"  (Sandra ADORES a good drama).

I followed her finger pointing, and B was keeling over backwards in slo mo.  He just started to list to the rear and down he went.  Thankfully, the man standing behind him realized at some point that B was falling over backwards and managed to steer him into a chair somehow.   And now, of course, half the EMTs run jingling over with all their equipment and radios to make sure B is ok as well. 

Funeral has gone on to this point, with few people even looking around to see about the commotion (except for Betty...).  Amazingly, it had proceeded.  But now, Dennis (the son) says "We had originally planned a nice ending for this service, but I gotta tell you, we can't compete anymore.  I give up.  I can hear my dad's voice in my ear saying "Shut this thing down and get those people out of there!"  And so we were dismissed.

B never NEVER let that camera down from his face.  By the time he was caught and seated, the camera was pointing at the sky, but he never once let go of that thing.  Poor guy - my other brother (who is the only person I know more sarcastic than myself, and who is also a somewhat mediocre Southern Baptist) observed:  If B had hit the ground, he woulda rolled all the way to the Dairy Queen in town.

* * * * * * *

Love2, I'm sorry to hear about your husbands issues lately.  That's some scary junk.  We're getting to the age where we can EASILY name off people who have had medical issues because they are COMMON.  Remember when we used to tell those stories of someone having a stroke - or any medical typically age related problem - and think they were soooooooooooo OLD.  I even remember thinking "well, she's lived a long time and had a good life, she's probably ready to go".  What a stupid, selfish brat I was. 

Lookey, how's your husband?  Must be better if you're traveling again.  Did I read that right?

[lookeyloo]

@Happyfatchick - great story as usual. A funeral to remember. My lookey is doing okay. He still can't say the letter "s" consistently correctly and says he is saying it because that's the way he hears it. I'm going to video him talking when we are both in the mood for it.  Had a good cardiology appointment and is back to doing everything he did before. Except saying the letter "s". Stroke center appointment beginningof June. 

[emma675]

HFC, I swear, you better write a book one day. I about keeled over reading your funeral story, lol!

I have one funny funeral story--my grandmother was being buried and we, too, had a graveside only service. My grandmother's elderly twin cousins came. These are women who are identical twins, have dressed alike their whole lives, had the same hair cut and everything; the only way I can tell them apart is that one wears glasses and the other doesn't. They got married within months of each other and lived next door to each other and when one twin's husband came out of the closet and then divorced her, she moved in with the twin sister and her husband. Long story short, they're a little nuts.

For some reason, one of the twins decided a graveside service was the perfect opportunity to snap a few family photos. Her camera was, I kid you not, one of those super old ones with the flash cubes, so there was no way to zoom in or out. Twin kept backing up, trying to get a bunch of people in one shot, and out of the corner of my eye I see one of the funeral home employees start running towards her at full speed. Turns out she was inches away from falling into an open grave (they were having a later service near my grandmother's grave). Twin starts yelling and flapping her arms, thinking the guy was trying to assault her (because that would happen in the middle of a cemetery, in front of dozens of people, in broad daylight), and causes such a scene that her husband decides it's time for them to leave and bundles her off to the car. All of this happened at the end of the service when people were trying to leave quietly.

[Love2dance]

23 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

Love2, I'm sorry to hear about your husbands issues lately.  That's some scary junk.  We're getting to the age where we can EASILY name off people who have had medical issues because they are COMMON.  Remember when we used to tell those stories of someone having a stroke - or any medical typically age related problem - and think they were soooooooooooo OLD.  I even remember thinking "well, she's lived a long time and had a good life, she's probably ready to go".  What a stupid, selfish brat I was. 

Lookey, how's your husband?  Must be better if you're traveling again.  Did I read that right?

 

19 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

@Happyfatchick - great story as usual. A funeral to remember. My lookey is doing okay. He still can't say the letter "s" consistently correctly and says he is saying it because that's the way he hears it. I'm going to video him talking when we are both in the mood for it.  Had a good cardiology appointment and is back to doing everything he did before. Except saying the letter "s". Stroke center appointment beginningof June. 

Thanks, Happy, for your great funeral story and and understanding about getting older and dealing with it. Lookeyloo, I'm right there with you dealing with husband's health issues, and I'm sending you wishes for your husband's continuing healing.

it looks like my hubby needs a new mitral valve to replace the one he got 13 years ago. We find out tomorrow how soon that will happen. 

[Barb23]

Love the funeral stories. I'll share mine & sorry if its a repeat but I still get a chuckle out of it.  I happen to share the same first name of my husband's grandmother who had recently died.  Same last name too as she was my husband's paternal grandmother.  I was ordering the funeral flowers over the phone. I explained having the same name as my husband's deceased grandmother when I started the call so as not to confuse anything.  When the sales girl got to the credit card info, I once again explained about having same name.  Somehow all my explanations went right over her head because after giving her my name, she answered back with "oh, you are using her credit card!"  

Regarding the aging health issues.  My husband says it's getting bad when he plays golf with a friend he's known for years.  They used to discuss sports, current events, jobs, etc.  Now they compare blood pressure medicines & their current medical procedures. 

[bigskygirl]

My husband told me his one sister would have caused a scene at his mother's funeral if I went to the funeral. Really...Cause a scene at your mother's funeral. Talk about klassy with a capital K.

Today is the thirteenth anniversary of my husband's kidney transplant. A big thank you to the medical team who saved his life and kept him well so he was able to get a new kidney. And a big hug and a major thank you to his donor Krista and her family. Her mother put aside her grief and pain and let her daughter's organs be donated. Krista may be not be here, but she is will always be here with us. A special angel among us.

[Happyfatchick]

I LOVE a good funeral/wedding story; sometimes they are one-and-the-same.

My all time fave is best told by my oldest son, but I'll try to do it justice.

My ex (my baby daddy) has a brother who just never quite found his feet as an adult. He has spent more of his adult life in jail than out - he's a drunk who likes to drive while intoxicated.  Its such a habit, in fact, that he's done hard time in a state facility.  He has been "invited" to live somewhere other than georgia for the rest of his life, and if he gets caught here, he'll go back to prison for good.  He's a big hearted, sensitive, loving, kind  man - but he has issues.  I should mention here that he has a very deep, booming voice - they ALL do, even the sister.    Hes a year younger than me, we grew up together. I'll say this, he was the CUTEST child ever.  Angelic face, sweet aura.  He was a doll.   NOw his face is all wrinkled, he has no teeth and could easily be 70, going by looks.   Somehow he (Greg) found a wife, brenda (commonlaw because he never divorced the predecessor) and they lived together, both drunk, for years.  Brenda went to jail once for less than a year, and Greg managed to get another girl pg while she was gone.  Brenda gets out, Greg's sister hands her the baby and Brenda took this challenge and raised him like her own until she died in a car accident.  She was drunk.  (She was a good mama, from what I hear - the child adored her.)

So Brenda's funeral: Greg's siblings scoured his house for drugs and/or alcohol because he needed to be sober for a couple days.  They didn't find the stash.  Greg shows for the visitation ritual smashed, and hides the whole time.  The day of the funeral, he shows up in a T-shirt and jeans. Work boots.  Drunk and/or stoned.  His sister is horrified and in the process of screaming for him to GO HOME AND CHANGE CLOTHES!!!!!, she says "wheres Jesse?". Greg had accidentally left his kid home.

Eventually, when he gets home and comes back (a few swallows stronger, and with Jesse), the funeral begins.  The officiator was  doing his thing, its very quiet except for sniffles, when suddenly a cell phone is ringing.  Greg, the toasted widower leans forward and says HELLO?  (With his deep booming voice)   Everyone shifts a little, looking uncomfortable, and THEN Greg booms out " yeah, take 85 to next week exit and turn right.  Its about 10 miles out here and you turn right right on Willow.  You got GPS on your phone?" (Pause) "Aight, call me back if you caint find it. Love ya".  It was another son from a different mother.  

The crowd is stunned.  The officiator is stunned.  My grown ADULT children (with kids of their own), have the church giggles.   Funeral begins again and settles down.  In just a few, though, the back door bangs open.  Both of greg's older children come in, one with a girlfriend carrying a baby (bags and paraphernalia).  They stand in the aisle looking around for seats, until Greg's sister STANDS UP, waving her arms, and booms out " up here!  Y'all come up here, with family!"

I'm quite sure every reader knows a Greg (or IS a Greg) and can easily envision the offspring.  I'm equally sure the officiator went home and got drunk himself, poor guy.

There was also the time i attended the funeral of an elderly woman deep in the swamps of this Florida panhandle - someone clumped out onto the stage before th service and called out "hey, y'all... Can inybody out here pay the pee-ana???". Truth.

[lookeyloo]

10 hours ago, Love2dance said:

 

Thanks, Happy, for your great funeral story and and understanding about getting older and dealing with it. Lookeyloo, I'm right there with you dealing with husband's health issues, and I'm sending you wishes for your husband's continuing healing.

it looks like my hubby needs a new mitral valve to replace the one he got 13 years ago. We find out tomorrow how soon that will happen. 

@Love2dance Hoping the surgery goes well and he has an uneventful recovery.  Sending positive vibes and please keep us posted.

[Arwen Evenstar]

On 4/25/2017 at 5:02 PM, GeeGolly said:

Anyone heard from @Arwen Evenstar?

Hi you guys. Sorry so long, but I've been very sick and not able to be online. Long story short: was diagnosed with a late stage ovarian malignancy. 

Medical team is hopeful I can beat it. God may have other plans (I never presume). Treatment involves 3 chemo. If scans show chemo is working, then I might have surgery (if gyn onc thinks he can remove it without making me worse) and then 3 more chemo.

Will be lurking more than snarking as I need to be sure my affairs are in order in case I can't be helped.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and thoughts.

Mr E has been my angel.

[wilsie]

Arwen Evenstar, I don't post often but I just wanted you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers for your strength and healing.  I'm so glad you have your husband with you for love and support.  Prayers/good thoughts for any one who will make decisions regarding your care.  And for you and your husband's peace of mind.

[lookeyloo]

@Arwen Evenstar - sending you every strong, positive, and healing thought and vibe that is possible through the inter webs.  I am going to go with the thought that the chemo will work, the surgery will work and the next three chemos will do in the issue for good.  So glad you have Mr. E there too.

Edited April 30, 2017 by lookeyloo

[Absolom]

I'm so sorry to hear that.  All the best that the chemo is successful.

[ozziemom]

Also don't post too much but I have missed @Arwen Evenstar too. Many prayers and positive thoughts to you and Mr. E, you both sound like strong people.

[Sew Sumi]

@Arwen Evenstar So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Sending healing vibes and discernment for your medical team for the best possible care. 

[Westiepeach]

@ARWEN EVENSTAR I have missed you. I will be thinking of you during this time. Lots of full frontal hugs sent to you!

[ginger90]

Good thoughts going out to you, and Mr. E.

[emma675]

Arwen Evenstar, I'm just stunned. I'm sending prayers, healing thoughts, positive vibes, anything and everything I can through the ether for you and Mr. E.

[GeeGolly]

3 hours ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

Hi you guys. Sorry so long, but I've been very sick and not able to be online. Long story short: was diagnosed with a late stage ovarian malignancy. 

Medical team is hopeful I can beat it. God may have other plans (I never presume). Treatment involves 3 chemo. If scans show chemo is working, then I might have surgery (if gyn onc thinks he can remove it without making me worse) and then 3 more chemo.

Will be lurking more than snarking as I need to be sure my affairs are in order in case I can't be helped.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and thoughts.

Mr E has been my angel.

Holy yikes. I hope all goes with the chemo and scan. My warmest thoughts of healing coming your way. Stay strong, fight that cancer with all you got. I'm imagining the chemo beating the shit out of it right now. We are with you in spirit Arwen. Love to you and Mr E.