Life, Death, and....stupid people?

It's been an interesting week. Quite interesting. While I've been busy posting my various ramblings regarding AC last weekend, life has moved right along. I'll go in the order of the title to fill you in on my week.

We (the wife, kids, and I) spent yesterday at Huntsville Hospital. OK, follow this now. Misty's mother dies when Misty was 19. Her Dad has not been around since about 1985. After her mother died a couple from her church sort of took her in. They instantly became surrogate parents. Now they are for all intents and purposes our kids' other set of grandparents. Papa and Nan. Yesterday, Papa had bypass surgery. This was very sudden. He went for tests Monday evening and was told Tuesday that he needed bypass surgery. Was ambulanced to HH (he didn't want to have it done in Florence) had tests Wednesday and double bypass surgery yesterday. This was quite a shock. He has always been active. Plays tennis every weekend. Is not over-weight. He is literally the last person you would expect to have a 70% blockage of the main artery to the heart.

The surgery went great! No problems at all. He was taken off of the breathing machine about 4 hours earlier than they anticipated. Now he just has to recover. I'm sure it'll take some time.

Tuesday I found out that one of my grandmother's best friends passed away. (Jill, do you remember Edith Chard?) She had not been well for a couple of years. Alzheimer's, etc. She was 96 years-old. I loved Ms. Chard. So I agreed to go with my dad to take my grandmother to the funeral.

I think I've said this here before, but it bears repeating. I hate funerals. I don't do well. I'm an emotion hider. I don't emote. Funerals are my biggest challenge. (Especially now that AT&T stopped showing those sappy "calling home" commercials.) I don't like seeing other people sad. And it's not because I'm empathetic. No, it's much more selfish than that.

Right after we got there Ms. Chard's son came over sobbing and hugged my dad and I. He thanked us for bringing Nennie (my grandmother). I watched a tear fall from his face to the floor. That almost did me in. The funeral was nice. Perhaps a little longer than necessary. Afterward, I watched countless people from my old church stop by to speak to Nennie. She still goes to church when someone can take her but not often, so they don't get to see her much.

As I watched people file past I had the same thought I always have at funerals. This will be us soon. I hate that thought! I cannot face that my grandparents (and parents for that matter) will not live forever. And I can't be around my grandmother without thinking about how cruel old age is. Her mind is as sharp as ever, but her body is breaking down.

Enough of that! On to the stupid people!!!

I am tired of dealing with stupid people! Contractors, renters, suppliers. All of them. I've dealt with stupid whiny idiots all week. "You need to start trim out." (But these units aren't ready for trim out.) "I want my apartment painted." (We painted it before you moved in February.) "I'll have to call and find out when that will be delivered." (He told me that about 7 straight days!) Stupid, whiny, idiotic, rabble-rousers.

OK, that's over. Now a little miscellany: I'm excited about the music this week. It should be good. Which reminds me, I need to listen to that song and learn the melody. Last week was goofy. We had hiccup after hiccup. (Probably because I made that comment about ClearBranch's band.) It was still fun though. That afternoon we had some family pictures made at my parents’ house. There was drama involved, but I tried to stay out of it. We've never done a real picture of the whole family. I'm anxious to see the proofs. I've gained over 15 pounds in the last year and a half (most of it over the last 6 months or so). That sucks. A lot. I need more discipline when it comes to exercise. And by more I mean some; any amount would be more than I have now.