The Raging Tech

Grandma’s Getting Married!

A lot of posts today, I know, but lots of important news and things to share, thoughts on my mind. An important couple of things:

• Mom went on a date last Friday night. I was slightly weirded out, but I’m okay. Apparently he was a gentleman and treated her well.
• My grandma (my deceased father’s mom) has been dating as well, and as I think I have stated before, is getting married! I found out this weekend the date has been set for November 15th. I’m taking the day off (Friday) before the wedding, and going home to my mom’s. My grandma has asked me to give her away, so I’m going to do that for her.

It hit me when my mom told me my grandma asked if I’d do it, I’m the oldest living male on my father’s side of the family. She’s lost her brother, husband, and two sons in the last 5 or so years. She’s been so depressed, and then suddenly when this man came into her life, she has pepped right back up and is happy as we’ve never seen her.

So, yeah - I definitely said I’d be honored to give her away. Heck, Mom’s been trying to give her away for years. I kid, I kid.

I’m Freakin’ Nostradamas Over Here

So, a little while ago I posted about how it might be okay if and when my mom started to date again, and lo and behold, she’s going on a date on Friday night. That’s so weird to say. I called her up because I was suspicious based on her Facebook status messages, and this guy (we’ll call him “Chris” for anonymity’s sake) left her some messages on her Facebook wall. They went to high school together, and he recently had the gastric bypass surgery just like my mom did last year. He called her “Good Lookin!” on one of his messages to her on her Facebook wall. I figured something was going on, so I called.

Mom said that she had a date on Friday, and she told me that they had been talking on the phone and chatting online and all that nonsense. I told her he better treat her nice or I’ll cut something off, depending on how much he needed to suffer. I also warned her not to put out on the first date, and to carry some mace or pepper-spray with her.

She was all “but I knew him from high school,” and I said “Yeah, and that was years ago. Plenty of time for someone to become a complete creep or a psycho killer.” But she asked if she had my blessing. I said “Not really, no, but I’ll probably be okay with it. Have fun.” Told her I loved her and then we hung up.

My mom’s going on a date. With some guy. My dad is dead. He’d want her to be happy. It just brings back memories of all the times Dad got mad at her because he was jealous of one of her guy friends talking to her. He swore up and down she was cheating on him, but to my knowledge he was just being crazy. Ah, Dad. I miss him. I hope my mom stays happy, and I hope she doesn’t get hurt. Otherwise I’m going to have to curb-stomp someone, and I really was hoping to make it through life without a criminal record.

Apparently my sister wasn’t okay with all of this at first, but Mom says she’s coming around. I’m not kidding, I swear to everything holy that if something bad happens to her, I’m driving the five hours home to make sure Mom is okay, and then driving the hour and 45 minutes to this guy and hunting him down and torturing him Guantanamo-style before throwing him in my trunk and dumping him in a field. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned………’s son.

An Entirely Cool Labor Day Blog

*Disclaimer: “Entirely Cool” is based on my opinion only. Author assumes no responsibility for whether or not you give a crap.

Friday evening started off my 4-day Labor Day weekend (I took an extra day off, today, to get my furniture and some other stuff done). We went to Huddle House and then over to Marq & Melissa’s for game night, which was lots of fun as usual.

I had presumed incorrectly that my mom and sister were going to arrive late Saturday evening, and that I’d have all day to clean. Instead what happened was that my mom and sister showed up around 2pm, about an hour after I woke up and was just getting out of the shower.

So, the great family that they are, they started cleaning my house for me. Mom went into busy mode and started cleaning my kitchen, and my sister cleaned the room she is staying in. Later, we went and ate food at Backyard Burgers, then got some supplies at the dollar store and Food Lion.

Sunday morning, we all went to church, which was nice. I let some people know I’d moved away to a nearby city, since apparently I’d forgotten to tell them. After church, we went to a pub for lunch. Then we went to Lowe’s and picked up some paint and supplies, and came home to relax. Mom started taping off the “accent wall” she was going to paint a different color than the other walls.

Monday morning, we went to Lowes again, picked up a step ladder, more supplies, I got a Troy-Bilt 190cc Self-Propelled Lawnmower. We came home, and got to work painting. My sister had my new Char-Broil propane grill almost completely put together. I threw our steaks into some secret-recipe marinade (hint: it includes Black Cherry Cruzan rum!) and let them start marinating. Mom had bought some neat cat toys for Chairman Meow, including a cat nip mouse she’s crazy about, a kitty play center thing, a scratchy strip thing, and a kitty scratching post.

Most of Monday was spent painting, it took a lot longer than we thought. Thankfully, there were no significant paint fumes. After painting, we were able to have some company. My friend Aron and his new wife Amy came over and I grilled the steaks out on my new grill. They turned out delicious! After dinner we played Chicken Foot for about 13 rounds and then said goodnight.

This morning, I woke up and ate a quick breakfast, then my sister and I moved both the heavy sleeper love seat and heavy sleeper couch out to the road side. Then, I moved on to mowing the lawn with my new mower while Mom and Sis went to town. While they were gone, and I was about halfway done, the furniture delivery guys showed up with my new love seat and couch, both of which are completely comfy and completely reclinable! I didn’t buy the wedge that makes it a sectional, because I sat in it, and it’s not all that comfortable.

I finished mowing the lawn, took a shower, and relaxed in my new furniture. We watched some TV and then Mom took us to Anthony’s for some pizza, then we stopped at the hardware store on the corner for some Mayfield hand-dipped ice cream.

Now we’re back at the house again, and I keep looking around at my living room and thinking about how cool my house was, and how much cooler it’s getting, and how much potential it still has for awesomeness. I’m pretty thankful. Pictures to come later.

The Saddest Facebook News Feed Item… Ever.

This afternoon I logged on to Facebook, and I saw my Mom had made a change to her Facebook Profile. She updated her relationship status. My dad passed away in June, for those of you just tuning in.

I’m not making a comment on my Mom or the fact that she changed it. I have no issue at all. It was just one of those weird moments that when I read it I was like “Aw, I’m going to cry. Mom changed her relationship status on Facebook.” It was one of those rediculously surreal moments - and at the same time snaps you back to that reality that Dad’s really gone on to Heaven.

What if Mom starts dating again? I mean, I’m not against the idea. I just wonder if my protective instinct will allow me to be accepting of her being romantically interested in someone besides my father. Probably will. I’m a pretty understanding guy, and I want Mom to be happy.

Family Night Tonight

The family night for my dad’s passing is tonight. We’re having “Family Night” in lieu of a viewing, since Dad’s being cremated. We are borrowing an urn, since Dad is being shipped off to the crematory in a city near the beach and won’t be back until Thursday.

We were in the funeral home again today, which made me think I might cry, but I didn’t. We setup the pictures of dad, saw some of the flowers that had been sent already, and set out some of Dad’s Hot Wheels toy car collection and clown collection. Ironically, one of the funeral home workers is scared of clowns.

We picked out the urn to borrow - Mom originally selected an understated one with a bird on it, and I said “Mom, we’re not paying for it. We’re not even buying it. We’re borrowing it. If we can borrow any one of them, let’s borrow the most expensive one.” So we did. We picked up a really beautiful urn that was cast bronze and blue something or other, very ornate and heavy.

So far there are already three sets of flowers, and we’ve gotten lots of sympathy cards, text messages, e-mails, Facebook Messages and Wall Posts, MySpace messages,  blog comments, and in-home visitations. It’s always comforting to know people care, especially when you feel like falling down in a time like this.

The song “Let It Be,” the version from the Across the Universe soundtrack, makes me cry. Almost every time I play it. Dad likes the Beatles, so we’re going to play them tonight at family night. I’ve only got “Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Across the Universe” on CD here at my mom’s house, so that’s what we’re going to use.

Dad Went Home to Jesus Today

This morning we got up, knowing that at just about any time, we could get a phone call saying dad had passed. Mom took me to McDonald’s and we had breakfast with Grandma. We went on to church, and had morning services at 8am. After services, I went on to Sunday School, but I was only there for about ten minutes.

Mom and grandma came to the door of the classroom and waved me on. I thought for sure dad had already passed, but they told me the nursing home called and wanted us to get over there quickly. We left church and went straight over, called my sister on the way there since she lives farther away.

We all got a chance to talk at him (he’s been unresponsive since at least Thursday) and I leaned over him and said “Alright old man, this is your last chance - do you want me to get you a stripper?” and he very distinguishably said “No” and shook his head slightly. I told him I loved him and was glad he was my dad, and that he was the best dad a guy could have asked for. I hugged him, and my sister showed up shortly after. She hugged on him and rubbed his head for a few minutes.

A nurse came in and checked him, and then while I was under the impression that he was being changed we left the room, and they called over the loud speaker for attention to that room, and then several people rushed in and out, and Mom called us in there. As soon as I saw him I broke down. You cannot, cannot prepare yourself for that kind of a blow.

Dad passed away and went on to be in Heaven with Jesus at 10:56 a.m. today, Sunday June 8th, 2008. He is whole-bodied, healthy, and walking and talking with Jesus now. I know it will hurt for some time, and I’ll miss him, but I can’t help but be happy for him that now he can truly rest and be at peace and not hurt anymore.

I know I should be grieving instead of blogging, but I know each person grieves / mourns differently. I have been crying off and on since this morning. This is how I am dealing with it. I’ve got to write Dad’s eulogy still, I’ll work on it today and tomorrow. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts during this time.