The Greatest Generation

Happy Memorial day Veterans. Thank you all.

This weekend i stayed home and tried to get some more cleaning done. I did get the front windows cleaned inside and out and put the screens in. It took me all day. I was just so tired. Finished a book -and did not start a new one.

Spoke to family and got updates on my mother's brother, 83. He is very ill in the hospital. His children and grandchildren have all come in from their homes to support their mother and youngest sister. She and her family, still live in the hometown and have been wonderful thru out this whole illness. In fact, my cousin tells me, everyone has been so supportive. Especially their church friends. The family has lived in the same town for at over 40 years. Something to be said for small town USA. We are also worried for my aunt -who is fighting her stage four Ovarian cancer with chemo, every few of weeks. No fears of death, we are all strong in our faith. Just love for the family and saying goodbye.

I asked my mother ,79, if she wanted me to drive her up to see her brother and say good bye. My brother also offered to take off work and drive her up. My sister has no days off -or she would have offered also. But my mother said she wanted to remember her brother as she last saw him . I was a little shocked. She hadn't seen him since the memorial service for their youngest brother, Years ago. But it is her decision.

Their sister, age 85 June 3rd, does want to go up -but has broken her foot and is in a boot cast for four more weeks. She isnt driving anywhere -it is her right foot. She also cares for her husband, also 85.

Except for my Uncle's wife and my mother -all of them were WW II Vets. My Uncles the Army, my Dad and Aunt the Navy. My mother's dance school used to dance for the boys in VA hospitals. She said she still has nightmares about all the young boys so maimed from the war. I guess she can say goodbye -however she wants.

Their generation is pretty tough.

But so is mine.

Graduation Weekend!!!!

I haven't written in a while -so say some fans(?) -but my life is , well -sort of boring. My cousin and her daughter are coming in June for three days -my house is a disaster -i have given fair warning and they still want to come and visit. Go figure.

My niece Rachel, graduated from college on Saturday, YEA. Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, Pa. I rode up with my brother and sister in law and after the graduation and informal reception (very nice finger food and beverages) WE proceeded to empty her dorm
room.

Well, actually, my sis in law and niece did and my brother carried boxes up and down the stairs. Her roommate , also a senior, was also moving out and her parents were there helping. It was way to crowed for me. I waited at the bottom of the steps -on door duty.

My brother had brought a dolly that folded into a cart. The first load he pushed. The next load I pushed -alone- it seemed difficult -but I kept pushing . Got to the parking lot curb and two of the layers of boxes fell off. Disgusted with my stupidity and weakness, I refused the help of college students standing around and loaded up the boxes back on the cart. I then proceeded to dump them again. This time the college males no longer listened to my refusals and reloaded the cart. By this time my brother came back to me -having loaded the boxes he carried in his car. He gave me the 'LOOK' only a male can give a female and said 'i thought i showed you how to lift the cart over the curb?".

He had , I thought i could do it better. I was wrong.

Then my niece told me :"Aunt Robin , maybe you better guard the car". I hadn't planned it , honest, Tom Sawyer. I really did want to help.

Later we went out to dinner. Niece , Heather , living in Texas, the grandparents and my sister and husband, hadn't been able to make the graduation, but, my sister, was able to join us for dinner -along with my brother's mother in law. I was starting to feel the pain in my lower back. Yep, I hurt my back. I don't know how my brother did all those stairs and carried all the boxes. He even helped carry, Rachel's roommates' heavy computer ,down to her dad's car.

What a good man is my brother.

He knows how to lft carts over curbs, too!