sweasel.com

That milestone for me was last August for my father. Was a long time before I stopped reaching for the phone to call him about something he would have enjoyed.

Sounds like your relationship with her was pretty good. I got a kick out of the snakes in the can. Sounds like something dad would have done if he’d known it was coming.

Heh. Mamas know best. And their chirren well.

A very nice tribute, Ms. Weasel. Touched my heart at least.

May she rest in abundant peace.

That was a lovely post, Weas.

I’m taking care of my father right now. Thank you for this.

Stashiu3 – I took care of Mom for 6 years (Alzheimer’s). You have my understanding and sympathy. I hope you have someone to give you a ‘break’ regularly. I couldn’t have done it without Sis.

Weaz – your Mom was a prankster. If I knew I was going soon, I’d fuck with everyone I know big-time, just as a matter of principle. Hey! It’s a gift!

She was pretty pissed off about this (she was only 68), so there was a definite hard edge to her pranking. But, yeah. I’d hear her say things on the phone like, “no, I’m sorry. I don’t want to buy a magazine subscription. I’m dying of cancer.”

Alzheimer’s is the reverse: the long, slow loss of someone as a person. Oof. Horrible. My grandmother went with Alzheimer’s.

Mortality is the shits.

Oh, hey, this is a great one. Don’t know if it’s true. Probably not. Did you hear about the man who left a wooden box behind in his will? His instructions were that his family was to gather together outside someplace, build a bonfire and burn the box on it. Under no circumstances were they to open the box beforehand, under pain of disinheritance.

The box contained a fireworks display.

That man is now my Hero of the moment, Weaz! But I still like your mom’s prank. I may shamelessly copy it.

I’ve already told my friends and heirs that I want a real Irish wake, with all the booze and opiates they can consume.

She seemed like a real character. That photo says a lot.
Nice obituary, Weas.

It’s the little purse and the white gloves that makes the shot. You can dress a weasel up, but you can’t make her a lady.

NOMB – but where was that photo taken? Looks like a surgery or dentist’s room to me. Or a research lab.

Were you a clone, Weaz? The result of some nefarious experiment gone awry?

It looks like a ship to me. But I think it’s a boiler room.

Hm. To clarify. I nearly joined Mother on the Other Side ten years ago because she almost scared me into a massive coronary event with that stupid snake in a can.

Re-reading it, it almost sounded like I was suicidal.

A very sweet tribute, S. Your mom was a hoot.

because she almost scared me into a massive coronary event with that stupid snake in a can.

Yep, that is how I read it.

I worked with a ‘goosey’ woman. There were a few people that loved to sneak up on her just to watch her crap her pants. It was very annoying. I wanted to beat each one of them. There is only so many times of hearing shrieks, squeaks, items bouncing off the floor, and the resulting goofy guffaws, that a person can take.

because she almost scared me into a massive coronary event with that stupid snake in a can.

That’s how I read it too.

Your mom sounds like a blast. I can see where you got your brilliant sense of humor.

Me too.

I like the way she’s wearing (what appears to be) her Sunday Best whilst in that boiler room/ship’s galley whatever. You just know the story behind that photo is going to be interesting.

By the way, I use Firefox (v2.0.0.13) and I’ve only got two things saved as bookmarks; the system summary and the management page for my router. And the funny thing is that the icon by the system summary has somehow got saved as the weasel icon that appears in the address bar when you load this site. Weird huh?

As I’ve said Weas, I think your mom sounds like a real hoot. I’m sorry for your loss – last month mom didn’t go the same way your mom did, but facing the horrors ahead of her chose to force the issue and cash in her chips early. Didn’t quite work like she planned but fate is not without a sense of irony.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it sucks regardless, it’s surreal, and even four weeks later stuff just jumps you… Like when you realize “You know, I’m never going to tell her a rotten joke or kid her about voting democrat again.”

It’s good to remember the good times and not let the hard stuff overshadow it completely. It’s not fair to their memory if we forget the good times – I think you’re doing right by your mom this way.

First girl I ever brought home for dinner with my folks, my mother chirps brightly “Hey, who wants to see me to do a double back flip?” I’m thinking “Oh God, no mom” but have no idea what she’s up to. She gets out of her chair, pushes dad’s aside, paces off three steps a couple of times, and then as if she were doing a high dive, took three strides away from us, whirled around facing us and flipped us the bird with both hands.

Me: Oh God, mom… (wishing I could die and about 3 inches tall)

But it’s later you go – Hey, that was what made her unique and special. Like when she hung a rubber chicken on my IV pole in the hospital (mill accident)

So, oh yeah, keep thinking about those things! Keep a-sharin’ them too.

You look like her.

Made me tear up, damn you. I know that I will be the one taking care of my mother’s final “stuff,” and it FREAKS me out just thinking about it.

Heh heh. You’re just emotional because you’re moving.

I know how that goes. I’ve been moving since SEPTEMBER.

Best darned obituary ever. Full of love and humor and weasely goodness.

Thank you. Stashiu sent me by to read this and I’m glad! Of course, I always take Stash’s advice…
Your mum sounds like an artist. Kudos!

Ha! She was an artist, actually. I’ve been laboring to put together an extended blogroll today, and Stash is on it.

But I’m retentive, so I’m not done alphabetizing 😉

A very touching post. Thank you. Like the Gentle Harper I came on the recommendation of Stashiu.
It does not look like a ship as it has cinderblock walls and the small door above the butt can appears to be an electrical panel.With the pipe overhead it looks like a utility room or basement. Your mother shows style, wit, and class. So does your writing. Thank you.

Check that off the list of things I was coneusfd about.

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