Latest Advententurous Weekend

Well, I think most of you that know me well know by now... that I have been in a men's bathroom more than once. I have shown up at a house where I thought was to be a wedding shower because there were lots of cars parked in the yard, entered and asked, "Is this the party?" They probaly thought I was a stripper! But luckily they new which house my friend used to live in. I have gone to a friend's Christmas party THE NIGHT BEFORE THE PARTY which worked out really good because I got to have my friend all to myself with Don of course. His time wasn't limited with other guests. Now I have topped even myself...

I went to my friend Bob's father's funeral Saturday. I was running late as always so I went on into the cemetary. I was following the orange cones. I stopped at the 1st funeral in progress when I should have gone down to where the funeral man was standing. Instead I parked and walked. I saw a lady from the funeral home from the night before so I just knew I was at the right place. Yet I saw different folks from the night before. There was a bagpiper who'd already played so I missed it. Then they said the man's nickname which I didn't think had anything to do with Bob's father's name, but it was still a nickname which can be anything you want it to be. Then they said, "...on behalf of the Bickerstaff family..." and I knew I was not only late, I was at the wrong funeral! I simply walked back to my car as if nothing was wrong with my held held high. I'd never see these people again. Besides I had on sunglasses so I was incognito.

I did stop to ask the funeral man this time who gave me not so helpful directions of "...around Veteran's...". Veteran's what? Not Parkway! Okay. I pass two unoccupied green awnings set up for funerals. Surely they could not have already had the funeral, I thought to myself. I drove on until I came upon the next funeral in progress. One of the funeral men did approach me and say Bob's father's last name at the same time I did so I was relieved to know I was finally at the right funeral.

There were mostly older ladies standing in the very back of the tent. They did not stand directly behind the chairs set up for the family. They simply stood where the awning almost stopped covering you from the sun's hot rays. They did not move up when I came up. Next thing I know ants are biting my toes! I keep reaching down to pick off ants off my toes. The old lady directly in front of me keeps looking down at what I am doing. Why were they not biting her? She still didn't offer to move up. I thought this is just great! But I didn't ask, "What next?" because I didn't want to find out!

The sermon was very nice. They included my friend Jimmy because he has been a friend of the family for so long. The preacher told the story about how Bob, his brother Joe and Jimmy wanted to go to Flat Rock Park, but Bob's father told them they couldn't go or couldn't take the car. Being teenagers, they went anyway. They had a flat tire so they called Bob's father. He simply told them to change it because they knew how to do it. Then they said, "What about the other tire?" So he still had to come help them, but didn't scold them because he knew they'd learned their lesson. I thought it was funny. Maybe because I could picture it in my mind...

Jimmy was one of the first ones I saw after the family stood up when the service was over. I'd missed him at the funeral home the night before. Rhett and I went right at about 5:15. Jimmy was fashionably late. He looked good. He'd just had some skin tags removed from his shoulders and back. He showed me the ones on his shoulders.

I was introduced to some of their friends they went to elementary school with. One lady knew me from my emails I'd sent Bob and said, "I know you!" which made me feel good. It was kind of strange that someone knows me by my email sign on. The world gets smaller every day.

The lady that went to the wrong funeral wanted Jimmy to introduce us. She said she saw me at the other funeral. Which meant she saw this crazy lady arrive and leave within a few minutes. I said, "Yes, I remember your dress..." which sounded really dumb. She had on a black & white print dress that looked similar to the top Don & Rhett got me for Mother's Day this year & I leaned back to see if she was wearing my blouse. I did not mention that I remembered seeing her at the funeral home the night before. She said she stayed at the wrong one hoping Bob's dad's would not be over with when she arrived. She said she did not have the nerve to leave it. I guesss I did have the nerve. It was really funny. Another experience I won't forget.

I followed them back to Bob's house. I have not been there in years. Not since Jimmy invited David and I for New Year's Eve dinner. I can't remember who else was there. I just remembered the things David and I would not eat. Now I can't remember what we did eat.

I helped put out the food then told Bob & Jimmy I felt bad because I had not brought anything. Jimmy said I brought something even better... I brought myself. Awe. That really made me feel good. Bob changed into shorts. Then Jimmy remembered he needed to let his dogs back inside his house due to the heat. He asked me if I would take him. I told him I would because I wanted to see his new house. It is very easy to find off River Road. They've put in hardwood floors, painted all the walls cream. I really liked it even better than his old house. I think because there is so much light coming in, making it light and airy. You know you walk in some homes and just get a good feeling about it and this was one of those. I did not have a good feeling about the other one.

Then we went back to Bob's and ate. I took pictures of the three of us.

I came home with blisters on my the bottom of my big toes from the cute sandals I wore. Rhett had a bowling party at 4:30. We need to stop to buy a gift on the way. Don wouldn't let me change out of my dress. I told him I would freeze to death at the bowling alley! I am glad we went to the Alex's birthday. A lot of kids didn't show up. I enjoyed the fellowship with the Nancy and Ms. Emmie while they bowled. They were taking longer than I anticipated because we were supposed to go a surprise 73rd birthday party for my fave uncle. His son is the one who sent me nasty emails and threatened me so I debated all week about going or not going. I had my mom call me on my cell to tell me if my cuz was there and of course he was! But I knew I could walk in with my head held high yet again today and not speak to him. We were 30 mins late due to the three games of bowling. I apologized to my uncle. My aunt did not show her butt this time like she did the last time the family went out when my oldest living uncle was here from Texarkana (which is where my cuz gets it from). The evening went well without incident. It seemed ackward to me. No one said much. I directed all my comments to either my aunt, my uncle or my mom. I did not mention my funeral faux paux not out of fear of what my cousin might say like how dumb I was or something worse. I did not order fish like I threatened to do earlier.

Rhett had a tummy ache so alot was focused on him. I rubbed his back until I saw this smile on his face as he had his head down on the table and realized he was milking it for all it was worth! Everyone thought that was funny. I did not tell him to do this although my cuz may think I did, but I don't really care what he thinks anymore.

A child was crying and he acted as if he was going to scream at the woman to shut the child up, but his mom stopped him. The funniest part was he was the only one to have a salad. He is weired and even his salad looked as weird as he does. He said said something like, "I don't want to be a jackass and be the only one eating a salad." My mom didn't hear him say that part, but she and my aunt both said "Go for it!" at the same time. Later Don said he was laughing on the inside because he thought, "Yea, you are one." Of course I am dying laughing on the inside too.

I am just so very thankful that nothing bad happened and it went as well as it did for my uncle's sake. My Uncle's birthday was not spoiled by harsh words. No one went to jail. It was a good day.