Good Bye, Irene

This past weekend was pretty rough for us. Kaila's Godmother, and Jasin's 'almost' Grandmother, the woman he grew up next door to, passed away. Irene and her late husband, Felix, were an elderly Polish couple, and a constant fixture in Jasin's life. She was known for her goodness, compassion, giving and, of course, her baking! Felix was known for sitting in the garage, and having his afternoon Genny, while yelling at the people who drove by too fast, but, deep down, the Old WWII vet was as wonderful as they come.

Felix passed away several years ago, but, Irene was still a constant in our lives. When Kaila was born, we could think of no one but this wonderful, devout woman to be her Godmother. I don't think I have ever known anyone as quiety good as Irene. Every birthday and holiday, Kaila would recieve a card, signed 'God Bless, your Godmother, Irene' and Kaila's picture was prominently featured on her refrigerator.

Sadly, when we moved to Franklinville, we didn't see Irene as often, but, we did try to keep in touch. This past December, she was moved to a nursing home. This, I suppose is not the appropriate place to mention her two children, a son and daughter. The daughter lived in a beautiful home right behind Irene's modest trailer. Her daughter and daughter's husband took shameless advantage of Irene over the years, but, Irene never seemed to mind, so we always just let it go. It did occur to me to wonder just who will do the lawnwork, laundry and cooking of the seperate menues for the daughter and her husband every day. And, those poor, affluent people must now have to make their own car payments, but, we'll let it go. (Obviously doing a great job at that, huh?)

This was the most emotional I have ever been at a wake, or a funeral. I felt like we lost a treasure no one ever really appreciated. The funeral was held in a beautiful church in Buffalo. It was the sort of old, wonderful place where one expected Bing Crosby, or Julia Andrews to come dancing and singing through at any moment. There was a pipe organ, and two men with amazing Tenor voices - opera quality! IMAGINE my horror, then, when in front of this pipe organ, a recording of KERMIT THE FROG, SINGING THE RAINBOW SONG, was played. "WHAT are they DOING?!" I whispered to Jasin, tears forgotten for the moment; "Oh. Irene loved the Muppets. Didn't you know?" "NO!" "Didn't you see all the Muppet stuff around her place?" "NO! There were ANGELS everywhere! I never saw a stupid MUPPET!!" "Honey! SSHHHH!" Okay. I was probably out of line. There were 4 priests and a monk there for the funeral. The pipe organ began, and the Tenors started to sing, and I was in tears again. Let me take a moment, to make a small side note. Irene's son was a priest at one point, but gave it all up for a girlfriend. It was all his old Priest buddies on the alter. The entire thing seemed to be a good time joke. "Her cheesecake was to die for! No pun intended, hahahahah!" quiped one of the priests. Right before another Muppet song was played. "If you play a cartoon song at my funeral, Jasin, I will haunt you and make your life so miserable you will WISH you died first!" I snapped at Jasin. He just rolled his eyes. I admit. I probably sound like an obnoxious, awful person right now. Who carries on in such a way at a funeral? We were brought up pretty strict Catholics, for this day and age, a thing I never regretted, and sometimes wish I could be as good as I was brought up to be, but Irene WAS the epitome of 'Good'. As someone who actually knows better, I just felt she deserved a more dignified, more wonderful tribute and send off, than Muppets and tasteless remarks. So, I hope, that, in some way, I have gotten, in a small way, across, the wonderful person that Irene was, and the absolute assurance that she was one of the only people I will ever know that went to heaven, and the lament that one of the few truly good people left in the world is gone, and most people will never know it. We will miss you!

The ugliest Blog on the block

I need to go back to school. In randomly playing around, out of boredom the other day, I discovered a new website, called Cutest Blogs On the Block (.com). I downloaded a backround I thought would be cute, and decided after one look that I hated it. So, I tried another, that I really loved, but nothing happened. So, I tried and I tried and tried and tried and tried. I tried for THREE days. Nothing. I cannot change this awful backround for anything. There is the very real possibility that I am just a moron who can't figure it out, but, untill I do, we are stuck with a seriously ugly Blog. Sorry!!!!!

Quick kitty update...

For those following along, and wondering about the kitty episode from the other day...
The day after Kaila wandered home with the kitty, and had named it Chloe, it was still hanging around the porch. The lady across the road (Whose house the tree fell on), offered to have her husband 'make it disappear'. this did not go over well with Kaila. A lady down the road came over and gave a rousing speech on the evils of cats, and the unfairness of the dog leash law, when cats could run around freely. She was going to go contact village and town board members, the mayor, and possibly attend a few meetings and write a letter to the monthly town newspaper. We are a very involved town here.
Jasin told Kaila, that they would walk around and look for the kitty's home, and if no one claimed Chloe, then Kaila could keep her. So, off they went. Halfway around the block, Chloe supposedly jumped out of Jasin's arms and ran off. I will never know for sure what really happened, but I did tell him later the whole thing probably could have been better handled. Kaila cried. And cried. And cried. And cried. I took her to work to pick up my paycheck, and she cried on my poor boss's shoulder. This went on for two days. Every time a person looked at Kaila, she would burst into pitiful tears and sob. It was awful.
A day after this, the girls and I were driving to Olean, to do some grocery shopping and lunch, and Kaila started up again. "I really miss my sweet little Carlie so much! Poor poor little Carlie!" Hmm. "Kaila! It was CHLOE!!!! Knock it off!!!" I snapped back at her, and the recovery was amazing. So, alls well that ends well. Good luck, wherever you are, Chloe!

Scary days in Franklinville

This summer, the weather in Western New York has been insane. Mostly rain, with a few tornados thrown in to keep us on our toes. When most of us heard there was a possibility of severe weather again this past Sunday, no one really cared. There ALWAYS seems to be severe weather! So, people went to reunions and picnics and planned cook outs and the town softball game commenced at Legion Feild as usual. We're pretty tough around here!
I was at work. There was a planned meeting at the Conservation Club, in our large back hall, (Site of the annual Game dinner, weddings, funeral luncheons, parties, bands and all around lots of memories and use by lots of people.) The meeting was suposed to include a big local politian, and several not so big politians, newspapers, the Concerned Citzens of Cattaraugus county and anyone else interested in attending.
The day was hot muggy and humid, one of those awful days when a person can almost drink the air. People began filing in in their Sunday best. Important people were wearing suits. Lots of hands were being shaken, and OMG, I actually saw a baby get kissed. It was textbook, politian 101.
The sky was pitch black at two in the afternoon, but, we're used to it. My brother Luke and his wife Tammy had just been in to show me their new motorcycle, before they headed for the hour ride back home, when BOOM!!!!! The storm just whipped in with ZERO warning. one moment it was calm, the next it was just crazy. A window came right out of a door, doors were slamming open and shut, the electric went out, people were screaming, and the rain was absolutely horizonal.
The speeches were just begining, and it never occured to anyone to stop, so, sweat pouring off them, the politians kept right on politc-ing. Not one of them would take off their suit coat. When I told one of them he probably SHOULD take his jacket off, he looked at my with great pity. Poor little nothing of a bartender. Not worth the handshake, probably cant read to vote. sigh. You could see the sorrow on his face, as he decided I would never understand that politians DO NOT TAKE OFF THEIR JACKETS. It apparently isn't done. Duh. Whatever. Sweat to death you moron.
As soon as the speeches were done, and polite clapping had finished, the lights came back on. At which one of my bar customers yelled loudly, "SEE?! Even GOD doesn't like politians!!!!!!!"
Love this town. Anyhow, I was worried about my brother, but he, his wife and their bike made it home safely. trees were down. One right across the road from our house had fallen onto the neighbor's house. It went right through their roof, and the side of their house. The damage was pretty extensive. Jasin and several of the neighbors all pitched in the clear the tree off the house, patch the roof as well as possible for the night, and clean things up. We heard there were more storms expected. suddenly, people paid attention to the weather. Lexi had watched the tree across the road fall, and was frantic and just beside herself with worry and terrified of more storms. The poor kid has been upset since.
Around eleven Sunday night, Jasin and I had dozed on the family room couch, when I woke up to wind just whipping through the room, through the North and East windows. Storm # 2 had hit. We went to bed, and I laid awake all night listening to the awful fury outside. The lightning was so bad and so frequent that even closing your eyes, it burned.
Pictured below are just some of the pictures of the Village. It was worse in some parts, but this is what Jasin drove around and took today, as I was at work.

The view across the road from our driveway. It's cleaned up some in this picture, but it was pretty bad yeasterday.
The hocky field

The Golf course at the Country Club

The new playground at Legion Park

The creek. Not sure where he took this one

When I arrived at work this morning, the damage was amazing and extensive. the parkinglot had been flooded. At one point the water had come over the driveway leading back to the Club in 2 places. Trees were down everywhere, and the debris and just wind and flood damage was truly amazing. I was SO happy it happened over night, and not while I had a building full of poeple!

One of my regulars came in, everyone calls him Farmer Brown, as (AKA Jim Brown), due to the fact he actually owns a farm... anyhow, he is one of THE nicest people on the planet, and not one person can say anything bad about such a truly nice guy. Has a wife and two daughters, and is just great. The damage to his farm and fields was extensive, and he will lose his corn crops. His basement still has water rushing through it, and the work on his new barn is under water. All he can see of his 6 foot corn stalks is the tassles. "But", smiles the ever optimistic farmer Brown, "You should see the ducks! They are having the best time!"

'bout sums it up, here in poor little Franklinville. When all is said and done, everyone is okay. There was a tornado about 20 minutes away from here sunday, and a state of emergency in three different towns, where people lost houses and all sorts of things were swept away. We were lucky!

Can I keep it?

Sigh. Look at this hopeful, pitiful little face. Kaila, now a worldly eight years old, is old enough to walk around the block. She spends all day, every day, walking around the block. I am positive people are going to start thinking she is some poor, lost little girl, and CPS will eventually be called in for the obviously homeless and confused child, walking aimlessly around and around the block day after day. So, today, curled up on the couch with a good book, okay, fabulous book, Kaila did her usual begging to walk around the block routine, and, desperate for thirty seconds of peace, I told her to have fun and not talk to strangers. Fast forward half an hour,and Jasin is on the front porch, suddenly yelling to "PUT THE KITTY DOWN RIGHT NOW!!!!" with pitiful wails of "BUT DADDY!!! NOOOOO" And here is my child and Daddy in a standoff in the front yard with a pretty gray kitten purring and snuggled in her arms.
I told her it probably belonged to the weird cat lady down the road who has dozens of kitties that run all over Franklinville. Of course, the crazy cat lady is no moron. Of COURSE it didn't belong to her! SO, Kaila brought it back home and smuggled it into the laundry room to eat. It was obviously starving, as well as people-less. Not sure what the outcome will be. Jasin is standing pretty firm on the whole, "NO MORE CATS!" platform, while Kaila is firm on her sobbing "But it needs a home and its just a baby! We can't let it go hungry and homeless!" platform.

Updates will follow!

Unwritten parenting rules!

Lexi has been a pretty popular Pre-K-er this summer, and thus the house has been a revolving door for incoming friends, or outgoing Lexi, on the way to various friend's homes. Recently, the mother of one of such friends sent over a bucket of 50 assorted markers with her daughter for the afternoon at our house. Call my parenting into question; but I always kinda figured those were on the unwritten list of things you don't ever give to someone else's children. They are on the same list as beading kits with over 300 microscopic beads, loud toys whose batteries never run out, play dough and drum sets.
In the young mother's defense, she is the mom of an only child, who hasn't had to really think about the "List" yet. That being said, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw this face. I was impressed, however, that Lexi did all the artwork herself though! I don't think I could draw such good hearts all over my own face, and Lexi managed it repetedly! I would love to include lots of pictures of a very busy summer, but, Lexi had the camera again, and the batteries are dead, again. So, as soon as I remember the batteries, I am sure there will be more pics!