I got a message on Facebook from my brother-in-law. "Guess what? Check your flair," he said. Okay...he's been into making flair. So, in trying to find the link to Pieces of Flair, I go to his profile, and see a note there... I blink at it, then resume searching for the app, with even greater intent.

Sure enough, there's a real simple flair there, white background, red letters:

UNCLE MATT AND AUNT JEN!!!!

Dave and Tammy's first baby is due in late September. I'm to be an auntie again. At least Dave had the courtesy to tell us BEFORE the baby was born, unlike my brother.

Yesterday at the store, Matt and I saw one of those wooden puzzles for kids, you know, the kind that's more a "match the shape to the hole" than "make a pretty picture," with the little red knob-handles on the pieces. The theme was vehicles....and it MADE NOISE. I looked at it for a long time, wishing the store'd had one on display, so I could hear how loud it was. I mean, it had police cars and fire trucks!

Not knowing the volume level, I didn't get the puzzle. I mean, I can only buy noisy toys for my nephew on the other side of the country if they're sufficiently loud enough to annoy his daddy (my younger brother).

Then again, knowing my brother, the "loud, noisy toy from Aunt Jen" would get left at Grandma's house, to annoy my mother to no end.

My grandmother died on Thursday. I can't make it back for the funeral; it's already over, in fact. It was held at 11 am EST today. I was even encouraged not to try to make it back; it would be expensive.

So, we didn't try.

Here's a picture of my grandmother, back in April of 2006, at her 85th birthday party.



She gave birth to four children, lost one at only six months old. She had five grandchildren. My grandfather died in the spring of 96, which left her living alone for the first time in her life. It wasn't long, though, not even a full year, I think, before my cousin moved in when he started college in Clarion, and he lived with her until she died. When he married last summer, his wife moved in.

In the past three years, she saw her two eldest grandchildren marry, and her third eldest grandchild gave her a great-grandson, whom she saw at Andy's wedding.

I'm glad I got to know her as well as I did; I have a book of memories she filled out for me about ten years ago, with pictures and stories in her own writing. I also have some of her recipes, with commentary. I'm glad to know where those recipes came from (some were from when she was in high school, from her home-ec class!), how she learned them, why she liked them.

And I have the resurrection hope, that in the new system, I'll see her again, this time healthy, without pain.

Well, all in all, it was a good visit.  Matt rented a minivan (Mercury something-or-other) so we didn't all have to squish into Dad's truck.  We hit Sweet Tomatoes for dinner (I love the Won-Ton Chicken Happiness Salad, and most of their soups), then mom and dad went to the campground while Aunt Jane stayed with us.  We watched Blue Man Group's The Complex Rock Tour Live DVD, then we all crashed for the night.

Lucky me, I was up at 4 am, couldn't sleep.  Ellen was online, waiting to take Ruby to work, so we chatted for 2 hours or so, then I went back to bed, to try to get some sleep. 

We were all up by 8, so around 9 am or so, I called my parents to let them know the museum opened at nine, that we were all up, so they could come out whenever, instead of at 10.  They got here, we loaded into the minivan, and off we went to the North Carolina Museum of Art.

( long account follows )

And now I have a screaming headache, and a cat yelling at me for no reason.  I think I'm going to take some Excedrin and go back to bed.

First full day without the inlaws starts today. It was weird, when we left Ohio on the 27th, I though for sure, when we dropped them off at the airport on the fourth, that I'd be bawling. Instead, I just felt relief, and a mild guilt at feeling relieved. Husband and I went to Super Wal-Mart (about the only place we can afford to shop now, and slowly wearing down our supply of gift cards we got for the wedding) to get food for dinner, came home, and had a lovely dinner with our roommate.

Today, we had breakfast. Eggs, buttermilk biscuits from scratch, and sausage gravy. Had to make another trip to Wal-Mart for the sausage, shortning, and some Pepcid Complete. I thought I had heartburn before. Now that we're eating "southern," it's just gonna get worse.

Plus side, it's not yet noon, and it's 63 degrees. Mmm. So far, liking NC.

Oh, and another thing I've noticed, comparing Raleigh to Youngstown, OH: people here are nice. They let you into traffic, they let you cross the parking lot, they apologize! Heck, they say "Hi," when you meet them in the apartment complex!

Now to get a few boxes of books unloaded before my husband blows up. :)

A new year, a new husband, a new home, a new roommate. In the past week, I've packed up my life and moved from Ohio to North Carolina. Have to like the temperatures, though. Weatherbug says it's 74F outside. In JANUARY.
The hubby's parents go home today, and then I can truly start to work on the apartment. Don't get me wrong, I love my in-laws, but....I'm ready to start my married life with my husband.
As for the roommate, he's my husband's best friend (and currently the only one of the three of us with a job). Nice guy, stays in his room a lot because of our three cats.

I'm ready for this.
I think.
I hope.

I'm currently in the waiting room here at UPMC Shadyside Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Lucky me there's a computer with online access here. My aunt was scheduled for surgery at 2 pm, so we had to be here around noon. A little after one, my parents and I went into pre-op to sit with her. Two pm came and went. "The doctor's running behind."

She finally got into surgery at 4 pm. We went down to the cafeteria arouond 5. It's now nearly six, so maybe another half-hour or so before we hear anything. I believe they told us it was a two-hour procedure. Needless to say, I'm not continuing my trip to WV tonight. The Dino Thunder marathon will start tomorrow. Oh damn, this means I brought the Mike's Hard Lime for nothing. No drinkie. :( Ah well. I'll survive.

My aunt has cancer of the uterus. They're removing everything next Wednesday. According to her doctor, it's 90-95% curable, since they caught it early. I'm going to Pittsburgh next week to sit with her the night before the surgery, and to sit at the hospital with my parents the day of. If anyone's reading this and wants to send thoughts, please, e-mail me. jenniferbigley @ yahoo dot com.

And here's hoping her colonoscopy today turns out normal. :-P