Weekly Update

Well, the proverbial "it's been a while since I've blogged" is here. So I guess I'll just let you know what I've been up to. It's interesting when you say, "here's what I've been up to," that there's a heightened sense of expectation on what is coming next. Well expect not. Things haven't been that exciting.

Sermon

I preached this morning on the Judas stuff I mentioned earlier. About three fourths of the way through I was thinking "This is the absolute worst sermon I've ever given, no one seems to be responding." But I had good feedback at the end from people. I think because I didn't really insert a lot of my humor in the sermon, that I thought it didn't go as well. That's sad when I need laughter in order to feel good about myself. But that's how the ball rolls I guess.

Aunt Ruth Ann

I got a call Wednesday morning from my mom. She started the conversation in the hurried, nervous, neurotic way that people start phone conversations when they have really bad news to tell you. But I didn't think anything of it, because my mom starts every phone conversation like that. She could have been letting me know that she cleaned the refrigerator out a few weeks ago, and it would have carried the same tone as if she were telling me the apacolypse was nigh. That's just how she is.

But, unfortunately, she did have bad news, and as only my mom can, she drew it out as long as she possibly could before she told me what happened.... "Craig, I have something to tell you, and it just happened, so few people know, so if you happen to talk to any family," (which was dumb, since my parents are the only family i talk to,) "don't let them know until it's been made official. Your Uncle Johnny is on his way to the scene to get things under control. He told me to call you, but to not let your daddy know, since he's in the hospital," (which was news to me.... dad spent three days in the hospital for pneumonia,) " We're not going to tell your uncle Jerry know, since he's been going crazy lately, he's really bonkers. Your uncle Bo has been called. We're not going to tell your uncle Jackie, since he'll want to leave work, and he'll need a few days off later. We're going to wait to tell uncle Sonny because of his heart condition. Your aunt Dottie is on her way as well. Now, are you ready for the news?" at which point I told her, "Well, I assume your going to tell me that aunt Ruth Ann just died." "You've heard?!!" "No mom, I haven't heard, but you just went through all of dad's living siblings, and she was the only one you left out." She thought I was a genius.

Individually I was not close to my aunt Ruth Ann. She was the third youngest of my grandparents 9 children-- Uncle's Sonny, Bo, Johnny, Jackie, Jerry, and Tommy (my dad,) and aunts Ruth Ann, Sister (I still don't know her real name.... she died when I was real young, and they still just call her "sister,).... and Dottie. It's hard to get real close to all of those family members. But when we are all together for Thanksgiving, I feel real close to them. Not quite sure why that is. I guess it's because we're family. We all have the big round faces and big round bellies. If you were to put all my aunts and uncles together, I'm serious you would freak out at how much they look like me. That's one reason I love being with them, because when I look in their old hillbilly, white trash eyes (I say that in the best possible sense,) I see a little of myself.

Ruth Ann fit that description as well as any of them. Her and her husband George have lived (had lived) for years in a trailor adjacent to the land on which the house that my dad and his family lived in for many years. Three bedrooms-- 9 kids. A parent's room, a boys room, and a girls room. Not that it was always that crowded. By the time my dad was born, his oldest brothers were already in the military. I remember visiting George and Ruth Ann every couple of months. I'm quite sure it wasn't always in the summer, but it always felt like summer. They have three girls, Sherry, Angie, and Missy. Angie and Missy are the closest first cousins to me in age, Angie being a couple of years older than me, and Missy being my age.

Ruth Ann and George hold (held) a special place in my heart, if for no other reason, the location of their house being so close in proximity to where my dad grew up. I remember being a child visiting my paw paw Nash, when the house was still standing, and later when my uncle Jackie lived in the house. This place is miles from a major highway, even miles from another house. When visiting this place, I felt like I had stepped back in time. In a way, I had. Things move so much slower in many parts of East Texas than they do even in places as small as Chandler. In this place you could still see the last remaining remnants of the depression, just hanging on to the countryside. Everything was dirty. Everything was old.

One reason I enjoy the movie "O' Brother, Where art Though" so much is because all of the scenes shot in the country remind me of this place. Seriously.

So I'll miss my aunt Ruth Ann. But not necessarily in the way you normally miss someone. I'll miss her because it's just another reminder that the objects of my memory that were connected to her, and the way in which she was connected to me, will never be there again.

My Teeth

For the past two nights, I must have been grinding my teeth in my sleep, because I wake up with an extremely sore jaw. Not sure what to do about that.

I'm Screwed

Because we couldn't get an Ed episode recorded off of TIVO, I had to remove the TIVO and take it to the church this morning, since I was using an Ed episode as a clip for the sermon. Now I think I've broke all of Tom's stuff. I'm not sure what happened, but he and Chris are in the other room as I type trying to fix it. I'm afraid I might have to move out if it doesn't get fixed. So I may be looking for a place to stay soon.

I really do feel horrible. So Tom, please don't kill me.