Just some random things, Pt. 2
Yesterday was All Souls Day, so Mass was in the cards. Also in the cards were blank spots to fill in the names of your family's deceased members, that they may be the object of prayers. Lots of incense, solemn hymns and, ovah heah anyway, lots of stuff in Latin. Just how I like it.
Now, in some parts of the world, ASD is treated with a lot more, um, revelry which sometimes spills over to cemeteries. This, of course, is something My People seriously cannot get into. But I digress.
In retrospect, Halloween was OK, considering the semi-blackout that still exists, and all the debris and all that. NOS went as some alien (foam brain, bug eyes, cape and ex-ninja costume) and NTS went as Batman.
Now comes the best part of the year: Thanksgiving. I like Thanksgiving for many reasons and, Gentle Reader, I'll do my level best to highlight these. The one reason I'll mention now is that about 4-5 years ago, my BiL and his wife invited us to do Thanksgiving at their new place. Mrs. BiL's family is HUGE...you'd think they were Osmonds and not Spaniards. Deep down I know it's because they wanted someone who can cook all chef-ishly AND wouldn't be distracted by the eleventy gazillion cousins. Considering my extended family (my parents and sister and other BiL are OK) is a primordial soup whose ingredients range between the outright evil and the dysfunctional, this was a boon.
My BiL's FiL (i.e. Mrs. BiL's dad) was a great proponent of big family meals and was a really, really Great Guy. Last year he died after a long and hard-fought struggle with cancer, just before Thanksgiving and it was, quite literally, his dying wish that Thanksgiving go on regardless. So we made it. That year I especially didn't mind the two days of frantic prep and spending the Thursday from 6am to 6pm on my feet. So this year's All Souls Day, I also thought of him, even though he wasn't exactly related to me.
So there ya go.
-Joke
Now, in some parts of the world, ASD is treated with a lot more, um, revelry which sometimes spills over to cemeteries. This, of course, is something My People seriously cannot get into. But I digress.
In retrospect, Halloween was OK, considering the semi-blackout that still exists, and all the debris and all that. NOS went as some alien (foam brain, bug eyes, cape and ex-ninja costume) and NTS went as Batman.
Now comes the best part of the year: Thanksgiving. I like Thanksgiving for many reasons and, Gentle Reader, I'll do my level best to highlight these. The one reason I'll mention now is that about 4-5 years ago, my BiL and his wife invited us to do Thanksgiving at their new place. Mrs. BiL's family is HUGE...you'd think they were Osmonds and not Spaniards. Deep down I know it's because they wanted someone who can cook all chef-ishly AND wouldn't be distracted by the eleventy gazillion cousins. Considering my extended family (my parents and sister and other BiL are OK) is a primordial soup whose ingredients range between the outright evil and the dysfunctional, this was a boon.
My BiL's FiL (i.e. Mrs. BiL's dad) was a great proponent of big family meals and was a really, really Great Guy. Last year he died after a long and hard-fought struggle with cancer, just before Thanksgiving and it was, quite literally, his dying wish that Thanksgiving go on regardless. So we made it. That year I especially didn't mind the two days of frantic prep and spending the Thursday from 6am to 6pm on my feet. So this year's All Souls Day, I also thought of him, even though he wasn't exactly related to me.
So there ya go.
-Joke
Comments
Of course that could be because one is pretty messed up and the sad product of home-schooling by religious fanatic parents and I don't want to underscore the familial connection. But technically, are they also my SILs?
jujube, whose happy to underscore the familial connection to her "real" SIL
p.s. I'm sorry again about the loss of your friend.
jujube
But it gets better. My wife's brother's wife's sister was co-department head (at some J&J division) with my sister's husband. (They didn't know this for the longest time.) Which made explaining the relationship difficult and tough on the paper and pencils.
-J.