The boy gets us up at six a.m., just like clockwork. I pre-load the trunk and put some coffee on.
We're up before mom, not normal - but she's entitled to sleep.
Last night, I taped some of the arial footage for mom, but it's all about New Orleans. We have a quick breakfast and are on the road before eight. Jen and family are starting out from Milwaukee, so they'll be at least an hour behind us.
Unknown to us, the family has been making arrangements to stay at Grandma's old house. I'd been thinking we'd do a hotel, or stay with Dad's brother.
Dad had been moving his mother out of the old house over the summer. Typical dad, he'd made the arrangements for his mother's new apartment - then spruced up the apartment with all new appliances, overhauled the old place, put it on the market, and gave her the entire summer to move anything she wanted from the old house into her new place.
The last job I helped my dad with was helping him install the cornices on Grandma's windows. Didn't so much help as bring him tools and stay out of his way - same as always.
Things were going according to plan, but Grandma's old house hadn't sold yet and was still full of things that might be moved, stored or parceled out to family. It's virtually ready to use, and friends and family are stocking it for our arrival. I'd said my goodbyes to the house, and here it was again - taking us in, just like old times.
Mom delighted in being with the boy. My son. He's just happy and doesn't care who knows. He's good for all of us on the way up. Gives us something good to focus on, safe conversation.
My sister in law is coming north with her husband. That's easily seven hours, even if you speed. My best man C is driving up from the cities with his wife, and G-
-on Tuesday, G had told me he had to be in Ohio on Saturday - so a Friday funeral was a non-starter. I totally understood, my God, I wouldn't expect anyone to-
-he's coming. He and his wife will spend six hours driving up on Thursday, attend the funeral, then get right back in the car and drive to Ohio. I'm speechless.
Stand up guy? Oh, hell yeah.
Dad's brother is flying up from Florida. Dad's sister was in California and incommunicado as far as we know. We're just hoping she'll check in soon.
Family's coming from all over. Dad administered the last family reunion, so he's well known. This is hitting the family hard. Mom said she'd been asked if the people planning on food should expect more than one hundred. Mom told them two hundred wouldn't be out of line.
Two hundred. Jesus.
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