Catching up

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

So, this morning at 8am I got a text from my uncle saying that my grandaunt had passed in the night. I was already up so I called them immediately, and as soon as he answered the phone he yells out ... APRIL FOOLS!

I started swearing at him for it and he told me to calm down because it was my grandaunt's idea, then she gets on the the phone and says, *Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere yet, I just want to keep you on your toes sweetheart* and then she bursted out laughing and hung up on me before I could say anything.

I found out later in the day that she did the same thing to most of the family that doesn't live in Florida, and they pretty much had the same reaction I did.

Well, it's good to know that she has a sense of humor, it's a sick one, but at least she has one.

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, man, good for her, I guess. But what a thing to do to people who care about you!

I'm glad it wasn't true.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Don't get me wrong, while I'm upset about it, I can also appreciate the humor in it, and if it happened in a movie it would definitely be funny.

I guess we worry that she won't make it to the big day because we have seen other people like Betty White and Bob Barker that both passed at 99 and they were so close to the big one, so it's natural to worry for her even though her doctor says she is doing awesome for her age.

After she turned 90 she started making jokes about passing every day, and she still does it to this day, it's funny to her, but it makes everyone else uncomfortable, and she says that with everything she has lived through she doesn't fear death. I know that she misses her husband that passed over 40 years ago, as well as the countless other family members that she has buried through her life, but she also says she lives now for the family she still has, and to make sure they live a better life than she did.

I also heard that Val Kilmer passed yesterday, at first I thought it was a joke, but it turned out to be true. He did some good movies like The Doors, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Saint, and Red Planet. He also did Batman Forever, and while that movie sucked, it's still a important part of my youth, because of the things that were going on when it came out. The marketing for the movie was also memorable, with the brightly colored posters and merchandise that sat in stores around here for years after the movie came out.

[Murfreesboro]

I am sorry to hear about Val Kilmer. I saw him in several movies back in the day, and most recently in Top Gun Maverick, which I thought was a much better movie than the original Top Gun.

I learned at choir practice tonight that our minister's wife just lost her mother unexpectedly today, so she's headed home to Wisconsin, along with at least some of her adult kids. The minister can't really leave so near Easter, and he and his wife just had a vacation at the Gulf last week. She sings in choir, too, so her absence was noticeable. I think her mom had a weak heart, but obviously the death came rather suddenly.

Both my parents died before Easter, and I've always felt that that was some comfort to me. Easter is the holiday that gives the most hope.

[Andybev01]

HH, your auntie is a woman after my own heart.

From a very young age I've contemplated the inevitable and I guess it doesn't affect me as much as it does most folks, but I do understand her sense of humor.

I mean, not many people will have the chance to live so long that they can use that to their advantage, joke-wise.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Murf - You mention finding comfort in the timing of your own parents' passing before Easter, and that speaks to the profound way in which hope can intertwine with grief. It’s a reminder that even in our sorrow, there can be moments of solace and reflection, especially during meaningful times like these. Perhaps you can reach out to the minister's wife to offer your support by texting or calling her, sometimes just knowing that others are thinking of you can bring a small measure of comfort.

Andy - I guess that your experience with cemeteries also gives you a different perspective on the subject than other people, maybe because they are such peaceful places they in some way ease the feeling of despair that is naturally associated with the unknown journey that awaits us, and it prepares us to accept that our time here is limited and that we should make the best of it. Again, it's a matter of perspective, that's just one way to look at it.

[Andybev01]

I would say it's about 50/50.

I had a man who was driving his deceased mother up from California (its not illegal) and he called from the road for directions and, I could tell, to just talk with someone.

Long story short, he told me that he was retired military and had been taking care of his mother.

Part of the job involved the ability to 'read the room' as it were, and I asked him what branch of the service he retired from.

He said "Marines' and I took a chance and replied "I'm so sorry about that. My family was primarily Navy and Air Force."

He let me hang on the line for a few seconds then let out a genuine guffaw, much to my relief, I might add.

I could feel his mood lighten s bit, and we finished our conversation on a more relaxed note.

When he arrived, and before he met with the funeral director, he came to my office and we had a nice visit, and he thanked me for help with directions and the laugh.

You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

We were at the mall this weekend and the Easter Bunny was there ... but it doesn't look like anyone noticed. I was walking around for almost 30 mins waiting on my family, and there wasn't anybody that stopped by to visit him, not even any kids. He just sat there looking bored so I shot some pictures. It was hilarious.

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[Andybev01]

I was hoping (hopping?) for a pity photo, of you sitting on his lap.

It's nice to see an active mall in this age of free delivery everything.

We still have a healthy mall with name-brand anchor stores and a full service food court, because it's a regional shopping center.

As a matter of fact if you have ever watched the Jane Curtain,1980 movie 'How to Beat the High Cost of Living' it was filmed there.

45 years later it has greatly expanded, but the classic mid-century modern rotunda is still a landmark.

The only difference is the store is a Macy's mow.

Valley River Center, if you want to look it up.

[Murfreesboro]

That's kinda sad about the lonely Easter bunny, but I must confess I never took my kids for Easter bunny photos. We did Santa every year when they were young, but I never did the Easter bunny in my childhood. I mean, the Easter bunny came, but it wasn't a thing to get photos made with him back then. It just wasn't on my radar when my own kids came along.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

My kids saw him but they had no interest in going over there to meet him, I guess it's because they already know the Easter Bunny is going to be at the egg hunt when we go to church service on Easter weekend.

He was sitting right in front of Walmart so it is a high traffic area, and it was a weekend but nobody stopped by, at least not while I was there. I think it's too early to have him at the mall, but he's there from the 4th-19th, so it might get busier for him closer to the holiday.

As for sitting on his lap, I don't know what it's like where you guys live, but around here that hasn't been allowed for years, that's why there's a 2 seat bench there, it's the same for Santa, the kids have to sit beside them now. It's funny how something so innocent back in our day is considered to be unacceptable today.

[Murfreesboro]

Well, it's a sad commentary on our times, but we all know now that child predators can be attracted to gigs like that. I guess having the children sit alongside is just a way to avoid possible lawsuits.

When my daughter was in grade school, I was tempted to sign her up for summer camp at the Nashville Children's Theater. It is literally the oldest children's theater in the nation and very prestigious. But I was warned off it by another mother from church. When she'd lived in Memphis, there'd been a big scandal at the children's theater there. So I never had my daughter do that. Years later, of course, she majored in theater in college, which was a big surprise to me. It was her free choice, but I thought back on how fearful I'd been to sign her up for that activity when she was little.

Over the years I've noted that several prominent former child actors (Ricky Schroeder and Ron Howard, eg), never let their kids act as children. Schroeder once said in interview, "Not everything beautiful has to be exploited."

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Believe me, as the parents of 2 young kids, we watch them like a hawk, and we are always looking out for the other kids around us as well. We also try to make sure that most of the teachers they have are female, though in the world today, even they can be as sick as the males, so one of the things we do is use our ability to do background checks.

When the school hires new teachers they post the information on the school website, as well as sends out email bulletins to any parents that are signed up for it, and when they announce that a new teacher is there my wife and I will look them up to make sure they are clean.

We not only do this for ourselves, but to let the other parents in the community know as well, and we do it without anyone at the school knowing. Thankfully, we haven't come across anyone yet, and I would imagine that the school has their own strict screening process, but you don't know when someone will slip through the cracks.

On a unrelated topic, we just hired a new assistant chef and I swear to you that he makes the best tasting ribs I've had in years. He's from Texas and he has been a chef for the last 20 years and he knows some excellent recipes that I'm looking forward to adding to the menu. I'm probably going to have to build a advertising campaign around him to attract new customers so they can try his dishes.

Also, if you're looking for something to make you laugh, or possibly give you nightmares, then check the link below to look at some of the most disturbing Easter bunnies you have ever seen. I've posted some of them below just so you know what awaits you.

https://www.boredpanda.com/creepy-easter-bunny-kids/

You can't tell me that you just didn't look into the face of pure EVIL.

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This bunny looks like he belongs at a KKK meeting.

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