Dear SOB (sister of blogger):
I really appreciated your notes of appreciation (“you’re a saint” — but we are Jews, for G-d’s sake) and helpful hints (“take care of [my husband] while I am gone”) this week.
It was epic to set up Dad’s computer and bring him into the 21st century, especially when he was so comfy in the 19th. He still can’t access email even though I made it as simple as possible. (I think the double-click is the problem. He remembers to click once but not twice. How do you teach a 90 year-old reflexes of the computer age?) I guess sainthood — or beatification at least — is indeed warranted.
I am sorry you missed Sunday night dinner, but HOSOB (husband of SOB) carried on valiantly. I appreciated your email reminding me (threatening me?) that HOSOB could only have one dessert serving. Good thing we had a big enough plate:
Just kidding. He had a small piece and some fruit to amortize the artery-occluding stuff in the chocolate cake:
ReeeLAXX, will you?
HOSOB and Cousin Gentle played with SOPOBAB (son of partner of blogger and blogger) and we all learned a lot of things about playing together. Don’t worry, it was SOPOBAB that did most of the learning. HOSOB and Cousin Gentle offered helpful hints, like “incorporate everyone’s imaginative story lines” and “don’t drop your pants until you’re in the bathroom, the light is on and the door is closed”. These are important things that the bigger guys need to say to littler guy. Lesbian moms just don’t have that authenticity when it comes to bathroom and trouser-dropping etiquette.
FOB (father of blogger) had a little too much wine, but what the heck, at 90, he can live a little.
He is coming over to my office tomorrow so we can go over “some papers”. Um, BOB (brother of blogger), aren’t you a lawyer, too? I think I may have to conference you on the phone so you can share these tender moments of wrapping up Mom’s estate and dealing with FOB’s talking about the end of his life. [Imagine my putting my hands over my ears and making crazy noises to block out the conversation.] Ok, here is the deal: I may be strong enough to put FOB on the internet, but I am wholly too young and immature for the rest of it.
FOPOB (father of POB) also came. I think he had a good time, even with a large complement from our side of the family.
Cousin Gentle recounted his tour yesterday of Revolutionary War-era New York. SOPOBAB was quite taken with the subject and Cousin Gentle needed to make up stuff to satisfy the boy’s endless curiosity. I had to throw some curves into the conversation to give Cousin Gentle some time to come up with a plausible story line about the slave trade during that time and other assorted information that SOPOBAB needed to know. FOB was so taken with SOPOBAB’s curious mind that, together with the extra wine, he was pronouncing our child Einsteinian. Ok, I have to say that SOPOBAB’s questions were impressive in that they were probing and based on some knowledge he has gleaned from videos and books — more than I will ever know about that historical period, I assure you.
Also, Cousin Gentle bought Reddi-Whip after having it at your house. He served it to a guest at his house. He said it wasn’t as good as your supply. Do you have private label Reddi-Whip because you buy it in bulk? That was also a conversation topic.
Now you are caught up.
I leave on Thursday for my 25th college reunion. I will blog from there — it will be like Anderson Cooper reporting from the field.
~ Blogger
