Okay. Today is The Commander’s birthday. I usually call her and sing Happy Birthday over the phone and I was thinking about doing that this morning early but I had to go to work and, on the way to work, I wanted to mail the last boxes to California, so I spaced it out a bit. Although I had a definite plan to go outside sometime during the morning and call her. Like, I do NOT want the people at my work to hear me sing Happy Birthday. Kee-reist! 🙂

Anyway, I was sitting there working and my phone was on vibrate and (glawk!) it vibrated! The Commander, at HOME! I thought something like, “What? Didn’t I call you soon enough on your birthday?” Naw. Of course, The Comm was not concerned about that. This call started like so many others that have brought bad news. “I just thought you ought to know, Jerry died last night.” Sigh. Good-bye Jerry. His wife was The Commander’s younger sister Charlotte, a MUCH beloved aunt by me and one of The Comm’s best friends in life. She died a few weeks before the September 11th attacks. That was a difficult season. Jerry’s daughter, my cousin Cathy, my age, died a few years ago also. Jerry leaves my cousin Doug and his wife and their two children and Cathy’s two children. And maybe a dog, but I’m not sure about that. Charlotte and Jerry are in the pic, back in better times in their home in Royal Oak. Jerry was a very talented person who liked to have fun and I think he and Charlotte are having fun in this picture. And maybe wherever they both are. We’re all gettin’ older. Love.

So, The Commander had a great 87th (!!) birthday. Yesterday, she and all the other iron-clad octo-women of Birch Point Beach and its environs (and this beach is on L. Superior, not somewhere in FLA) had lunch at the hotel. Today, on her birthday, The Comm had a rather wild adventure about taking out the garbage involving ice and 50 mph winds and a ditch and losing her favorite hat (but she found it again). The Comm is still healthy and her brain works well, if a bit slower than it might’ve once. She owns and operates two residences and two vee-hickles. Do NOT suggest that she needs assisted living yet. If you do that, she will undoubtedly get the butcher knife out. After her garbage adventure, she spent the afternoon attending an elder’s presentation at the college. She and Radical Betty were instrumental in starting out the elders program. You go girls!!!

Doug, I dunno how often you read this bunch of blather but we are very sorry to lose Jerry. I know his health had been declining and the last months have not been easy. Love you all. That is about all I can say right now. I have no good words. Sigh.

P.S. Yes, The Commander was all decked out in her gold sequined baseball hat and her Aunt Lillian’s (do I have that right?) fur something or other. You’ve heard of the Red Hat Society? Well, you ain’t seen nothin’ until you’ve seen the Gold Hat Society in action!

P.S. P.S. And happy birthday, BD Grrrl!!! Diane, right? Sorry, you guys. I’m operating in fragments this morning. Not a good thing. 😉

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 at 7:18 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.