Officially Technological
Monday, November 14, 2005
I Miss You For Now
Being one of the youngest people in a very large family, I have encountered much physical suffering and even death in my 24 years. I am not a stranger to saying good-bye. I know what it feels like to lose people that you're very close to. But for not being a stranger to this emotion, it is always strange. So, with that thought, I would like to dedicate this post to my uncle, Forrest Black, who died in October of Lung Cancer. I think he would have really liked what I'm about to relate, because he always enjoyed (with the utmost pleasure) the foibles of other people, especially those of his much beloved in-law family (of which I am a part) who is a very diverse family filled with people on every level of the socio-economic scale and every level of behavior. This account is from an actual conversation held at a grungy little hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between many of my uncles and aunts. So, before I begin: Good-bye Uncle Forrest, I miss you for now, but will see you again some day where I can tell you these stories myself so that you may laugh at them.
These and more are the conversations that ensued last weekend (the weekend of Forrest's memorial service).
John's Garden:
The protection of John's garden requires lots of skill and even more traps to protect his garden from "varmint" of every kind.
The Have-A-Heart Trap: Which probably should be called the Have-A-Mafia trap, since instead of letting the animal go in the wild he walks them down to the river where he "whacks them".
The Con-A-Bear 110: For small animals such as chipmucks.
The Con-A-Bear 220: For medium sized animals such as skunks.
The Con-A-Bear 330: No one has actually seen a Con-A-Bear 330, but by all accounts this trap isn't for sissies, and would probably require a vice to set.
The Have-A-Heart Netting: Which my uncle Jim suggested to use in lieu of a muskrat trap to keep robins off of strawberry patches.
My Aunt Johanna's Name
My Aunt Johanna has been suffering for 70 odd years from nicknames that would never leave. Although she is one of 7 daughters, and isn't even the oldest, all her siblings refer to her as "Sister" or "Sis". Even her nieces and nephews refer to her as Sis and if that's not strange enough, we even call her "Aunt Sis". I was probably 20 years old before I thought that maybe she had a real name. She related to us that since her move to Phoenix (40 years ago), people no longer refer to her as "Sis" but they have called her (for 40 years) "Joann" and she has been too nice to correct them. Finally, much to her relief, in the 2005 Phoenix church directory she is registered by her actual name "Johanna" and people are starting to take the hint. So, my Aunt Sis (for she will always be my "Aunt Sis") is finally after 70 years being called by her birth name.
My Aunt Betty's Frugality
My Aunt Betty (incidentally, her name is Mary, but we all call her Betty), is known to be a very frugal woman. She let's nothing go to waste, including old hoses from washing machines. Which came in handy for her son, Jon, when his car broke down this weekend and his wife and mother fixed it with their bare hands, the old hose, and duct tape.
Yes, these are a few of the stories of my family this weekend at my Uncle's memorial service. As if in his honor, they were in their rarest form. I wish I could remember everything.
These and more are the conversations that ensued last weekend (the weekend of Forrest's memorial service).
John's Garden:
The protection of John's garden requires lots of skill and even more traps to protect his garden from "varmint" of every kind.
The Have-A-Heart Trap: Which probably should be called the Have-A-Mafia trap, since instead of letting the animal go in the wild he walks them down to the river where he "whacks them".
The Con-A-Bear 110: For small animals such as chipmucks.
The Con-A-Bear 220: For medium sized animals such as skunks.
The Con-A-Bear 330: No one has actually seen a Con-A-Bear 330, but by all accounts this trap isn't for sissies, and would probably require a vice to set.
The Have-A-Heart Netting: Which my uncle Jim suggested to use in lieu of a muskrat trap to keep robins off of strawberry patches.
My Aunt Johanna's Name
My Aunt Johanna has been suffering for 70 odd years from nicknames that would never leave. Although she is one of 7 daughters, and isn't even the oldest, all her siblings refer to her as "Sister" or "Sis". Even her nieces and nephews refer to her as Sis and if that's not strange enough, we even call her "Aunt Sis". I was probably 20 years old before I thought that maybe she had a real name. She related to us that since her move to Phoenix (40 years ago), people no longer refer to her as "Sis" but they have called her (for 40 years) "Joann" and she has been too nice to correct them. Finally, much to her relief, in the 2005 Phoenix church directory she is registered by her actual name "Johanna" and people are starting to take the hint. So, my Aunt Sis (for she will always be my "Aunt Sis") is finally after 70 years being called by her birth name.
My Aunt Betty's Frugality
My Aunt Betty (incidentally, her name is Mary, but we all call her Betty), is known to be a very frugal woman. She let's nothing go to waste, including old hoses from washing machines. Which came in handy for her son, Jon, when his car broke down this weekend and his wife and mother fixed it with their bare hands, the old hose, and duct tape.
Yes, these are a few of the stories of my family this weekend at my Uncle's memorial service. As if in his honor, they were in their rarest form. I wish I could remember everything.
4 Comments:
Jewels!!
I love it!! I can't help but have a smile when I read about our family...I am so sad that I had to miss the Memorial Service this past weekend. I would have loved to have been there. I don't think just a couple of stories can really do justice to our family, but I can't help but just think back to all of the stories from past family get togethers (namely Wally World!!) and it brings a warm feeling back into my heart!! If people only knew what kind of a family the Waibels really are...:-)
I will miss Uncle Forest very much. He added a whole other dimension to the Waibel family that I don't think I will ever forget and I love him so much because of that. He was a very entertaining Uncle and it is my Hope as well that heaven will bring us together again!!
Thanks for your post...I am glad I read it...It really made me thankful (once again) to be part- Waibel! :) I can't wait until thanksgiving when the majority of us once again make memories to last a lifetime!!
God Bless...
love ya,
Jake <><
Just some other fond Waible moments...
"The Accident" - I know it is still a "sore" subject...but it is something that will always be remembered...I will never forget the look on that cop's face when about 30 waibels descended upon the scene...it was priceless :)
"Cool Aunt Helen, telling any story"- her wit and detail to her stories always make me laugh...especially when she has her sisters there to egg her on..."Unnnnbbbeeeliiieeeevvvable"!! - one of the most memorable stories was the one where while up north on a color tour...a seagull decides to relieve himself (number 2) on her head!!!
"Politics"- the passion and pride that can't help but poor out of any given waibel is something to watch. The best time to see the politics flowing, are at Wally World (4th of July)!! The fact that eveyone is talking at once and the conversation is never reaching a conclusion or a stopping point...could make a sane person, lose their mind!! I guess you have to have waibel blood in you in order to handle it.
-this leads to those poor souls who decide to marry into the Waibel family!!! Not to make it sound like a bad thing, but the firt couple of Wally Worlds can be a trying time...It takes some getting used to by the in-laws!! But once they learn the ways, they are Waibels for Life. The biggest challenge is to get through the "hecklers" or the otherwise known as "peanut gallery" at wally world...they can be ruthless :-).
I could go on and on....but I must stop! Hopefully everyone someday can have the PRIVELAGE to experience the waibels for themself!! Trust me, it is truly a Joy!!
God Bless you all...
Jake: LOLOLOLOLLL!!!!! Thanks for commenting. I laughed really hard at your memories. You're right - btw - I think the first several Wally Worlds would be hard on someone who hasn't be desenitized by growing up with it. ;)
I'll see you this weekend and for Thanksgiving too.
Love you! Thanks for posting/reading my blog (even though I know you dislike blogs).
Those are fun memories!
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