Well, summer 2009 is nearly past, actually, it is past. It was a wild and wooly one as summers go. No long trips, no adventures, just life.

My youngest son Jeffrey did come down and spend a lot of the summer with me, but he also spent quite a bit of time with his grandmother, my mom, which I was actually glad to see. My own grandmother, my moms mom, passed away a few weeks ago but don't worry, it was not all that sad. If I were to make a toast to my grandmother on my moms side, it would go something like this, "Here's to Geri Shicklegruber, and I call her Shicklegruber because calling her Geri Hitler would be just a bit over the top, but only just a bit."

It's a shame that some people live their lives in a total, all out effort, to make other people miserable. My grandmother should have things written about her concerning how loving she was, and how much she cared for her family and friends, how kind to kittens she was, etc.

But all that would be wasted words when it came to my grandmother. She was one of those way west Texas oilfield women who was tough as nails and as ornery as an old mule with a sore hoof. She went out of her way to cause chaos and mayhem in the family every chance she got, and took offense at every opportunity at the smallest and most insigificant incident of dissagreement or even just a personal opinion that didn't agree with hers. She was one of the most selfish and obnoxious women it was ever my misfortune to know and she treated my mother like crap her entire life.

I would say good riddance but that might be a bit harsh for a grandson to say about his grandmother. But I can't say she'll be missed by anybody, at least no one has owned up to it so far. And that is a very, very sad thing.

Farewell maama. I hope, for once, you are happy now. I truly do.

Mac