Up Here in Bathysphere (or wherever it is)

#76

BFFs.

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bffs.jpg

#77

I think we're going up to the Naval Academy today, visit my grandprents' graves. If not today, tomorrow.

And I want to show my boys their grandpa's entry in the Sports Hall of Fame.

Visit the bookstore.

Stuff like that.

#78

... and this is unfortunate, but ol' Wifehorn and I are going to label all the cabinets and drawers in his kitchen.

His aides keep putting stuff in the wrong place, and then he has to search around to find what he wants.

This is the stuff he tells ol' Wifehorn that he won't admit to me - hell, he didn't admit it to me when he totaled his car a few years ago

- but our job is to make his life easier. And searching the kitchen is a hassle for him.

Reminder to self: It's okay to admit weakness to your children, when you're weak.

#79

Our other project, maybe today, maybe mañana if we go to Annapolis today, is that he wants to see Avatar2 in the theater. That's an adventure because of his Zoomer chair, but what can be done, will be done.

And this visit's repair project is my mother's sewing accessory table, which has suffered the ravages of time. Maybe I can do something about that.

#80

Glad to hear that your visit is nothing short of jolly, Foogy.

Both my folks were buried at sea by the Navy. My dad is about 80 miles west of San Diego, and my mom is about 40 miles due west of Cape Mendocino off California's Lost Coast. I have the coordinates of their approximate locations in Davy Jones' Locker. There are no owners of fishing vessels that can make either of those journeys due to distance and in the case of my mom, the sea is too unpredictable and dangerous for "smaller" sea going craft.

Enjoy Annapolis!

#81

Oh, now honestly, you thought you could stop there, and not tell us the stories?

No, wait, no need. Whatever you decide.

Anyway, did manage to see my grandparents, in the Naval Academy cemetery.

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George_and_Mary.jpg

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Gorgeous day. Also saw my dad's entry in the Sports Hall of Fame, but fencing, like boxing and a few others, is a "retired" sport now. A club sport, if anything.

That's OK, it was good for my boys to see all of it.

And I got a Navy Football ballcap.

#82

That is so neat, Foggy! Really neat...and a ball cap to boot!

Briefly, my mom and dad met in WWII. He was a supply officer in Australia, and my mom was a Navy nurse. He stayed in the Reserves to get his time in for a smallish Navy pension, while my mom was honorably discharged after V-J Day. She then was asked to reup briefly in the late forties for a reason that I do not know.

Anyway, the Navy offers burial-at-sea for honorably discharged veterans. My mom is from Long Beach, California, and told me from when I was a little boy that she wanted to be cremated and her ashes scattered over the Pacific, and I had to promise, promise, promise to honor her wishes. Meanwhile, my dad found the burial at sea program and decided that would be his fate after he was cremated.

When my dad died in '13, we followed his wishes, hauled his ashes to the San Diego Naval Hospital, and awaited word when his cremains were loaded aboard a vessel that was sailing to Hawai'i. I then asked my mom if she wanted this alternate disposal at the hands of the Navy instead of her original desire, and she was very happy to have this method. So, Mom was cremated after her passing in October 2016.

Due to some issues within that particular department of the Navy, we had to enlist the office of Senator Feinstein to find out what was going on over one year later, since we did not hear from the Navy. Four months later, I received a very apologetic note from the XO-cum-skipper of the vessel explaining the snafu along with some really, really wonderful pictures from the ceremony aboard ship. There is a special pennant the ship flies when they are performing this ritual. According to the time stamps, the ceremony for each sailor takes about 8-10 minutes.

#83

OMG that's a great story.

:notworthy:

Her time as a Navy nurse must have been the best, worst, most boring, most exciting time of her life. And she obviously didn't have bad memories about it all.

I mean, I love and honor my dad and grandpa, but ... I get seasick.

But pretty clearly your mom didn't, if she wanted to be part of the oceans at the end of her life.

#84

So my dad's Christmas present for me (and he got an identical one for ol' Wifehorn, who he likes better) (for good reasons) is some sorta tech device, you put it on something like your keychain and it tells your phone where it is when you lose it. Whatever it is.

Except 1) I asked ol' Wifehorn, when was the last time I lost my keys? Or anything? And 2) what do I put it on?

Oh, wait. Your dad gave me a wristwatch, that was really important to me. One time, I put it on top of a bookshelf where I couldn't see it, for six or seven years.

But it wasn't lost!

It was right where I put it! Seven years later, it was right there!

That doesn't count!

So what do I put this techy thing on?

RTH10260 · #85

Is that an Apple AirTag thingy where you need to exchange your Android phones to Apples iPhones

Frater I*I · #86

Foggy wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:11 pm

So what do I put this techy thing on?

Make it an ear ring.....

#87

Put it in your suitcase when you check your luggage for a flight.

#88

Put it on a pet's collar.

#89

RTH10260 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:18 pm Is that an Apple AirTag thingy where you need to exchange your Android phones to Apples iPhones

No, it's a Tile.

You know, like a bathroom tile, but not as smart.

Love my dad, love high tech, but this thing is dumb.

#90

MN-Skeptic wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:27 pm Put it on a pet's collar.

Our pets never leave the house.

Put it in your suitcase when you check your luggage for a flight.

That's a good idea, but we both flew a lot in our careers, not so much anymore. I met ol' Wifehorn on an airplane, have I told you that story? In first class, there she was.

My boys say that some guys will slip one into a lady's purse to learn where she lives.

Gupwalla · #91

When I was a younger lad visiting home from college, one of my holiday duties was to go fetch my octogenarian grandparents who sometimes had problems getting around and ready in a timely fashion.

On one trip, I arrived to find my Granddad frantically hopping from room to room looking for something. And by “frantically” I mean his mood, not his movement speed - he was going about six yards a minute which would take a while to cover the whole house.

“We can’t leave until I find my billfold!”

“Where did you put the pants you were wearing yesterday?”

“In the bathroom hamper.”

Twenty seconds later, I came back from the bathroom with his billfold.

“Well, I’ll be. How did you know where to find it?”

“Because mine is always in the same place - hip pocket of yesterday’s pants.”

#92

Yesterday was magical for him. It was everything I hoped for.

We spent half an hour just standing (him sitting) by his parents' grave. Just enjoying the day and telling stories. Then we spent time driving around the campus. Twice he said, "This is bringing up a lot of memories."

Well that's exactly what I wanted to hear.

We toured the entire Sports Hall of Fame, and it's amazing - built in a circular building above the largest swimming pool I have ever seen. Olympic pools will always look tiny to me now.

My boys are living on campus in universities, and he was telling them what that was like, in the 1940s.

I wore him out. He was really tired last night.

It was perfect. A perfect day.

#93

#94

Today we decided he did too much yesterday, so we canceled the trip to see Avatar2.

So instead we're spending the day in his apartment, fixing stuff. He has a nice carpet that had a very poorly done job with carpet tape, and it was bunching up when they used the vacuum. I was lucky - ol' Wifehorn brought her hair dryer, which really helps get the old, tremendously sticky carpet tape off the bottom of the carpet. Otherwise, it would have been brutal, getting rid of the old crap.

He had my mom's sewing accessory table with a couple of seams separating on the semi-octagonal end containers.

The brakes on his Rolleter (sp?) stopped working.

So those things are fixed now.

And we have a favorite Mexican restaurant.

#95

Youse a good boy Foggy, your mama would be very proud of you for tending to your papa the way you do.

#96

MsDaisy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 3:33 pm Youse a good boy Foggy, your mama would be very proud of you for tending to your papa the way you do.

Yes, him are.

Which leads me to ask, Foggy, did your mood become igneous before or after your quality time spent with your pater? And once you've returned and become settled again in the state of North Charles, will your mood change to sedimentary or metamorphic, even?

#97

Oh man, I changed my mood already, I was feeling a little orange!

Note to self: work sedimentary and metamorphic into the rotation.

#98

Foggy wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:55 am Our other project, maybe today, maybe mañana if we go to Annapolis today, is that he wants to see Avatar2 in the theater. That's an adventure because of his Zoomer chair, but what can be done, will be done.

And this visit's repair project is my mother's sewing accessory table, which has suffered the ravages of time. Maybe I can do something about that.

Does Avatar2 have an IMAX version? If so I would highly recommend that version if there is one in the area.

Edit: Uh, yes there is. What's the best way to watch Avatar 2?

#99

OMG, great suggestion, Keith.

Yes, there's an iMax theater in Rolly, when we get home. And I looked, and they're showing Avatar2 in 3D.

sugar magnolia · #100

Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 2:50 pm
He had my mom's sewing accessory table with a couple of seams separating on the semi-octagonal end containers.

OMG!! I love those Martha Washington tables. Mine is painted dark green and lives in my kitchen. Is his 3 same-size drawers or does it have a larger one at the bottom?

Fogbow