On a Lighter Note

Lighthearted Posts

The Griswold Adventure, has ended.

~ Ron Walker ~ 1 Comment

I apologize for my absence from blogging, but the joy had just burned out with everything going on. Michelle’s mother passed away one month ago yesterday, so we had to deal with that. There was just too much stress day to day to feel creative and come up with new things to write about, other than grumbling over the Griswold visit. Even I tired of it after a while.

After 4 complete months of Griswold hell, that adventure is over. Eddie, Catherine and their four short-legged canines left for home yesterday. To some this may sound mean or unfriendly, but for those that have followed the Griswold adventure which started Thanksgiving, I have appreciated your understanding.

True Griswold fashion

Other than 3 months alone that we enjoyed 5 years ago, we finally have our home to ourselves after 21 years of marriage. For me, it was like flipping a switch. The stress level went from 87 down to zero as I watched their vehicle disappear in the distance. Just when I thought I had reached my limit, Eddie announced that he had received confirmation of a job in Texas. Of course in true Griswold fashion, Catherine didn’t want to return home. Yesterday around 5am, Eddie loaded a pouting Catherine, critters, tools and belongings into their SUV and departed. Tonight, Michelle and I will celebrate with steak and potatoes. Relax on the couch, sip some warm hot chocolate and share a cozy fire.

“Silence is golden”

I would love to invite you all, however as the saying goes, “Silence is golden”, and I plan to enjoy a ton of it. So from our household.. Live, Love, and put the No Vacancy sign out.

Much Love, Ron.

Note: Somehow, I missed the “allowed comments” block not being checked. Thank you all for the likes though! I’ll make sure I have comments on for the next post. An update must have set that normally “on” setting, to “off”.

7th level of Hell, New Year Griswold Style.

~ Ron Walker ~ 22 Comments

My first post in nearly a month. The only thing I can think of to write about, is the dysfunctional atmosphere. Fate has brought about circumstances that are beyond our control. A visit by Eddie, the brother-in-law that was supposed to be here for three weeks, is now three months and counting. At least this time they (so far) are self-sufficient. We wound up on this level, due to the mother-in-law taking a turn for the worse during his visit. We now have her on Hospice, just waiting.

My living room, where I would seek quiet and relaxation, is now always filled with four elderly dachshunds, and two human Griswold types, that have no social skills. They sit on opposite sides of the living room, Face Chatting, or whatever they call it, video chatting with their kids or family. I’m sorry, I don’t really care to hear both sides of your conversation over the program I’m trying to watch. I hesitate to say anything, there is so much undercurrent of sadness from the situation of the terminally ill mother.

There are some positive things. The extra female in the house (Eddie’s wife, lets call her Catherine, like the movie) helps take some load off Michelle. Getting up all hours when she hears her mother calling on the baby monitor, has worn her out, so the two women take turns with the monitor duty. I’ve gotten a bathroom floor repaired, a ramp built just before the person it was for, took a turn for the worse. Some leaks stopped by replaced shingles, which were promptly blown off 2 days later along with some siding, by a violent thunderstorm. I’m still not sure, if three repairs in three months is much progress.

Ever met someone that “puts on” as we say in the South. A person who is trying their best to show they are helping, yet at the same time raises the stress level several notches. Eddies wife, likes to take care of “Momma” as she calls her, with the most fake southern twang possible. She spends time in the bedroom of the terminally ill mother-in-law, which is located next to my office. Instead of just talking to her, and going along with the end time delirium the poor woman is going through, Mrs Griswold wants to talk loudly continually correcting her, trying to make sure she gets the point across, that she is imagining things. Why correct a terminally ill person, that is seeing their loved ones again in a delirium. At that moment they are happy, stop smashing the mirror of the moment, and causing more stress. However, I am just short of pulling a Clark Griswold scene from the movie.

So the Griswold Christmas Vacation continues into the new year. There will be no sequel. Next year, there will be a prominent “No vacancy” sign on this home.

Comments welcome,
Where’s the Tylenol..

It’s Officially Christmas, in the TrailerHood.

~ Ron Walker ~ 13 Comments

The official declaration was slow coming this year. Christmas is marked by regular events, for many. Ours was officially started this morning. Reboot, my dear cat and purveyor of all associated with my man-cave. Marked the occasion by barfing a wad of tinsel onto the carpet, along with whatever else is included in such expulsions. Christmas, is here..

We put a tree up this year, just not enough Ho-Ho-Ho spirit to string the lights outside, no stockings hanging over the fireplace. Michelle likes to decorate, but she just isn’t feeling it this year. With the Griswolds visiting, and having to make a decision to maybe place her mother in a home after the holidays.

There is more spirit in the TrailerHood though, we do have one home out of the 40, that has outside inflatable items that are on at night. Maybe there is hope for the world.

Then again, I look out my window and see the Christmas Bows on the mail boxes out front. These are courtesy of the same people, that pay some down on their luck soul $60 to scoop out septic tank waste, into a pickup truck and dump it on someone else’s land. Intolerant of any other religion, support rebel flags, and offer $10 a head bounty on any stray cats you shoot or poison. All between church functions.

Then I think back and smile. Fun memories of the Christmas that it snowed hard, Johnny Reb racing through the snow like a nine-year old on his electric wheel chair, almost running into the concrete ditch out front. Johnny Reb later going to jail for vacation. Then the Summer, that they harassed the guy in the small trailer that occasionally had black friends visit. They charged him twice for not cutting his grass quickly. He sprayed his yard with a special formula that stunted and browned the grass, but didn’t kill it completely. The time they got caught and fined by EPA, for dumping human waste on someones land. Yes, the smallest things can bring joy when you remember them.

So I recline on my couch resting my warm socked feet on the coffee table, and watch as my wife’s Great Dane, comes through the living room, dragging one of the Griswold’s wiener dogs by its chest harness. A little blue tab of its built-in poop bag sticking up from its harness container like a decoration. Yes, life is good.

So have a Merry Christmas and remember, you’re alive and can enjoy it with loved ones. Now, I must go and fix my coffee and empty the pitcher that should now be full, from the roof leak.

Comments always welcome,

Griswold Christmas (Trailerhood Style)

~ Ron Walker ~ 25 Comments

There’s a toilet, on my back porch. So goes Christmas here with the Griswolds. Three weeks ago, the brother-in-law was laid off work in Louisiana. So he locates work here, and needs a place to stay (squat). Then his wife suddenly needs to come here because her mother is having lung surgery, how can you say no to that.

At least, there are no children, or large Rottweiler as in the movie. There are however, four Dachshunds. They do the potty parade every three hours, starting at 5am. Oh, they tend to bark during the parade as well.

The idea he presented, was having a place to stay for a couple weeks, he could do some things here that I no longer can. Like the guest bathroom (small one) needed the floor replaced. I had already torn the floor out. It’s been three weeks, there is still a toilet on the back porch. I have been thinking of going out there one morning, and just sit on it and read the news. That way I can tell the neighbors it’s new deck furniture.

Unlike the Griswold Christmas Vacation movie, at least they called ahead, so I could approve my own torture. Christmas will come and go, and everyone “will go home”, if they have to flip burgers for a job.

So I wish all of your family a very Merry Christmas.
The Griswolds,