Turns out, unless you're wearing a cape and tights, it's a very hard thing to keep Andy motivated and packing. So, there was a lot of frustration, and not a lot of accomplishment. Andy = avoidance.
As we were leaving the funeral last week, I asked the brothers if they would like to get together and have dinner before Aaron's departure. Aaron thought it would be a great idea; Andy was neither commital or against the idea - so Aaron and I decided to leave it loose enough to work around, but keep in touch about it; planning for either Friday or Saturday. I would cook and they would host.
Turned out the house was now lacking any of the modern conveniences - stove, fridge, etc - so how about either coming to my place or visiting Gram? The latter idea killing two birds, as it were.
Either plan was good, and we drove off in our respective directions, secure that we would get together once more before Aaron left town. I called Gram's place straight away to leave word she would be having visitors over the weekend, and that we would be bringing dinner on whichever day was best for her.
Well, we did get together over the weekend, meeting at Gram's Saturday late afternoon for dinner and chatter...and it was a good time. Aunt Joan was staying with Gram (according to the rotating schedule), and she had called Unc. Paul to ask if he wanted to drop in and visit with the eldest grandkids whilst we were all in one spot. That was a pleasant surprise for Aaron.
After sticking another leaf in the dining table, we gathered around a huge pan of lasagna, some pretty good bread, a lovely salad and plenty of smiles, and had a great visit. Although it tuckered Gram out, she seemed to have a nice time, and participated in the conversation. She continuously stared at Aaron, drinking him in (it seemed) as we see him so infrequently, and you could tell she was trying to imprint his image into her brain. She compared him several times to the image she has hanging on her picture wall, saying it "just doesn't look like you," and that she had lost track of him in her mind's eye. She also thought he looked so very much like his father. We all laughed, and then discussed that man's unfortunate hairstyle choice (he opted for an extremely curly perm to avoid helmet hair when he rode his motorcycle), and how he might look now.
Later, we shared photographs and some stories, but Andy left prematurely to go play Euchre with buddy's, so there really wasn't much sibling visiting. We did manage to take a few shots of the three of us with Gram before Andy bugged out, but Andy Scrooged his way through those so they weren't as successful as they might have been.
I departed around 9 pm or so, dropping Aaron at Andy's location on the way home, but as will happen, we sat in the car chatting until Andy finally appeared outside the VFW hall asking if Aaron was ready to go home for the night.
We hugged and said goodbye, vowing to keep in touch. I have to send Aaron a copy of a photo from my album (one taken of him with his lovely wife 21 years ago), and then I drove off on the slippery roads for home, and the two boys headed for 1109.
I guess that's not too bad for a Schmalentine's Day, eh?
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