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The bomb hits....but not at my house (slightly O/T)

Drac0's picture

My grandmother and my father are at each other’s throats again. The situation is not *that* bad but it got bad enough that it required my intervention.

Long story short. My grandmother is moving into a senior citizens home. Although she still has her wits about her, she can no longer live by herself and needs someone to check on her every day. The move is scheduled for April. Dad, me, my brother and even DW told her that as soon as we get back from our Spring Break trip we will help her pack.

This is not soon enough for my grandmother. She is insisting that the daughter of one of her church friends come help her this weekend. Now I have never met this woman but my father has and my father doesn’t trust her. So Dad told my grandmother not to let this woman into her house because she might steal things. Actually what will most likely happen is that my grandmother will just give things away to this woman.

My grandmother is a bit of a hoarder. She has a LOT of junk but some of it is valuable. Dad said to grandma that she shouldn’t let anyone touch her stuff until she can get it appraised. Unfortunately, my Dad isn’t exactly a patient man either. He doesn’t ask, he barks orders, and my Grandma said to Dad “You don’t tell me what to do!”.

So there was a lot of yelling and screaming and years of frustrations spilling out of my Dad and grandmother’s mouths. A lot of hurtful things were said. In the end, both Dad and my grandmother were a wet mess.

So I step in. I tell my grandmother that Dad is just looking out for her best interest. I tell Dad to go easy on grandma because moving is one of the most stressful things a person goes through in their lives.

All this to say that this little incident prevented me from attending SS’s parent-teacher conference. Donkeykong was there too and according to what DW said, he is not happy with SS’s performance either; so much so that he was giving SS an earful. DW told me of some of the things Donkeykong was saying and my jaw dropped.

“Where was this man 10 years ago?”

DW took a lot of notes for me to look at. She noted down the subjects that SS will be studying in math and science. DW said she has no clue about those subjects but she knew I would.

The subject of hiring a professional tutor is back on the table again too. Don’t know if Donkeykong is willing to pay half but he seems open to the discussion at least.

The math and science teachers gave DW and Donkeykong several ideas too on what they can do to help SS out. Both teachers said that SS is more than capable of doing the assigned tasks; he just needs to apply himself more.

Comments

Drac0's picture

I talked to DW about footing a portion of the tutoring bill (no way I can afford to pay all of it). DW and I are not at odds any more over this.

As for my Dad and grandma. It's not so much bad blood as it is a HUGE difference of personality.

Drac0's picture

I'd love some rain right now. Anything but the freakin' snow

Temperature now = 1 F

With the windchill = minus a billion!

AllySkoo's picture

It's 9 here. NINE. Stupid Siberian Express....

And since it hasn't gotten above freezing since the last 8 times it's snowed, the snow *everywhere* is about 4 feet deep. Unless there are snow drifts - those are often 10 feet deep or more.

I'm moving to TX.... move over Sweet Pea!!!

Drac0's picture

My mother is from Canada and I used to go there (New Brunswick) quite freqently. Snowbanks so high you cannot see the malls. No, not the houses, the FREAKIN' MALLS!!!! are hidden behind these snow banks that bunker busters can't detonate!

The air hurts to breathe too. Why would anyone want to live where the air HURTS!?!?

AllySkoo's picture

I'm with you, if breathing hurts it's time to move!

Let's all move in to Sweet Pea's new house. It's 55 there, the air is fine! Wink

Drac0's picture

Yeah my Mom is a decendent of the Acadian line (French colonials that settled on the east coast). She's the reason I am fluent in French. Although for the life of me I still cannot understand my uncle. "MonOncle Michel" has a heavy Acadian French accent AND he speaks with a lisp. I swear, when he talks, it's like listening to Chewbacca speak.

The other thing I noticed about my Canadian counterparts is that they are fond of the wood burning furnaces. Yeah, it keeps the house warm but your skin dries up and feels like cactus plant!

twoviewpoints's picture

So you load up the lazy SS and send him over to help GGma this weekend. It will give her the sense of beginning to get the move started. You also tell that kid that if he slacks off and/or does not do as Gma says he'll think the grade punishment was nothing compared to what you'll do to him if he disappointments where his great-grandmother is concerned.

At some point your father has to realize that Gma has a mind of her own and a right to do a she pleases with her possessions...regardless of their value or if Dad thinks it's a good idea. My mother is 80. She's as capable as my sister and I are of handling her own affairs. Heh, I'd like to see the day my sister or I were brave enough to tell Mom what she had to do with this or that. And yes, if or when the day comes Mom is not capable, then and then only will sister and I help out and do our offspring thing.

Drac0's picture

Love that idea twoviewpoints. I mean I *REALLY* love that idea, but we don't get SS on weekends (he's at his Dad's)

just.his.wife's picture

If Donkey Kong is THAT pissed he might think some manual labor would be good for the kid...

Drac0's picture

I thought so too...Who knows? Maybe it was better that I was not there? DW gets very easily agitated in DK's presence and cannot think straight so I was surprised when she came home with detailed notes and a comprehensive recollection of the things that were said.