Not quote a month but pretty darn close.

It's been quite a hectic few weeks.

My Gran passed away August 27, 2006. Almost 10 years to the day her husband my Papa died...July 31, 1996. The same date as her father's birthday. Her Memorial was held in Rossland at the Legion on the 31st. This was my Papa's birthday. Kinda weird and cool at the same time.

I received the telephone call at 1:51 on Friday August 25. I had been having a horrid headache all week so I was kinda grouchy and then the telephone call came from my Unc. D. He said do what you have to but get home asap. Gran is in the hospital and not expected to make it. Call the family.

Now in my family we had all been prepared for the telephone call. Prepared is one thing, actually receiving it is another. I immediately called MyLuc who had taken the day off to take his car in. He said he'd be home as soon as possible but it'd be rush hour so he didn't know when that'd be. I called Mom and left a message. I called Sprout and didn't get through. I called Robin, Sprout's bf, and he said he'd get ahold of Sprout. I called Stretch and left a message.

The rest of the hours passed in a blur of crying and telephone calls and trying to figure out how I could get home.I made it home and waited for MyLuc. I just wanted a hug. I took Sarah from the closet where she's been since Mel, Luc's Grandad passed end of May. I held her and just lay on the bed.

MyLuc came home and he held me and we tried to decide what to do. We could leave early Saturday getting there in the afternoon or I could take a bus tonight and get there early Saturday morning and he'd come down later..after he'd made arrangements for care of the critters. It was a tough decision. Have us leave early Saturday morning and be too late but he'd be with me or leave asap and have him come down after.

I chose to leave that night. I had 1/2 an hour to pack and I opened the closet and emptied it into my suitcase, my dirty clothes from the hamper as well. Got organized with my backpack giving MyLuc instructions on grabbing me fruit and stuff to eat, my books, my chargers for my cell and o'course my camera. It was done so quick. We made it with tons of time to spare and then I was alone.

I waited it seemed for hours for the bus to come. When it arrived my cousin Dyll was in the seat behind the driver, he's underage so although we are cousins we couldn't sit together. It was a very full bus and I woke some huge guy who was stretched out. And away we went. The bus ride was long, the guy wiggled alot, I cried and I hoped that my cell wouldn't ring that I was too late. The guy got kinda fresh and then got off the bus. Good thing because I would have punched him in the 'nads. He was being an ass.

We (Dyll and I) made it to Castlegar and into trail by 5:30 a.m. I had made arrangements for my best's hubby Chad to pick me up and also Dyll and take us to Aunties'. Auntie was there though. She hadn't got the message and had expected me later that day. Needless to say she didn't see me until I pointed to the car when I was talking with Chad and said "Well, there's my Aunt soo...".

Auntie, Dyll and I headed to 7-11 where we loaded up on coffee and snacks to take to the Hospital. That's where everyone was. We walked in and everyone was totally surprised to see me.

Gran was lying in the bed so small and wrinkled. She had gotten pneumonia and along with her advanced lung cancer and Parkinson's she was in pretty bad shape. The family rotated. 7 of her children, 10 of her grandchildren and o'course some of her greats. Although they are pretty young and probably don't remember what was going on. The whole family made it. The "Call to Arms" went out and asap we responded. My Unc. Larry who lives in Saskatchewan made it in just over 9 hours.

As the day went on we (the family) traded shifts, told stories, Gran came awake and was coherent and said "Don't cry", "Don't be sad", "I don't hurt". We talked to her and she responded as best she could. I admit I confused her once because I took off my sweatshirt and she thought I was someone else. It was hard but it was okay. I went down to Aunties and showered and changed in record time. We went and got pizza for the kids and to bring up to the Hospital. They moved us to the Family room which had a room and kitchen/couch area.

Conversations varied, TV was watched, emotions ran high. My cell was forever in my hand talking with MyLuc and updating him and talking with my best T. Errands were run. Auntie went up and lay an angel ornament on Papa' s stone saying "An angel was on its way". We talked and laughed and cried. For such a sad time it was good to see everyone.

Saturday evening everyone decided to get some sleep, go for showers and just stand by. I had set my cell to ring alarm for an hour at a time so I could spell the Uncles. They weren't leaving for anything.

Sunday morning, we were getting kicked out by the nurses so that they could bathe Gran. Mom and I decided to have a shower and change after staying at the Hospital over night. We went to Aunties for a super quick shower and change. I finsihed, we had a quick coffee and talked about how someone would be sleeping, in the shower, on the way, etc...and the telephone rang.

Back to the Hospital we went. Gran had passed when the nurses were bathing her. The theories vary on why then. My two favorites are that she wanted to go to Papa clean and that she wanted a moment when family wasn't around. A breathe all her own.

Arrangements began that night for the rest of the week.

It was a very long week. My family are alcoholics and they drink Bud *shudder* lots of Bud. We laughed, we talked, we cried, we made new memories and talked about old ones. We remembered Gran.

Lots happened that week. Wednesday, the day before her Memorial, Mom, Sprout, Stretch and I went up to visit Papa and let him know that Gran was on her way. MyLuc came down on the Wednesday afternoon and we stayed at T's. T-,man remembered Luc and wanted to show him everything. Q-girl, who had never met either of us just stared and stared at MyLuc. And then she'd grin and it was awesome. I was telephoned and asked if I could read a poem. I said I would try.

Thursday came early. MyLuc and I headed out to Tim Hortons. The coffee was horrible. My father was there. That was horrible. Back into town to pick up T. Up to the graveside where I had an attack of the funnies about how people were acting. MyLuc holding me tight because he thought I was sobbing...nope...T and I had the giggles. Back to Trail to pick up Q-girl (T needed to feed her and bring her along). Back to Rossland to the Legion. Up the stairs. The Legion Padre giving a really really long religious talk about Gran (so not Gran). Read the poem which was really long. Down stairs to do the meet and greet and I'm sorry about your Gran thingy. Too much so fast.

I decided that I needed to come home. Right then. We drove T back home. Went to Gran's so I could say goodbye, to Aunties for our gear and off we went.

We made it to Princeton, got a room at the Best Western, had a nice dinner and drinks and then MyLuc held me. Home on Friday where Matthew, MyLuc's bro had been staying at the apartment caring for the critters.

It was a long week.