Tunes for Tuesday - Memories & Memorials

As I write this Tunes for Tuesday post, I'm trying to come to terms with the recent passing of one of my Dad's best friends, who also happens to be my ex's father.  It's been many years since "JMB" (my ex) and I have been together, but I still care about his family deeply.  We dated for several years, have known eachother for over 20 years and our family's spent a lot of time together!  It's been a blessing to still be able to have a connection after all this time.

Now, it has only been a little over a week since "Jr." passed and I'm having a hard time with his untimely death.  You see, "Jr" was still quite young; only in his early to mid 50s.  He still should have had many more years on this earth, with his wife, his four kids, & his six grandkids, but the universe had other plans for him.

It should be known that "Jr." was a good, honest man.  He stood by his family.  He stood by his friends.  He didn't judge.  He laughed, he joked, he made you feel welcome.  There wasn't a day that passed that you couldn't find "Jr." sitting at the dining room table cracking jokes at someone.  And some of the stuff that came out of his mouth would leave you doubled over in stitches!  I can think of a few of his favorite sayings:

"Who's the best looking guy you know and why am I?"
"Hey, ____, how far do you think you would have gotten if I hadn't called you back?"
"Hey, ____, just checkin' assholes, you're alright."
And my two favorites...
"Hey Amy, who's the prettiest girl you know, and why are you?"   (*sigh* - he was a kind man)
"Petey, show Burdick your balls"  (This is what Jr would tell Petey (their dog)...to which Petey would react by laying on his back to expose himself...  "Burdick" is my Dad)


Sadly, his passing wasn't completely unexpected; he's been in and out of the hospital recently, but you always think there is more time.  Unfortunately, time waits for no man. 

So, here I sit, thinking of my past; thinking of the times we had on Beaver Street; my family & theirs.  The countless hours of laughter.  The good times.  I'll never forget the times we had together.  Now, a distant memory, but always a part of me. 

With today's Tunes for Tuesday post, I'd like to dedicate a song to "Jr." 

Until we meet again...

House Guests of the Unwanted Kind

When I refer to the "unwanted kind", I'm not talking about mice, spiders, or other critters that one might associate as unwanted guests.  No, I'm talking about the type of person who asks to stay with you for a little while and then never makes any moves to find another residence.

This is the scenario currently playing out in my humble abode right now.

Two and a half months ago, "D's" younger brother - we'll call him DK - asked if he could stay with us for a little while.  He never said how long "a little while" was  however.  I was not exactly thrilled about this; not only would my privacy be invaded, but so would my children's. I knew this would be very uncomfortable for everyone, especially me.  Things as I knew them would no longer be the same and I wasn't feeling it.  Change and I, well, we aren't exactly best buds.  Matter of fact, I'm pretty certain that I like routine; safe and decided routine.  Such is no longer the case...

Fast forward two and a half months to today; right now.  Our "guest" has overstayed his welcome and I'm losing my mind. I no longer feel comfortable in my own house and I hate it.  I have a laundry list of grievances.

I think the worst part about the situation is that I've tried to express to "D" how badly this is bothering me, but I don't think he cares.  I've asked him to address many things with DK, but he never really has.  He's masking my disdain to avoid hurting DK's feeling and it's only making me more furious.

So, since asking "D" to address it isn't helping.  I just need to get it all off my chest, so I'm going to write it.  This may seem petty to some, and yes, I agree it is...slightly.  Yet, I don't mind.

So, let's get down to it... here's the nitty gritty of what's bothering me about DK's overstayed welcome:

1. He doesn't seem like he's making any effort to find another place.
2. He only works part time, so I don't think he can really afford his own place.
3. He has only had two job interviews in the 2 1/2 months he's been staying, so I don't think he's really trying to find another job, to afford his own apartment.
4. He hasn't offered us a dime the whole time he's been here.  Not one single dime.
5. He's uneducated, lacks real life experiences and causes drama.
6. He always uses someone else's towel after he showers. (I don't know about you, but I personally don't want to dry my face with a towel that someone else may have dried their privates with)
7. He spits in the sink and doesn't rinse it out.
8. He leaves cell phone and computer cords plugged in without the device attached.
9. He follows "D" around from room to room.
10. Did I mention that he is not making any effort to find another place?  Yeah, I'm sure I mentioned it.

I'm sure I've missed a few things that have recently annoyed me about this situation, but 10, or nine with a prominent repeat seems sufficient, so I'll spare you the rest.  

I wish I could see the silver lining in this situation, but I already feel so jaded, so I know there's no turning back now.  Once I feel slighted, I can hold a grudge forever.  

At this point, I can only hope DK will get off his ass and move along, because this situation does not work for me and I just want my life and my privacy back! 

Please tell me, have you ever had an unwanted house guest overstay their welcome?  And if so, how did you deal with it?  

I've been away...

A lot of things have been happening around here and I just haven't found the time to keep my blog updated.  So, I'm going to do my best to post a little bit this evening in hopes of getting back on track.

Before I post again, I should mention that I think I may spontaneously combust soon if something doesn't give.  I'm trying to sway with the winds, but they've been blowing quite hard and I'm reaching my breaking point.

On that note, I've missed you all!  Here's to catching up!