Most of these are picture heavy blogs now and days and I hope you are enjoying them. :) The last paragraph of the blog is what I'd like to say at my grandfather's funeral, though not verbatim because I do believe the spirit will move me when prompted.

I can say right now that I feel I've lived my life with far too many distractions and petty concerns. I can feel a change in me going on. And I'm accepting it and enjoying it. I'm having the best time getting to know my family more, helping out everyone, being a good hostess to all the many visitors we've been having over my grandmother's house, doing everything that's asked of me and hearing all the wonderful stories about my grandfather and the wonderful man is is. I am bittersweet about the circumstances being so difficult. I choose to see the wonderful side of this circumstance.

Yesterday my grandmother gave me money to buy her some Chanel No. 5 from Macy's. Tak called be out of the blue and we had a good long chat while I ran that errand. Coming back with the perfume and change, my grandmother refused to receive it. Every time we bring up money, she says, "What is money? I don't care. I want him back." and starts to cry. I don't want upset her right now but the money she gives me I use toward the services. I ran errands all day after that, going to Walmart in Pico Rivera to get supplies for the collages me and my cousin were to make and enlarging/printing a wonderful picture of my grandfather when he was just around 19 years old that was on his natralization certificate. The nice young man at Walmart helped me and after that my Auntie Ana teased me about my "boyfriend at Walmart". Haha!

At Walmart in Pico Rivera: I went in line even though I wasn't ready just to take a picture of this woman's tattoo!



In the Pico Rivera Walmart parking lot: this motorcycle had a carriage attached to the back! The novelty license said PALE RIDE!



A sign in the American Legion in Alhambra. Shhh...;)

I went back home to take a test for class, tell Teach about missing next week (it being the wake/rosary/funeral next week) and getting my brother and father to visit. I walked to the market with my father. I honestly don't know how to drive and park there and it's down the street! After they left and I checked my Aunt's blood sugar (over 300! >.<) we went to bed. I'm using the room that my grandfather used to sleep in. That's when I found my mp3 player on, and it's the type that you have to push the on/off button inward for about 5 seconds or else it will turn off. It's never spontaneously turned on before. That was strange but I knew exactly why it happened; my grandfather was saying hello. <3

In the evening I got a text from Le Tigre asking to hang out. I thought that was very nice, even if I wasn't home. LOL In the morning, Tak called again to see if I was home cos he was in my area! Awe! <3 Mike also called to see how we're all doing. That was really nice. My grandmother hugged me and thanked me for everything I was doing for her. I made breakfast for grandma, myself, and Auntie Ana, accidentally giving Auntie some hot links! She cannot even stand the sight of PEPPER, it makes her tongue hot! She also put a banana peel in my mother's purse! Mom was amused/grossed out when she found it! After my Aunt Irma, Cousin Sabrina (aka Beenie) and her 2 year old James came, we piled into two cars and went to the American Legion where my grandfather's reception after the funeral will be. Then to Pepe's for lunch where they accidentally gave my Auntie Ana chili!!! Oh, the odds! Sabrina and James came with me to Walmart once again to print out pictures for the collage I had on my computer. When we got home, mom and Auntie Ana went shopping for clothes for the services, Sabrina and I started making the collages to be displayed during the wake and funeral. Auntie Ana came up with a new nickname for me: Auntie Kiki cos my cousin James had trouble saying, "Vicky" :) I like it, it's cute!

I was delighted and mesmerized by pictures of my grandfather in the 50s/60s and his children! He's a very handsome man! And everyone keeps telling me how over the moon my grandfather was and always was thereafter meeting my grandmother, he only had eyes for her, though she was not to impressed with him at first! When they got married, he had a sort of instant family having also gained my grandmother's sisters and brother to care for and, nine months later, a child of his own, my mother. He was an upstanding man who truly loved my grandmother and cared for many many more family members as the years came on, taking in anyone who needed to be and raising many of his younger family members. He would shower my grandmother with gifts and always took care of her, even to his last days with her in the hospital as he was in a great deal of pain reminding her to take her medication and keep up with her doctor's appointments. That's such true love, my grandfather loved and cared for all members of his family, related or not, with such devotion and passion that is rare these days. If you told him you liked something he had, he would give it to you on the spot. He would talk to anyone who would strike up a conversation with him which is how everyone up and down the block of Whittier Blvd. knew him. Uncle Manuel told a story of how once at a casino, he was sitting at the slots when a woman approached him and struck up a conversation. She was flirting with him, he was clueless! After he ran out of quarters the woman told him she could use hers, and he said, "No, lady, I'm not using any of your quarters!" at which time my grandmother came around and the woman took off! My grandfather was also very outspoken and honest, whether it be about his old fashioned bigoted mind frame or his perceptive explanations. My Uncle Manuel also told a story of how once while at their house in Arizona (known as the River House), my uncle was relaxing with some friends while attending the annual Laughlin River Run, which is a biker gathering. Around 3am, my grandparents came to the house and talked to my uncle, asking why he wasn't at the River Run. My uncle told them he was tired of it and it was getting dumb to which my grandfather said, "You didn't see the women flashing their boobs out there?" That got him a good elbow jab from my grandmother! He proceeded to say, "What! That's what they're doing!" He was a trip, a good and wonderful trip! He would always tell me if the boy I was dating was good or not, he was an excellent judge of character. He would joke if a boy I was dating was ugly or dumb, but he never thought anyone was good enough for me. I miss my grandfather's jokes, his stories, the way he laughed, the cologne he wore, the times he'd take us out to play racket ball at East LA college and help us collect the leftover tennis balls or take us out to the park or the store. I miss the projects he would show us with pride that he had made with his two hands after taking a carpentry class, or the new fruit plant he'd planted in the back yard. Today my aunt and I weeded a plant for him. He'd want his garden to look beautiful still. I miss my grandfather, and I am glad I had so many wonderful memories from him and carry his blood in mine and had such a great role model to attain to when finding a husband which I do believe I have found and my grandfather would approve of. I'm so happy that I learned so much from him and that I was making him proud with all the things I was changing and doing in my life. I pray to God that he can tell my grandfather that I love him and miss him, that I hope I'm making him proud that that I'll see him again. So much good has come from something so terrible but God is taking good care of him and us and I know we'll get through all this. I know my life is changing so much already because I know my grandfather and I miss him and wish he was here longer but it was his time, the diseases ravaged his body but his spirit is still in full force in all of us. Always.

Pictures:

my grandparents used to go out dancing all the time. My grandparents are a very glamorous couple!


I took this picture; my grandfather with his ring and his watch he wore



the picture my Uncle Michael drew that will grace the cover of the invites for the funeral



Their wedding day <3 June 24, 1954



my grandfather on strike with the produce union back in the day



My grandparents were always social butterflies! That's them on the right, so young!



Such a handsome man, he looks like a movie star! I'm not sure what the message says but I adore it on the front of this picture



This is one of the collages I made for my grandfather, he took really great pictures



This is the second collage I made for my grandfather, he has so much family that loves him so much



My grandmother told me that my grandfather wanted a picture of his grandchildren in his casket to be buried with him. This picture was taken last night for my grandfather, his first born granddaughter and first born grandson

I will be posting the information for the services soon. I pray that we all get through this journey with God's guidance and my grandfather's blessing and wisdom.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.