february 22, 2016

“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.”
~ Timber Hawkeye

Given the sadness over the last week I thought I’d show you that it hasn’t all been bad. That’s what makes funerals so interesting to me. You’re in the middle of tragedy, and yet some of the most memorable moments happen here. Uncle James’ funeral was no exception. We were invited to James’ church for dinner after the service. That’s where this picture was taken. If there’s one cousin that can make me howl with laughter, it’s Brian Terry, the photobomber seen here with myself, cousin Jeff, his wife Kelly, and his niece Michelle (cousin Michael’s daughter). Brian and I ended up at the dinner table beside each other. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Hey Brian, how are you doing?

Brian: Pretty good. Getting divorced for a second time.

Me: Oh, I’m sorry.

Brian: I’m not.

Me: Oh, well, then I’m happy for you. But really, I’m sorry.

Brian: That’s okay. But, hey, I just got a moonshine still.

Me: Somebody has to carry on the family legacy. Might as well be you. (Note: we had one great-grandfather that made it, and another that “protected” it from the feds)

Brian: Man, it’s so strong you could use it for rocket fuel.

Me: Wasn’t craft beer good enough for you?

Brian: I don’t like beer.

Me: But you’ll drink moonshine?

Brian: That’s just it. I don’t drink.

Me: Well then what are you doing it for?

Brian: It’s a science project.

Meanwhile, the non-Terry folk also sitting at the table became noticeably silent.

Our cousin Melissa started a cousins message on facebook the week before James passed. We’ve been in daily contact since. Today, Brian posted a picture of Kanye Twitty (Kanye West with a Conway Twitty hairdo). I howled with laughter. This after Jeff posted a picture of his new hairstyle that looked unsurprisingly like his hairstyle here. These Terry boys, I tell you, I love them more than words can say. God bless a family with a sense of humor.

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