Stripper pants, cleavage and egg salad sandwiches.
Guess what those three things have in common.
If you guessed my uncle’s funeral, congratulations, you win a prize. I have an old Scrabble board game missing a few letters I’ve been meaning to get rid of. I’ll ship it your way.
Yesterday was my uncle V’s funeral. Family congregated to say goodbye to the man who once grabbed my ridiculously good looking husband and welcomed him to his home by french kissing him.
It was and likely will remain one of my favourite family memories. My husband, of course, may have a different opinion. Nothing says “Welcome to the Miller clan pretty boy!” like the roving tongue of a drunken uncle who is looking to get a laugh.
And laugh we did. (Sorry it was at your expense Boo, but like they say, what ever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. And more tolerant. And slightly more suspicious of all future in-laws who approach you gregariously intoxicated.)
Yesterday, my uncle’s children, his siblings, his friends, his nieces and nephews and his entire community gathered in a small rural farming town to say good bye to the cowboy who always had a broad smile and a bear hug for me whenever he saw me.
Yesterday we laughed. A lot.
I think my uncle would have liked that.
I know he would have liked it a whole lot more if someone french kissed my husband just to see him blush, but sadly, my husband is on high alert for roving errant tongues now.
Yesterday, as the world said good bye to the man who was my uncle, I said hello to the people who I share blood with.
I was surrounded by the finest rednecks in all of Alberta. For once, I finally fit in. I was with my peoples.
It felt good.
But it would have felt a whole lot better if Uncle was there to slap my husband on the arse and call him Pretty Boy.
muskrat
I went to my third funeral of the summer today. What the fuck? I used to have 5-10 weddings per summer; now I have 3 funerals and one wedding. Are we getting old?
In any event, sorry you too have been having to attend these things. I hope y’all have a good weekend.
Misty
Hmmm.. I could use that board, and missing letters. My husband and I have invented a new form of scrabble… we play normal, but if you come up with a dirty word, you get double points. There isn’t space on a normal board to meet my needs. I’ll just tape it to the side of the first board and keep going. Now Dirty Scrabble just needs a better name.
Lauren
I hate funerals. I had a dream last night that my grandma died and in my dream I debated whether or not I would go to the funeral. And I love my grandma. Like, a lot. So that’s how much I hate them.
Domestic Extraordinaire
What a great tribute to your uncle & I really wish I could see exactly how shocked Boo was when your uncle slipped him the tongue, I bet it was priceless!
hello haha narf
you uncle sounds like the kind of man who i would have enjoyed drinking a few beers with. i’m terribly sorry for your loss.
Amo
The ability to laugh at a funeral is a blessing in itself.
Wayward
Je suis désolée pour ton deuil. It sounds like Uncle V will be fondly remembered. I gotta say, Alberta’s sounding better and better.
MFA Mama
Sigh. Thinking of you, admiring your strength as always, fondly. x
Avitable
Sounds like you got quite a bit of your personality from him!
thatgirlblogs
awwww I’m so sorry. Sounds like you had the perfect memorial.
Jeanne
Sounds like a good time was had by all — which is more than you can reasonably expect from a funeral!
Denguy
My condolences to you on your loss.
Kim
Condolences on your loss, T. It sounds like the wake was a good time ~ that’s so important. {{{hugs}}}
Re: Scrabble I’ll take that game off your hands ~ or at least the tiles!
I love using them in my collages and often buy scrabble games at yard sales to scavenge them. 
(Yes, my neck is red, too! LOL)
Domestic Goddess (in training)
Awww, that was a great memorial post. I think you should pay a stranger to french your husband on the street in your uncle’s honor. He’ll never see it coming.
kyooty
i’m sorry for you loss.
roberta
ahhh…so sorry for your loss…..but sounds like us here down east….nothing says i love you like a good drunk…and thats the way i’m going out…hubby has all the details….being a bit…umm…tight….he will have to pay the bar bill…i’m luvin it…him…not so much…and no worries…i have it written in stone…..again…my sympathies….but i believe we should celebrate what was…not what was lost and nope no relegion in there either.hehe…we’re just funny that ways down here….(n.s. canada)…..xoxoxo
Stephanie
What a perfect way to honor someone you love. We can all be so lucky as to be sent of in a wave of laughter, to me there is nothing better.
redneck gramma
huh??
redneck gramma
@redneck gramma, sorry to hear about ur uncle, but here is somthing to tell the young red necks in ur family. When the yung ‘uns start to get ribbed by them old aunties at weddings etc ’bout “bein the next one?” or at baby showers, with the “when’s ur turn?” makes sure they give those comments back to the old aunties at every family funeral they go to. The aunties soon stop