Sunday, January 31, 2010

Yet another reason to love Grandma Alice.

In our last episode, I let you all know that Grandma Alice had passed. (It's a Southern saying.. deal with it) Well, I got back from Eastern Oregon this weekend and had quite a story to tell. There were actually many stories, as I got to see many of my cousins, Aunts, Uncles and of course my dad, but there was one story that would have tickled my Grandma, so I'm going to share it.

The funeral was led by the current Catholic Priest there, he is from Sri Lanka. According to my father, the priests are brought in from other places now, hard to find enough home bred Priests I suppose. There has been an Irish Priest in the last couple of years, the last Father was from Nigeria, but now, the Father is from Sri Lanka.

Any who, Grandma Alice, being who she was, decided that she wanted her nieces and nephew to sing at her funeral and asked them to do so before she died, Amazing Grace, I walk in the Garden, etc. She also asked them to sing a yodeling song. yep. Yodel.

Now, apparently my dad's cousins warned her before she died that the one song that they know together involves a young woman who loves her man a great deal, except that every time they make love, he yells like Tarzan, and then proceeds to yodel.

I'm going to give you a minute, just to let that sink in.


Grandma said, "Perfect!"

The Father, (having no idea that this was about to take place) called for the last song to be sung, and gently, sat down.

The song commenced.. with a warning to the audience I must add.

There was a great deal of inappropriate, bawdy laughter throughout the song, and huge (and very well deserved) applause after it.

But what had me giggling then, and my dad and I laughing out loud the next day, was the absolute, abject horror on the face of the priest as he slowly stood up and looked out on the audience of at least 150 people, who were still laughing, and applauding.

"Let us then, pray for our Sister, Alice......"

I bet she was in stitches...

1 comment:

Joan's Good Life said...

Oh my word! How absolutely wonderful! There are not many people who realize that in life, you should love and laugh and truly live your life to the fullest. It sounds to me like your grandmother was a rare soul who knew how it's supposed to be done. She left you all with the gift of smiles and laughter as a remembrance of her.

Thank you for sharing your grandmother with us!