Sorry, Kristin - the only thing that helped me sometimes with hiccups is drinking from the opposite side of the glass, but I see it's not an option here.

Oh, Kristin, that's got to be so tough. I hope the hiccups subside soon. The little stuff like that can just be the last damn straw.

And -- I just don't feel like posting this in Beep Me, but -- I found out tonight, right before we were walking out the door to have dinner with friends, that one of my uncles on my dad's side passed away today. This has been, without question, the most craptastic 6 weeks of my life.

This is an uncle who, like all of my dad's 7 siblings, has had heart disease. He had more than just blockages and stuff, though; he had lots of problems with clots in his legs, and he also lost a LOT of his cardiac function after a major heart attack a while back.

My dad hadn't kept in touch with Uncle Steve for years even though they lived in the same town, because of weird family hoo-hah and not liking his wife and whatnot. So there's that.

I think he was about 62 or so, which is just -- god, too young. But my dad said that his quality of life was crap for the past few years because of his limited cardiac function. He couldn't leave the house often, couldn't do much really, and wasn't a candidate for heart transplant (though I don't remember why).

So this is a case where I can't say it was unexpected in a general sense; it's just that in the specific sense, I didn't know he was in imminent danger of dying. And, well, it kind of sounds like none of his brothers and sisters did.

We had already had plans to go over to some friends' house for dinner, and Dad called as we were about to leave (actually, had Tim not been running late, we wouldn't have gotten the call). I lost it, while Dad was being stoic on the phone and saying to try to not be sad, because Uncle Steve's quality of life was so diminished in the past few years, and this was for the best, etc.

When I calmed down, we went to our friends' house, and it was good to see them, and they made an excellent vegetable lasagna, and we spent hours laughing at stupid stuff on YouTube.

But now that we're back home? I feel like I've been hit in the face with a brick. God DAMN.

{{{Steph}}} I'm so sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry, Steph.

{{Teppy}} I'm sorry.

Oh Steph, I'm so sorry. I'm glad you went to your friends house. I wish there was something I could do to make things a little better

and Pix, we are thinking of you and Drew all the time.If I was there I'd feed the pets for you -- so you would just get love and give love .

Hiccups have stopped. I'm going to go home and get some sleep. Thanks for good thoughts.

Rest for you both

So sorry, Steph.

Glad the hiccups have stopped. Hope he can get some good rest tonight.

Here's a recent-ish picture of my dad and his siblings; my Uncle Steve is in the middle, holding the water bottle: [link]

And here's one of them unable to resist the urge to act right for the camera (again, Uncle Steve with the water bottle): [link]

That family has some powerful DNA. It's amazing when you really look at them, how much they look alike. And how it's trickled down to the kids and grandkids. I'm short like all of them, and have tiny hands and feet, and my brother (despite being a 6' 2" beast from my mom's father) has their smile.