Kraken Kronicles

A couple of weeks ago, Uncle Jimmy passed away after a very short battle with advanced bladder cancer. He was loved and will be missed by many. We (Michele and I and the kids) went down to Des Moines for his funeral. It was a very touching affair and brought back many thoughts about going through the same thing with Mom (Uncle Jimmy's older sister) almost 11 years ago. Spending time with most of the Crowley family was very nice although bittersweet under these circumstances. The kids had fun playing with all their many cousins. I've thought of Aunt Judy and her family many times since the funeral.

He was an Army Veteran and a retired Captain from the Des Moines Firefighters. He has three children and five grandchildren. He and Aunt Judy were married 40 years!!! The funeral procession made a detour past his firehouse and all the trucks were out with lights on and the crew gave a salute as the hearse went by. The Firefighter Honor Guard was at the cemetary. It was a very emotional ceremony.

Uncle Jimmy was quite a character, and always was quick to make a funny remark or observation. Just this past June, as we were getting ready to leave the family reunion and I was trying to corall the kids into the bus, he called to them and said "Let's make like a baby, and head out!" The humor was lost on them and they stared at him (but laughed anyway as kids do), but I just about peed my pants!

Then there was the time Uncle Jimmy and the Kraken played pass-out, as we kids raced to see who could get the next beer fastest!

He was a very special man, and I am sure he is sharing laughs with Mary Schmidt and Jim and Rose Crowley as we fumble through our days. We miss you all!

We have been oh so busy. Here are a couple of laughs until I get around to posting something of merit (or substance...)

Humor Du Jour...

What's the difference between a good ol' boy and a redneck?

The good ol' boy raises livestock. The redneck gets emotionally involved.

TWO DWARFS
Two dwarfs go into a bar, where they pick up two women and take them to their separate hotel rooms. The first dwarf, however, is unable to get an erection. His depression is made worse by the fact that, from the next room, he hears his little friend shouting out cries of "Here I come again! One, two, three, uh," all night long. In the morning, the second dwarf asks the first, "How did it go?" The first mutters, "It was so embarrassing. I simply couldn't get an erection." The second dwarf shook his head. "You think that's embarrassing? I couldn't even get on the bed."

TRUE STORY
Police in Radnor, Pennsylvania, interrogated a suspect by placing a metal colander on his head and connecting it with wires to a photocopymachine. The message "He's lying" was placed in the copier, and police pressed the copy button each time they thought the suspect wasn't telling the truth. Believing the "lie detector" was working, the suspect confessed.