Grandma Goes Abroad...hopefully

Disclaimer: I can't think of anything useful for this blog anymore, but I may keep this site alive for one reason: to document my 87 year old grandmother, Mary Cuthriell (dad's side), on our trip to Italy in November 2009.

Mary has never left the country, except for a few cruises to Nova Scotia and up to Alaska with her widow friends. In the last 2 years, I've realized how I need to learn everything I can about her while I can, and I'm no longer taking our relationship for granted. Since then we've become very close friends.

My promise: I'll take her to Italy, a top place she really wants to see, and dedicate nearly my entire time to her while there. This will be pending doctor approval, which as of today he says he can neither say yes or no. I'm telling her to go for it, and will be meeting the doctor this summer in person.

As well, I've now made the decision to document the entire trip with video and still photography. I'll be interviewing her daily as we travel, asking her about every year and decade of her life, ups and downs, times that have been scary, euphoric, alone, overwhelming, most memorable, incredible, regretful, full of love or loveless...and the list goes on.

Here she is with my brother, sister, and me...can't you tell how groovy she is already?


-msc, listening to Beirut - Carousels

I Think I'll Be In Italy A Lot

It's final, and already in motion in fact. My mom, Molly, and her husband JC, are off to Naples, Italy as of next week. It's a 2-3 year time frame, and where the majority of my travel money will be donated toward for that same time frame. Usually for long trips, mom gets all sappy and leaves me letters on how amazing I am, that I'm the best son in the world, and that my future is bright like a flashlight with new batteries (no bias there whatsoever).

This time I got none of that - she knows I'll be there soon, and lots.

That said, I just had to throw a surprise party for her and JC - b/c like me, they are the best parents in the world, amazing, and with a bright future like a flashlight with new batteries. I wanted to share the invitation I created for this - it mocks JC's "Change of Command" invite for his recent departure from Bahrain. For better preface, see previous blog "My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad" by clicking the "King Kong" link on your left. While he's not my dad, he can still have you lasered to death, among other really shit-hot things. You call him King Kong.

Read it - it's a funny joke, like ha.