I learned from this man!

Imre Lagler was a Hungarian force to be reckoned with. He was a cantankerous man, but he had a past that he could amaze anyone with. Escaping communist Hungary, immigrating to the United States, and finally settling down in Bell Buckle, Tennessee of all places.

My brother adored him. When I was his student, I feared him. Not because he was mean, but because I knew that he expected much out of me, and I didnt know if I could fill the shoes he laid before me. He was a man of many words, many funny words at that. He had special ways to inflict little silly punishments for our small offenses such as talking in class. When he was done with our foolishness, he would simply just tell us to get out of his sight, which meant sit outside the class and be sure youre sitting right there when the bell rings. He wouldn't tell anybody of higher authority if you werent sitting there, but you better hope the rotating schedule meant you didnt have his class the next day.

He was political, sometimes close-minded, always argumentative, and competitive in every sense of the word. But at the same time he loved teaching and he loved talking to students. Here's to you Imre!

http://www.boomeradventurestv.com/lagler.html - A video tribute made by a Webb School alumni featuring one of my favorite teachers, Mr. L.R. Smith and also an alumni that graduated the last year that I attended Webb.

Back to reality...which is what it was all along come to find out.

It's been a week since my grandmother passed and it feels like it was 2 minutes ago. The services were beautiful, a good part due to the music that my father pre-recorded. Karabeth, if you are interested, I'm going to make a few copies for people who know his music or are interested in listening, some of his classics that Grannie loved such as Thank You are featured. I would be glad to send you a copy if you would like. Email me your address if you want one. :)

Here's the plant that Alex's sweet family sent for the funeral. I also got a beautiful peace lilly from the girls that I work with. I'm blessed to have so many great people in my life.
Karabeth, if you notice on the wall behind the plant is a painting that was painted by Prince Charming's mother back in 1986 I believe. Grannie gave that to me about a year ago, and I absolutely love it.

So after Saturday, I was eager to feel some sort of normal again. I had a moment of closure at my grandmother's grave site which I have to say is one of the more picturesque places. Its set on a hill in the countryside of North Rutherford county right before you get to Wilson county. The last time I had been to this spot was the day my Papa was buried, so it was a sort of homecoming for me and my cousins. You're standing on the side of the hill, and you look out and feel like you can see about 15 miles. I'm eager to go back, it easily tops my favorite places list.

Sunday I felt a little back to normal. No more getting dressed everyday, no more seeing people I hadn't seen in years (literally since the days that Karabeth lived here) and definitely no more putting up with crazy funeral directors. They cease to amaze me (side note, I know there are other funerals happening, but the flowers can wait a couple of minutes to be picked up.) I enjoyed being able to go about my business, eating dinner at Lindsay's house, and not having to be accountable to my family to my immediate whereabouts at any given moment.

So my life is officially back to normal, minus the part of my Grandmother's voice on the other end when I call her house now. I called over there the other day looking for my aunt, and Grannie's familiar "Heelllloooo" was all I heard in my head. That will take some getting used to.

Have a good day people!

Its all done

Grannie passed at 9:00 this morning, right after I got there. She had been awake for a little while, and had talked up until about 4:45. We told her to go find Papa in heaven, but I believe he was standing right there with us, waiting to escort her spirit up to heaven.

Her visitation is from 4-8 on Friday evening, and the service will be on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Jennings and Ayers.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. It has helped us go through this hard time in our lives. Please keep my father in your prayers, my grandmother was his greatest confidant and one of his best friends.

I'm again lost for words. It's the first day of the rest of my life without my Grannie Gilbert.

I'm tired guys....

I have a feeling I have no idea what the word tired means. When I'm watching people like my grandmother in their failing health, all I can imagine them saying is "I'm tired guys, just let me be." She just wants to be left alone and she doesn't want family hovering over her. That's not passing away peacefully.

My grandfather passed away in such fashion. We had been watching him round the clock for over a week, someone always sitting by his side, listening to him just barely breathe. The moment he passed away was the first time in two weeks that someone wasn't awake to hear if he was just struggling or if it was finally over. It wasn't that our family was negligent, we were unconsciously just giving him a moment to himself, a moment to decide if it was okay to let go.

Now my grandmother is at this point. She's had a horrible day, and they're pretty sure she has only a few days, if she makes it through tonight. I wish I could just tell her to let go, that its alright just to fall asleep. She's so figgety which causes more pain. She's mad that she can't be comfortable and she fights sleep because she wants to keeping fighting, keep trying to live. She's tired, and she just wants to rest. I so badly want to help her, but there is nothing for me to do but give her the pain medication.

I'm spaced out right now with all the thoughts running through my head at any one point and I will probably continue to be this way until my grandmother's situation is over. I had to tell that to my teacher tonight after an exam because I read each answer I put and none of them made sense. I'm hoping she'll give me a little grace concerning the situation I'm in.

Til the next time I have any thoughts or news to convey,
Allyson

Perceptions

Do you ever wonder if you know everything about your friends?

It would be the furthest thing from the truth for me to claim this, but I definitely hope I at least have a good grasp on the details of at least my closest of friends. But I have recently had friends make comments that Im sure were innocent, but make me wonder if they knew that what they were talking about actually applied to my past?

Would it be right for me to call them out on it?

Wouldnt that make me seem petty just to get some sort of apology out of them?

Does it really matter where I've come from? I happen to think my upbringing has alot to do with where I am in my life, whether you can tell it or not. Sorry to be vague on the details on my encounter that sparked this brainstorming moment. Just my average internal bantering that I needed to jot down.

Hope you are all having a springy April!