It's just not your day..

My youngest brother's, that is.

Last week, I was watching my IM menu, and saw my youngest brother post "Traeh, R.I.P."
I im'd him right away, and found his dog had just died. He'd had her for years - 10 at least.
She was part pit bull, I think... I know we didn't like having her near our kids. He would bring her to my parent's house when we lived there.. sheesh.

Anyway... next youngest brother went over to comfort, and see what he could do to help. They decided to take her to the reservation to bury her. (I suppose they could have gone out in the desert somewhere, but I don't know what they were thinking.. lots of open land??)
Well - at sometime in the process, maybe at the beginning (I haven't gotten quite the whole story) the tribal police show up. Not good. I assume they told them they couldn't bury the dog there. Then... at some point it's discovered that youngest brother has an outstanding warrant with the tribal police. Oh great... So they took him in.

Next youngest brother fortunately recently got his tax return, and was able to bail him out later in the day (much to the dismay of SIL.) Once he appears, he'll get the cash back to pay them back.

Anyway, it was just a little funny... kind of sounded like a country song... "my truck got stolen, my wife left me, my dog died." I'll hand it to youngest brother, anyway. He spent a few years as a guest of the state, but has recently been cleaning up his life. When Mom died last year, he vowed to her that he would never smoke or drink again. And so far, he has stuck to it. He is really trying. I just hope that someday he'll find a woman who will see the good in him.

When it comes down to it.. I really have some great brothers... three in all. There are two years separating most of us, older brother, then me, next youngest, then youngest brother, then baby sister was 6 years later. (She is a story for another time.)

Older brother was with me in Minneapolis for Dad's wedding last weekend. It was tough for me to be there, and it helped to have him there to talk to, and to cry to. It was hard for me to see Dad being affectionate with someone who was not my mother, and to call her "dear" like he used to call Mom. I'm glad that she will take care of him... in a way so that "we " don't have to have him moping around being lonely. After years of weekly contact with my parents, it is a change to not have that anymore, and with him many states away, that contact is much less. And I digress.

Next youngest brother lives only a few miles away. He is always willing to come and help whenever I need him. He is quite the handyman... and helps us with projects that we can't do ourselves. He is really a good guy! (and a little crazy. He recently broke his collarbone while riding scooters with his kids!)

As I said, my sister is a story for another day. Here is a picture from a few years ago.. perhaps 1999, I'm not sure. A few grandkids have been added to the family since then, and a new spouse, and Mom was healthy then. How time flies.