I’ve always counted on my younger sister to keep track of the family members. She keeps a list of everyone’s address, their birthdays, anniversaries and handles all the general family duties. She has even started researching out family tree and has been compiling names and contact information for lots of great aunts and great uncles and cousins removed and all that.

One side of our family includes the Scottish clan MacKenzie, and sis has been collecting information about the design of the tartan and other interesting tidbits of our geneology. She even came across a very old prayer evidently from hundreds of years ago that gives you pause to reflect on how life was back in the day:

The MacKenzie Clan Prayer

Bless a’ the MacKenzies an’ a’ the Mackenzie childer; their sons
an’ son’s childer and their dochiter’s for a thousan’ years to come.

Be Ye gracious an’ send doon mountains o’ snuff,
an rivers of whiskey.

An’ oh lord send doon swords an’ pistels an’ daggers
as monie as the sands on the seashore
to kill the MacDonalds, the Clan Ranalds, and the Campbells.

An oh Lord, bless the wee coo, an’ make it a big coo.

An oh Lord bless the sucklin’ and make it a grand board.

An oh Lord, bless the wee bairns, yon Angus,
Alex an’ Bessie an’ Maggie an’ Florrie.

An oh Lord, build up a great wall between us an’ the Irish,
an’ put broken bottles on the top, so they cannae come over.

An’ oh lord, if ye hae anything gude to gie, dunna gie it to the Irish,
but gie it to your chosen people, the Scots,
especially to the Clan MacKenzie an’ a’ their friends.

Glorious ye are for ever more.

This is pretty freaky. Last Friday we were just talking about George Carlin. His name came up at the convenience store while standing in line, and then we talked about him on the ride home. A few years ago we went to a performance he did here at the Ryman Auditorium. We scored the most excellent seats, second row, just slightly off center stage, thanks to my friend at the radio station. We “won” them.

Anways, just as I was heading to bed I heard the talking head on the local news mention that George Carlin has passed away. Another shocker for the weeked – we figured George was so nasty and incorrigible that he’s be around for another 20 years. But it turns out that his heart gave out and he died in L.A., the Land of Angels.

So, good-bye, George – thanks for the years of laughter at your observations and your jokes. I grew up listening to your sarcasm and jokes pointed at our boomer generation. We’ll miss you.