Tag Archives: family

sisterlove.

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When I was home this past weekend, seeing family, crying with my cousins, and saying goodbye to a wonderful uncle, I also got to see some of my sisterloves. They are scattered on the eastern seaboard, but we all gathered in New York on Saturday and Sunday morning to snuggle and love each other. And it was exactly what I needed.

We snacked on burgers, we drank Blue Moon by the river, “It’s just New Jersey,” we laughed as we watched people take pictures across the river. We ignored people we may or may not have known from a previous life. We walked far and wide to find the right thing for the right person. We stood a little too close on the train and laughed and talked a little too loud everywhere. We celebrated fall temperatures will pumpkin ale over cookbooks. We ate a plate of cheese. We laughed, and laughed, and laughed. We walked Lola the dog, and took a ride with Frank to our countryhouse stay. We snuggled three in a bed. We got up, we went to breakfast to gather our fourth. Or rather, she gathered us. We got breakfast and laughed some more. We stopped for cider donuts, feeling the crisp air on our arms, and we contemplated another visit, and soon. We took a very forced picture, because gd’it, I need a picture of my girls every few years, and NO I still do not think it was SO much to ask for you to take off your sunglasses, K.

 

Take the sky/forsake the ground.

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Death is never an easy thing to write about. It’s not always an easy thing to face. Yesterday, I lost someone who I’ve known since (before) my days on this earth.

He was my uncle, one scared me when he yelled at my cousins to knock it off, then would turn around and wink to let you know it was OK. It took me some time to realize that his beard wasn’t as threatening to me as his older sons (who, let’s be honest, were pretty threatening there for a while.)

I had seen my Uncle Tom recently in Connecticut, when I was home for the Family Picnic and Nikki’s bridal shower. It was great to hear about him talk about his life, his kids, how happy he was to just be. I remember thinking when he got out of the hospital, I was going to send him my copy of Travels with Charley, because he talked about seeing the US, and I figured he could use some “research.” This quotation speaks to why Travels with Charley felt like the right text to send.

 I discovered long ago that what I found was closely intermeshed with how I felt at the moment. External reality has a way of being not so external after all. This monster of a land, this mightiest of nations, this spawn of the future, turns out to be the macrocosm of microcosm me. If an Englishman or a Frenchman or an Italian should travel my route, see what I saw, hear what I heard, their stored pictures would be not only different from mine but equally different from one another.

Everyone has a life journey, and everyone’s is different, even if together. For me, the role Uncle Tom played in my life was uncle, who loved his nieces and nephews fiercely, and always told us he was proud, thankful, and joyed that we turned out the way we did.

I’ve seen him play the role of father, of which he was amazing, and of grandfather, which was even more astonishing. To my mom and dad, I’ve seen him be a caring brother, law or no law, and to my Aunt Pat, a loving, adoring husband. I think of my grandmother, and know she is sad to have lost one of her great sons.

Uncle Tom played a role in so many lives, and the web he wove is what keeps us all close, able to share in this tragedy in a way that someday, we’ll be able to comprehend. But now, he’s with Aunt Pat, and Grandpa, and a whole gang of people who will be waiting when we all arrive to eat and play some cards.

I am so blessed to have had such a great uncle in my life. So blessed for all the people who I will see at the end of the week to rally around and squeeze love from. So lucky to be part of the giant clan I call my family.

My heart is on the east coast this week, as it wraps around my cousins, and their families. My love is endlessly reaching towards the sun, and I’ll be there in spirit until I arrive on Thursday. I love you, Uncle Tom.

 

this weekend was:

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Seeing people I haven’t seen in ages. Seeing people I never get sick of seeing. Red-eye. Picked up at 4:30 am. Laughing by 4:31. Diner by 6:00. Arriving by 7:30, and sleeping until my sister jumps up and down upon me. To the shower we go.

Both sides of the family. Delicious food from family friends. Smiling, hugging, laughing. Taking photographs, making plates. Little ladies helping us open presents. “Hold it up,” and “Can I have another?” Saving bows.

Family, family, family. Small, and large, both sides. Little ones running about, smiles everywhere. And then rain, falling…

Back to the Breen’s B&B, for more laughs. Getting later, later, later…can’t.stop.laughing. Honey-badger don’t care.

Sleep, then rain, rain, rain, and coffee, coffee, coffee. Coffee black. Like it should be. Monsooning, more laughing, more smiles. Getting picked up, heading to camp, sunshine coming out, family surrounding family. Softball game steadily going. More hugs, more smiles, more fun. More food.

Hiking through the woods. “Another one,” spider webs, creepy spiders, every where. “Are we lost?” and “Maybe the yellow trail is red” and “what do the doubles mean?” and “Blair Witch 3: Attack of the Perfectly Normal Nature.” Hiking, walking, hiking, laughing, and sweaty. But so good.

Out of the woods. Onto more snacks. “If you steal a cupcake I won’t tell,” or “How about you just give me a bite of yours?” Still getting some more chocolate, and some corn, and Jax, and…the list goes on. Volleyball, scavenger hunt, and time with babies.

Then, the ladies arrive! Hugs all around, keeping tears back, so excited. Quick showers, and dinner, and snuggles, and stories, and snuggles. Ice cream, and “CAROLYN?” and seeing someone I haven’t seen since I was in seventh grade. Getting a drink, laughing, and smiling, and can’t.believe.I.went.so.long.without.seeing.you.oh.my.

Back home, another night at the B’s B&B. Laughing late. Sleep, then up to repack, and head to the train. To another diner. Then to NYC. Two hours, no lockers? No problem: Little Italy. Pizza and cannoli’s, then ready for the plane. LA, here we come. CT, NYC, we’ll miss you.

 

 

Paint it black.

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You can barely tell it is black and that I have a bruised nail. I do disguise well. I am coyote. (By the way, have you ever seen that Fresh Ink card? Anyways…)

Anyways, here are five good things for the weekend:

1. I am headed to CT on the red eye tonight. 8:46, here we go.

2. Tomorrow is my sister’s CT shower, which will involve delicious food and so much laughter.

3. I have a book and two NatGeo’s waiting for me once this day is up.

4. Sappy, but I get to see Jeff tomorrow for the first time since last Thursday. It’s been a long week and a half!

5. Painting my nails black? Best idea ever.