Off on vacation!!!

[nytemist]

I''m finally running away from work and will be traveling to Louisiana for my family reunion. This is the first one since my dad passed away so it will be really strange to not see him joking around with my uncles and everyone else. (my dad''s family is huuuuge- he was one of 13 kids and one of two of them that had the least kids with three!)

Everyone- have a great Labor Day! Enjoy the barbecues and everything else you''ve got planned!

 

[Skippy123]

Have a safe trip and I am sorry about your dad. Please come back and share pics or story''s

 

[door knob solitaire]

Have a great safe trip...and I am sure you will be glad you went...for your Dad.

I bet you will hear stories or nice things about your dad. You may even learn something you didn''t know that may suprise you. I hope you come home with great memories.

DKS

 

[nytemist]

The trip went safely- no problems on the roads. The reunion is always a good time. This is the 11th gathering since the family decided to start getting togther for some of the older relatives. (I have a few great aunts/uncles still living in their late 90s, early 100s)

Ate plenty of southern cooking (but no frogs legs/gator/racoon/squirrel for me!) Got mildly drunk out playing pool with my uncles, preparing desserts for the barbecue with my aunts, fishing with other uncles, spending lots of time with my cousins( plenty of cousins) Plus my usual habit of watching them play a card game called bid wiz. Not sure how many of you know it, it seems to be the card game to play if for black people, as I never see anyone else play it. It seems to be like spades and I can''t play that either.

Went to the family plot to see my dad. A while back I started a thread about having to give up my car that dad gave to me (1984 Lincoln Continental) so I buried the keys by his footstone. I''m sure, some kind of way, he will want his car to drive again!

My mother of all people showed up. I had no idea she was going. Family was NOT happy and real suprised at that move (they have never liked her either). I guess now since my mother has succeeded in alienating everyone, she will do her best to play the ''grieving widow still part of husband''s family'' role. Yeah, good luck with that.

One of my cousins also got engaged while all the family was around at the function hall. It was very sweet. This is kind of what her ring looks like: http://www.kay.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product1|10101|10001|-1|80181516|15051|15051.15057 A few other cousins started to compare it to mine, saying mine was nicer. I felt so bad.

They were disappoointed that Ian did not come with me. I felt dumb explaining why (one his cats was diagnosed with diabetes and a UTI, so he needs an insulin shot and pill twice a day) Family started to poke fun saying he was just too afraid to meet the family all at once! I was let down as well, though I do understand why. But he could have asked his sister to drop by and do it since she has cats and could handle it, he just didn''t want to leave them. I truly felt my new husband should have been there for such an important event to me.

I''m still pretty tired, it''s a loooong drive. I''m used to it, but it''s still tiring. Hope everyone''s Labor Day was good.