Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Heatherly girls

My sister Terry and her husband Pat fetched me from Janet’s house and took me to be their guest at their home in Westminster.  But first we went out to the Maryland State Fair, where Terry had entered a pound cake and a loaf of bread.  She was anxious to see if perhaps one of her entries was sporting a ribbon.  (Not that she’s competitive!!) 

Not too shabby!!

Our hearts fell at the pound cake table, but she was redeemed at the bread exhibit—her loaf ­­­­proudly wore a red ribbon.  Second best loaf in the state; not bad at all.  However, her parting comment was, “Next year, they’re going down!”  So glad to see her spirit is unbowed and yes, you can tell that we are sisters.

We spent the rest of the day visiting and catching up and, quite frankly, gossiping.  I enjoyed every single minute of it.  We don’t get to do that very often—maybe once a decade, so I make no apologies. One of her very good friends came for dinner—crab cakes and orzo salad—and we enjoyed stimulating conversation and tips about choir music.  She, too, is a church choir director and knows all the ups and downs that come with that position.  It was wonderful to hear someone else’s war stories.  I was able to share some of Joel Raney’s music with her and I think she might be choosing some for her choir.

Sunday was the big reunion day.  We had not all been together since Sylvia died in 2002, so this was going to be very special.  Pat and Terry, especially, had worked hard to set up the garage and put everything in place for the festivities.  My nephews and their mates were a little early and we got to circle around one another in that dance of re-acquaintance long-lost relatives do. 

By the end of the evening, and enough steamed crabs and beer and birthday cake, we were all relaxed and into the spirit of sharing family stories. Barbara brought up Grandma’s theory of snake mortality—even though their heads have been severed by the hoe, snakes don’t actually die until sundown, so Grandma would drape their bodies across the fence.  It’s a wonder we ever stood a chance of normalcy!!!

I found myself in the position of family matriarch, which felt odd to me.   I was able to curl some hair with some family skeletons, and give validation to all the tales of growing up that Terry had shared with her sons.  Yes, Philip and Neal, those things really DID happen.  We mourned the loss of our Sylvia and wished her sons were in a better frame of mind to accept their aunts and cousins.  Truly, it is their loss.  

I think we came to some level of acceptance of one another as adults that had been impossible to find in earlier times.  Too bad it took moving to the other side of the world to accomplish this. We do share common bonds and we do love one another, in spite of all our faults and differing opinions about—oh, everything.  

We were watched over by the family of vultures living next door.  Comforting! And somehow, oddly appropriate.

Next stop—France.