Back Home, Sort Of...

Sure, we were living large in London.....

Mostly because no one knows us and we were largely on a expense account...

We got back to JFK at around 1 on Friday, searched around for the kids (who were driven in by the in-laws).. collected them and headed on out for the trip Upstate. We let the Pilot direct our way and man alive did it route us through every little hamlet in Western NY and PA.... YIKES! Apparently the Thruway was too outre...

As a result, we arrived at our destination at about half past midnight.... We figured we would slide into our coma and hopefully wake up on the right timeclock.... (Yes, that is my secret to travel... stay awake until it is dark and you are exhausted... then wake up in the morning... I am practically a genius, eh?) But Mom was waiting for us, beer in hand (They had all been out at the rehearsal dinner)... Luckily she just wanted to see les filles and give them bisoux. So my plan had not been thwarted... WHEE!

The next day, we got up relatively early to start getting ready for my cousin's wedding... But after Fun Daddy managed to get into the bathroom, he started to yell.... I ran in to see what the problem was.... oh a story for another day, I think... when I have the mental strength to deal with it... trust me... it was a trauma for all involved...

but I digress,

We met my folks for lunch... had an early birthday lunch for Imelda then got ready for the wedding...

It was a lovely and quick (i.e. Protestant) ceremony... and then the party began.

All the aunts and uncles were at one table... and they wanted all us cousins at another... Sounds normal, right?

Except....

I am the oldest of the cousins... the next cousins are two years after me... one is the groom who obviously will NOT be sitting with us... the other? My idiot sister who did not RSVP to the wedding despite the fact that my Aunt Fran has been exceptionally good to her and who, we hear through the grapevine that surrounds all families is having ANOTHER tummy tuck... (no doubt so that she can fit in better with my idiot brother-in-laws family) (Do you detect bitterness or animosity? GRRRRR Evil, vain, know-nothing bitch)

I am digressing again... Why do family events make me do that?

Ahh yes... children's table... thatt is where I was... literally...at a table where the cousin closest to my age in 10 years my junior.... and the majority of them were teenagers.. and young teenagers at that. It was adorable though... the girls, were so young and beautiful and promising... and FIERCE. (I love that in a girl) The boys a mixed bag.. one seems a little lost.. maybe just a result of puberty... the other, smart and capable... I am trying to get him down to my alma mater... The University of Chicago... he is interested in Physics... That is a great place for him...His dad, my uncle (11 years my senior whose wife is only 3 years older than myself) has promised to send him to me... and I promise to take him to all the major colleges in the area...really I will...

It really was alot of fun... too bad we only get together for weddings and funerals.. We will have to work on this stuff in the future...