Saturday Traveling Party Show

Standing Between my Wife and Sister

Yesterday was spent crisscrossing Massachusetts to attend family parties.  Luckily it was raining heavily during the time we were driving so we had that going for us; I hate driving in the rain.  We started out with a birthday party for my younger sister’s grandson – that still sounds weird saying.  My sister, for her own reasons, decided to separate herself from contact for a couple of years.  I tried to respect her decision but I really missed her and I look forward to any opportunity to see her.  The party was about an hour and a half away near the city of Brockton.  I really enjoyed seeing my sister and talking with her son who is a genuinely nice guy whom I have also missed a great deal.  I liked the fact that he seemed very protective of his mother and was helping her out.  It was also interesting to see my sister’s two grandsons running around.  They both walk with their heels up in the air which is something of a family trait.  I did it as a kid and my son did also.  There was something very connective about seeing that in another generation.   We jumped back in the car and headed to the other side of the state to attend the graduation party for the daughter of a cousin.  Since we were passing by our house we stopped by and let Buddy out and had him run around a little.  He looked at me with a paralyzing expression of betrayal when I ordered him back into the cage.  We arrived late at the other party which was an additional hour past our house.  We settled into a great time of sitting around and just enjoying each other’s company.  A number of friends of my cousin’s kids were constantly coming and going over the evening which made for a lively crowd.  My cousin imbibed a little too much and was holding court displaying his command of Spanish to the delight of my wife.  His Spanish consisted solely of repeatedly bellowing, “Ayyi Chihuahua!” which in no way moderated his use of the expression.  By the end of the night I promised his son that we would leave so I could remove my wife from the scene who seemed to be enabling the behavior.  It was a truly fun time with a great crowd.  There is just something special about hanging out with cousins – I’m blessed with some of the best.

The Birthday Boy and His Loot

My Sister's Great Son and his Other Nephew

My Sister and Her Daughter

My Cousin Getting Ready to Launch Another "Ayii Chihuahua"
Next to my Apparently Bored Wife

The Lively Crowd at My Cousin's House