Well, All Right

With My Sister and This Year's Bunny

My weekend of serial Easter partying culminated in a sunny afternoon spent with my sister and her fabulous in laws down in Rhode Island. My brother in law placed himself in a quarantine bubble as he fought off the vestiges of a lingering cold bequeathed to him by his wife. I informed him that was completely unacceptable since his designated part in each of these gatherings is to be the life of the party.

The Table

Another View - Sickly Bro In Law Bathed in Sunlight

The day was nice enough that the dogs remained outside so the one dog crime wave known as Remy couldn’t impact the proceedings. He had a lot of fun though chasing my namesake nephew and his dirt bike around the back yard. I think the saintly Miss Louise would be very pleased to see that her children continue the Easter tradition that used to take place at her house. There were the obligatory Easter baskets and my namesake nephew’s girlfriend’s young son the recipient of some well received plunder.

The Little Guy With his Loot

Our Superb Hostess/Elder Sister

My sister maintained another Easter tradition when she insured I had a chocolate Easter bunny. She took over that responsibility when my mother passed. An Easter hasn’t passed in the last 55 years, at least, that one of those two ladies hasn’t “forced” me to accept a tasty bunny. My favorite time at these gatherings is after the meal when everyone continues to sit around the dining room table and laugh together. The younger generation are now full participants and its fun to watch them confronting life with such courage and humor. I guess this must be one of the long sought after benefits of getting older – seeing the next generation flower. It also helped me ratchet back the missing of my own children – a tad.

Buddy Bemoaning his Fate

Buddy had a less than pleasing Easter himself since it involved a bath. I’d hoped to use the garden hose but it was still too cold. The bathroom tub was scheduled for intensive cleaning anyway in anticipation of the wife’s return. The only challenge was getting the still wet dog down two flights of stairs without the obligatory shaking with the attendant spreading fur and water throughout the house I’m desperately trying to raise to my wife’s lofty standards.

Nothing a Half Bottle of Clorox Won't Solve

Easter Out West

I did hear from the California delegation and was able to see my granddaughter enjoying her first Easter. She still doesn’t fit into the dress my wife bought for her back in November but she’s getting closer. She’s taken to mimicking her father in facial gestures and noise making, I am completely charmed. This will be my daughter’s last Easter without an egg hunt for a few years.

Almost Fits!

My wife called me amidst a Panamanian luggage packing crisis. For some unknown reason (although I’m willing to bet it has to do with her proclivity for shopping) she’s run out of room in her assigned luggage to ferry her summer wardrobe home. She didn’t appreciate my advice which I personally thought was hilarious. We’ll probably have to make at least one more trip down to Panama this year for condo construction related reason so we can rescue the items she’ll be forced to leave behind. Two more days and she’s home! Intensive bathroom cleaning tonight!