Family Ties

I don't write much about the family. It's not intentional. Just hard to do. Most people know I come from a big family and a small town. If you don't and are interested, feel free to review.

Small town, huge family.

Some of the family bond may be the town we come from. We all definitely have the small town pragmatism in common.  We're are all smart asses. That's genetic. Lots of tall, blonde and blue eyes running around... We pretty much all look the same and love beer, wine and whiskey. And, I won't say there hasn't been a jar of moonshine passed around once or twice...

Moonshine Maidens.

We communicate with sighs, groans, eye rolls and sarcasm.

We're loud. Really, really loud. So damn loud. Like shake the house loud. In the best possible way.

Always smiling.

We're all cousins. Dumped in a bucket together called cousin. We don't keep track. 1st cousin is no more special or important than 2nd or 9th. A cousin is a cousin. Some cousins are actually called Aunts and Uncles. Makes it easier to track that way - generational. There are a lot of us. If I had to guess I'd say it's 907. Or so. In addition to the cousins, we've got a couple thousand aunts and uncles. True aunts and uncles, not to be confused with cousins who we call 'aunts and uncles'. It all makes sense. Really. Trust me.

We're scary, possibly terrifying. When one brings 'home' a new person, like a boyfriend or girlfriend, it's got to be intimidating. They may think they are just coming for a low key Sunday dinner. What they don't understand is that a low key Sunday dinner to us is for 50 people. Invited to a family barbecue? Hell, that could be 100 or more. Best of luck new person! Better hope we like you!

Cousins!

We see each other at least once a year for what is pretty much a mandatory family event where we mix our love of hanging out with our die hard need for competition. Our other get togethers tend to be weddings or funerals. Although lately it has been funerals.

I'm looking forward to the next round of weddings...

Going to be awhile though as the next generation is pretty young.

So, twice a year or so a big band of cousins gets together and essentially takes over a town - we've been asked to either quiet down or leave on a number of occasions. Turns out we're just as loud sad as we are happy.

We lost one from our cousin bucket this winter. One of my faves. Of course, we all came together. We  ate, drank, talked and cried. Were so loud we shook a house. It's how it's supposed to be.

Together.

Sunday Dinner.