I just returned from the airport where I dropped off my 60 and 62 year old west coast sisters and their husbands. They've been visiting Karen and I since last Thursday. It was Janice's 60th birthday on Saturday and Judy's 62nd the previous Wednesday. We had a huge party at the house on Saturday night and many cousins and uncles and aunts attended, some without warning. Fremlin's traveled from the Soo, Sudbury and surrounding areas. Many first cousins met for the first time and the emotions were running high. We all camped out at my house and it had a "Big Chill" kind of feel to it.
We live many miles apart so this gathering of the clan doesn't happen often. In fact, the last time we were all together was the night our mother died some 15+ years ago. You can imagine some of the conversations we had surrounding the ancient memories of growing up in our little one and a half story shack in Northern Ontario. We talked about the out-house, the one room school and all the dark secrets we've kept hidden all these years. For example, there was never any doubt in my mind that I was our mother's favourite child. While that wasn't a "dark" secret in my world, to the others, it was a difficult truth to accept.
The photo above is from left to right: Baby brother Jim, Baby sister Janice, dear Aunt Girlie (78 years young but looks no older than 60), oldest sister Judy and moi).