Sibling Reunion

I may be MIA for a few days. My brothers are coming back to NH with their women for a visit.

I don't get to see my brothers that often. They both live in Wisconsin,so they only get back here maybe every other year or so,if that. They have made more of an attempt since my Mom is getting up there in age. Sometimes it would be 5 years or more before I would see them. All my siblings were out of the house by the time I was in 7th grade,so I am used to not seeing them much.

I have the honor of being the baby of the family. We are rather spread out in age. My oldest brother, Valmore (a good, French name..he's named after my Dad's brother) was born in 1948,a year after my parents got married. My sister Linda was born in 1951. Dennis was born in 1960. I then came along,in 1967. I have heard two stories about how I came to be 1) my parents tried for another child after Dennis was born and had no luck,therefore they thought that my mother couldn't have anymore children and 2) the birth control they used failed .The latter  was revealed when I was older,and that is the one is that probably true. My mother's Mom (my Memere) was not happy about my impending birth. In fact, she made no bones about her anger to  my Dad- "Can't you leave her alone?" ( meaning my Mom,of course!) Remember,back then,a woman giving birth in her early 40's was considered highly dangerous. When I was born,my Mom was a couple weeks shy of her 42 birthday. My Dad was 53. ( Mom was born in 1925,Dad in 1914!)

At any rate,since Val and Linda are much older,they were out of the house by the time I was 5,so I had very little memories of them. Val rarely ever came home to visit ( he lived in PA,then WI) and Linda,being married to an Air Force man,moved around a lot. She did come home every year for a week or two,though. However,when there is such an age gap,you don' t have much in common. Now, of course,she lives only 30 minutes away,and the 16 year age gap isn't as great as it was when,say, she was 30 and I was 14. Dennis went into the Navy ( Sea Bees) after high school graduation in 1979. 

I have always been a bit envious of Rick and his relationship with his three brothers. When you have been separated most of your life,you don't really know your siblings very well. Rick and his brothers are pretty close knit. ( Hell, one of them lives with us!)  To be honest, I am closer to his brothers than I am to mine. I am not saying that to be mean, or disrespectful to my own blood,it's just the way it is. Once,when we went to WI for Dennis' wedding,we stayed at Val's house and talked about how little we saw each other. Val commented to Linda," Look at Donna. I don't even know her."

Sad,but true.

Which brings us to the reunion today. I am very anxious to see my brothers.Dennis is bringing his wife Lynette,and Val is bringing his girlfriend,Robin.( Do folks in their 60's refer to their unmarried partner as a girlfriend or boyfriend? It seems kind of high schoolish,doesn't it? Is it partner? Live in? Significant other? His woman?)

Rick,Zach and I are going down to Linda's tonight for a BBQ,then all the girls are going down to Portsmouth tomorrow for some window shopping and lunch. Sunday, everyone is coming up here for BBQ-hot dogs, hamburgers,venison,moose,or bear (depending on what exactly is in the freezer). They will be heading back to WI on Tuesday.

It's going to be a great time!

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!