Yesterday was not only the Fourth of July, but it is also a big family reunion day for my mother's side of the family. She has five living siblings and ten total. Plus add in all the children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and glory be... It is a festival ripe for some good story telling, good food and great fun... Not to mention an annual poker game that baits the young 'uns right in.
Okay... Poker aside. I had the best time playing with BEN... my one and a half year old nephew. Sweetie Pie. Watching the baby bop, Wyatt, my youngest nephew weighing in at 17 lbs and nearing 5 months and just laughing with my cousins.
Have you seen "The Bucket List"? Okay, if not - this shouldn't be too much of a spoiler, but one item of the Bucket List was "Laugh until I Cry..."
And yesterday, we did! Let me set the scene for you:
All the kiddoes (and the younger sets parents) were all awash after lunch in the chlorine goodness of the local swimming hole while the rest of us middle-aged folk were sittin' around the dinner table(s) yes... there was more than one. Most of us, who were not gambling, were steadily fighting sleep, when Cousin-Uncle Kevin, as he is lovingly called by my offspring, sits down amid a group of women discussing various aspects of life.
The cast includes: Aunt Jewel, Cousin-Aunt Sherry, Cousin Bev and her daughter Kimberly (AKA: K. K.) who is expecting first grandchild/child respectively and the soon-to-be notorious Cousin-Uncle Kevin, and later... Cousin Mark - Cousin Bev's dear husband.
Well the conversation goes something like this:
Cousin-Uncle Kevin: I often find myself drowning in estrogen. (Meaning he is often in the company of a lot of women being the only male.) As a matter of fact right now I'm swimming in a sea of estrogen. [He motions to the women sitting around him.] And, I need some floaties.
ME: [Thinks to myself, "I've already got some." In other words, most of the women at the table are genetically predisposed to be "top heavy."]
Cousin Bev: I already got mine.
LAUGHTER ERUPTS AROUND THE TABLE, Aunt Jewel blushes and pleads the fifth. Kevin sputters and hangs his head.
ME: I was thinking the same thing. [Hi Five's Cousin Bev.]
Cousin-Aunt Sherrry: My brain edits my thoughts before I speak them.
ME: Mine, too. But Bev said it for me.
Cousin Mark: [walks up and sits down] What's so funny?
Cousin-Uncle Kevin: Here's Mark, he understands what I'm talking about. You need some floaties, Mark?
ME: He already has some...
[More rolling on the floor laughter....]
ME: I can check off the "laughs until I cry" on my bucket list...
Inappropriately family funny... Shamelessly true.
Michelle, you are absolutely precious ---- I love your open heart. Thank you for pouring yourself out . . . you honor the King!
ReplyDeleteBucket List was good and thought provoking . . . another one we just watched - August Rush . . . my man and I were both bawling at the end. We both "hear the music".
Peace to you - thank you for "getting real" . . .
R