View From the Tenth Level

Thursday, September 21, 2006

My sister Beth and her husband Don were all apologetic the next day about their dog. Dan was convinced I wanted to turn the dog into cat food. Not so - I was tired, my allergies were on steroids, but I was happy.

The rain disappeared and the sun was out. Dan fetched Ian and Sabrina from their hotel room and I cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast. We sat at the dining room table and chatted over our toast and juice. Once again, we borrowed my mother's trusty pickup truck and fetched Stephen. Chris showed up around lunch time.

The Whole Fam-Damily

It was my sister's family's last day in Connecticut before they had to head back to their home in central New York. So, in-between the laundry and packing, we had a family photo session. It was fun for me because I got to play "photographer." I'm not the best or the worst amateur photographer, but I was all that we had. At least I come cheap.

So, we set up our casual photo shoot in my mother's back yard. By lunch time, it was decidedly hot and bright - not exactly the best condition for people photos, but it was going to have to do. We are a family of hams, or so it seems. They guys posed à la GQ cover models. The women tried to find our "best sides." Even Andy was into it. He confessed to me that he would love to have a girlfriend and do some modelling. It's the only thing I've ever heard him say, that he wants from life. I hope that one day he at least gets the girlfriend.

The photos came out reasonably well, and then, after much chaos, Beth and her family had to leave. Beth told me that she hated having to leave. I hated that they had to leave, too. I don't get to see my sister very often, and my nephews are grown. It all happens too fast!

In the late afternoon, we decided to get out of my mother's hair and take a trip into New Haven. We strolled around Yale campus, which has amazing architecture, and visited the Peabody Museum. The museum is small, but it has an impressive collection of complete dinosaur skeletons. That afternoon, Dan learned that his massage sandals are not meant for lots of walking.

I treated the family to dinner in a decent restaurant. The conversation flowed like wine - we're rarely at a loss for words, it seems. And when we returned to my mother's, Dan and I moved into the bedroom that Beth and Don were using. It has two beds in it. Dan took one and I took the other. I slept .... like a rock.

(To be continued...)

posted by Melanie O. at 6:55 PM -

4 Comments:

At 12:16 AM, gardenbug said…

I am enjoying your rendition of our reunion and I don't think I can add anything at all. If you publish the family photos, could you use Photoshop and take ten pounds off my hips?
At 8:37 AM, Melanie O. said…

Hi gardenbug - well, if I could do that, I'd be touching myself up, as well, hee hee!
At 10:07 PM, gardenbug said…

By the way, in roman numerals, five is "V", not IIIII
At 10:08 AM, Melanie O. said…

I knew dat... I'm just coming up with creative ways to create numbers so the sections look different. I wonder what I'll do when I'm up to part 8?