U- Dear Uncle George,

I can never in a single letter say how much you and Aunt Cynthia have meant to our family. I mean if it weren't for you two, the five of us children  wouldn't even be here!

Mom and Dad met at the rehearsal dinner for your wedding. The story  is that my dad had a date for the evening but that after he met mom, he took the date home early and then came back to the party to hang out with her. what a great romantic beginning!  A year and a half later they were married. And as soon as we started being born, You became our Uncle George and Aunt Cynthia.

I have so many memories of our families together. Birthday parties, picnics at the swimming pool, puppies, puppies, and more puppies.

But I digress. There are some "just you and I" moments.

You taught me how to play chess. I love how you showed me how to move the pieces and immediately, we played. I think the most common phrase I heard during those first few games was "Are you sure you want to do that?" I'd take the piece back and try again... and again... and again.  I'll never forget the first time we had a stalemate. I was ecstatic. (I never did win a game though, did it?)

There were two pieces of advice that you gave me other the years that have done me more good than just about anything else anyone has ever told me. the first was when I got my first job as a teacher. You told me that a lot of people try to impress the principal and board members but that the most important people to be friendly toward were the school secretary and the janitor. these were the people that get things done.  You were absolutely right!

The second piece of advice was to to use two phrases to keep the peace. the first was "yes, dear" and the other was "really?" (when someone is complaining over and over and wanting you to get all riled up along with them)  Over the years, I saw you used these techniques over and over.  You were a great peacemaker!

Uncle George, I miss you.



L

I just got done watching the movie Robinson Crusoe.... I thought for sure that his beloved would be married when he finally got back to civilization. That's how those stories usually go isn't it? I mean, that's what happened in Castaway, right?

I love movies with great friendships. Crusoe and Friday, Thelma and Louise, (Actually I never saw that movie, but I loved the previews!)  Fried Green Tomatoes,  Tom Hanks (sorry- (don't remember his character's name) and Wilson.

It puts me in mind of some of my friendship adventures:

My friend Angie- We've known each other for 48 years...When we were really young we would hang upside down on the swingset singing camp songs... later we'd climb a tree down by the creek singing "Billy don't be a hero". The only time I was ever in a fight was in the sixth grade defending her from a class bully. (And all I really did was pushed that bully down. However, this incident alone has made my children tease ME about being a bully!)

My friend, Sam. We met in the fourth grade. He was cute and had horses. We had so many adventures together. Farm shows, horse shows, trail rides, Jr. high school dances.  He gave me a hamster and kept it at his house. (We weren't allowed to have any animals that lived in a cage at our house. The poor hamster later drowned somehow in his basement....) He went away to private school our sophomore year and things were never quite the same.

My friend, Joy. Every card game I ever knew came from the hours that i spent with her family. We swam together, played Barbies until long after many of our friends had stopped... her family was the greatest.

Eileen and Dee and me. We were a threesome all the way through Junior High School. Friends through thick and thin....wearing makeup, sharing secret crushes,   then high school started. I got a boyfriend, and our friendship started to fade away. (Entirely my fault.)

High School: Mark, Raff, andme. Another threesome. Laughter galore. theatre... the musical Oklahoma, a surry ride on a March afternoon, Three Mile Island, adventure, young love...

Kevin, Stephen, and me... best college friends.... and another threesome. (Is there a pattern here? )So many adventures!  clowning, more theater, fishing, ice skating, late night walks,... oh yeah, and of course all those many classes that my parents paid for.

And then there are my college girl friends.... but hey, if I talk about everyone in this blog, what will be left to talk about in the other 7 blogs I have to write? :)



L

A wedding that makes me feel old

My nephew is getting married today. He was two years old when I married his uncle Gregg.

This event has made me realize that I have somehow been thrown into the "Older" generation. I am peers with the PARENTS of those who are getting married and having babies! When did this happen? How did this happen?

Inside, I'm still the age of these fledging children. When I look in the mirror, I am surprised that I see some grey hair. A few deep set wrinkles are even appearing!

Does anyone actually feel the age that they really are? Is anyone out there shocked that there are at least as many generations younger than you than are older than you?


Okay, maybe it's just me. I have to keep repeating to myself: I will be 50 next month. I will be 50 next month. I will be 50 next month.


L