Mood: Mystified
It’s 65 F. That’s the low for Penn Hills in the Churchill Valley today. The house’s east side is being sunblasted. Clouds? Yes, some particles are stringing together thin white cloud structures. The thermometer is supposed to stop up by 90 F today. It’s Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
Mom’s energy was strong yesterday, a change from the usual. See, there was a birthday celebration on Sunday. Mom was there for about five hours. Normally, such outings deplete her energy stores, so the day after leaves her listless.
But not yesterday. She was spirited and energetic, good to witness. Did her exercises and was quite engaged. Holding my breath on today, but I hope we’re seeing a new trend’s beginning.
I was thinking about my brother-in-law. Married to my oldest younger sisters, he and I have known one another for fifty years, since we were seventeen. Long time to know another who isn’t related or married to you. Sad for me, he swung toward the right wing over thirty years ago and is now a full-blown MAGAr. That limits our conversation and introduces some awkwardness. We’ve tried talking around it, but he often introduces racist or sexist comments, and has that MAGA habit of ignoring one set of facts while adhering to another. Yet, I’m looking forward to being a guest at his house his weekend for a Memorial Day cook-out.
My family is big into gathering for holidays and eating food. Memorial Day cookouts are the standard, even though the starting lineup has changed, and new players have been added through marriages, divorces, deaths, and births.
The Neurons have introduced “Tin Man” to the morning mental music stream (Trademark well-done). I don’t know why. The 1974 song by America has no discernible links to my dreams IMO. Nor are there conversation or activity links. For that matter, the mellow, comfortable song has silly lyrics. Lots of hooks and easy to sing with, but little deep to it.
That’s okay. Maybe The Neurons are ordering me to chill.
BTW, today is birthday boy’s actual birthday. So happy sixteenth, Michael. May your days be as complete and fulfilling as you dream them.
Stay positive, be strong, and Vote Blue for 2024. Here’s a good summation of why Vote Blue is important this year.
Coffee has traipsed over my tongue and down my gullet. Here the music. Cheers
Michael Seidel, writer 
Love the song … and many thanks for the link to my post, Michael! Hugs ‘n cheers
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Hi Michael. Glad to hear your mom has a surge in energy.
I find families that are good together and stick together, have family gatherings, and care about each other are the unicorn in my life. I love to see them but they are so rare. When I met Ron I was trying hard to get away from my own abusive adoptive family. He had introduced me to his elderly mother and just before he moved in with me he asked me to their Thanksgiving meal. I agreed expecting what maybe 8, 10, at most 12 people.
He explained we had to show up early and we needed my truck. OK. I drove us up to his mom’s home, which had cars lined up everywhere. They started filling my truck bed with large tubs of food. Then we went to the town hall.
WTF … the town hall? I was starting to get the feeling this was not just going to be one of my unhappy small family gathering in the adoptive parents home where grudges were aired and anger often erupted.
All said and done, long story short … there were 52 people and it was a small family Thanksgiving for them. I was stunned, shocked, and felt like an awkward teenager not knowing what to do rather than a guy that served two tours in the US military. That has always been my standard of real family. I have never seen the like in my life. A family that wanted to be there together, a family that would help each other, reach out to each other. A family that did not look for weakness to attack, but if a weakness is noticed makes moves to help. In their mom’s home no one raised their voice nor started an argument. It was a total shock and difference for me. Not one argument broke out not to mention a fist fight.
It seems your family is like Ron’s. Unicorns, rare and very valuable. I envy that. Congratulation. Hugs. Scottie
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Don’t get too envious of us. I don’t know of any fistfights but we have had some tense, argumentative holidays. I think we’ve mellowed with time. I know that on my part, I just shrug off disagreements of the family nature, and two sisters say the same. One, nothing good will come from the arguments. Two, nothing good will come from the argumens.
Glad you were able to experience some happy holidays with Ron’s family. Now THEY seem like true unicorns worth envying. Hugs ‘n cheers, M
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