Today is our third full day back from NY, and I haven't really had much time to blog about it yet. It basically went like this: family, bored, annoyed, family, shopping, sleep, family.
I spent a lot of time with family (which is why I didn't call a few people I probably should have called - you know who you are, *cough*Mel and Renee*cough* - I feel like a heel and I'm sorry. The good news is, I'll be back twice more by the end of 2004 (Dawn's wedding and Dad's graduation), so there will be more chances to see my bright smiling face.
My immediate family drove me nuts, but not because of anything they did. It's what they haven't done as far as improving the status quo (ranting on this will be in a separate post).
The rest of the family is doing well.
My cousin Veronica has a very nice man in her life. Bryan and I both liked him a lot, as does the rest of the family. Her dad, my uncle Michael (dad's brother), looked good as well.
My cousins Andrew and Matthew seem to have settled down a bit and are still as lovey as ever, very UN-typical of 13- and almost 12-year-old boys. Both of them ran up to hug me tight, and the first words out of their mouths were "I love you." They also got a dog, a Pekingese named Julie, who is such a little cutie. We joked that she's Grandma's 4th granddaughter. Uncle Andy (dad's brother) and Aunt Violet are doing well also - he's still working in the city, and she's about to graduate with her degree in massage therpay, which she's very happy about.
Grandma looked very happy, though she's not getting around very well due to diabetic neuropathy. She's thinking about giving The Scooter Store a call, but wants to make sure that if she gets a scooter that she'll be able to lift it into and out of the trunk of her car, otherwise it's pretty useless, since she can walk around the house (albeit holding on to things as she goes).
Aunt Louise (grandma's sister) and Peggy (Aunt Louise's best friend and longtime family friend - since before I was born) are doing well, though I didn't get to speak with either one very much. I would have liked to ask what they think of the current woes of the Catholic Church (they're nuns), but there's always another time for that.
Uncle George (Grandma's brother) is working, working, working, and spending a lot of time in the Carolinas with his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.
Dawn (who is the big sister I never had, so she's included) is getting married in July, hence my return to NY in about 6 months. I'm so wonderfully happy for her. She's also teaching 7th grade music - some of her students are little monsters, but it sounds like the good ones make it worth it.
All in all, a good trip (save for the aforementioned ranting, which will come soon).
It's good to be home.
Posted by beenie at January 2, 2004 08:35 AM