In no logical order...How about your graduation? Maybe your first date? Your wedding? The first time you got drunk? The birth of your first, second, third child?
How about your surprise birthday party? For your 90th birthday. There is only one person on my Facebook friends list that can still answer YES, but chances are he's smart enough not to be reading this right now!
My grandfather, Robert Brown Marr, will turn 90 on the 22nd of May. That's a NINE with a ZERO after it. Like 9 decades. 45 twice. And at his surprise birthday party his childhood friend Joe Cassidy (in the below picture on the left) and his brother George (on the right) were there. Joe (a newly minted Nonagenarian) traveled from Pawtucket, RI (and that's Pu-TUCK-it, btw) and George, only younger by about 15 months, came up from Dayton. FOR THE DAY. FOR THE PARTY. (Oh, and I HAVE to say this: Uncle Joe came with his fiance. And, he SKYPES. UH HUH. (I don't know how to Skype!) Dear Lord, there is hope for me yet!)
This weekend I was walking on top of a LOT of roots. My family, on both sides, have long standing traditions of making things work. My Grandpa and Grandma Marr were married for 68 years before she died two years ago. They have five children. (all year ranges are pure speculation from here on out...). My Aunt Sandy and Uncle Jerry have been married for at least 40 years. Ditto for my Uncle Bob and Aunt Sandy. My Aunt Nancy and Uncle Dave have been together at least 25 years. My Uncle John and Aunt Sue have been married for years and my mom and dad were married for 18 years.
On the other side of the gene pool, Monday will be my Grandma and Grandpa Bartlome's 63rd anniversary. They have four daughters. My mom and dad, as mentioned, were married for 18 years and my mom and step dad have been married for 18 years themselves. My Aunt Denise and Uncle Bill have been together for over 30 years as have her twin and her husband, Aunt Deb and Uncle Gary. My Aunt Dawn and Uncle Jerry have been married for 25 years.
(I'm not even gonna go with the "so what the heck happened to me" route!)
I have roots. As I said. Lots and Lots and Lots of roots. And damn good DNA. Just look at this picture of me, my dad and my sister:
Go ahead. Tell me how old we are. Oh wait! You pretty much know how old I am. Shucks!! :)
It's not OUR fault we're so youthful looking! Look at these two:
I wouldn't have wanted to have been anywhere else at 3:20 on Saturday, May 12th. The look and emotion on my grandfather's face showed what the next 50 years could hold.
My 90th surprise party. Will you be there with me?
I suppose I may be seated next to you!
ReplyDeleteThen that's where you're supposed to be :)
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