We are family.

I am always sad when Memorial Day weekend ends.  I am also so lucky to say I have a family that can stand each other for three straight days. It was a wonderful weekend.  I saw Gram, made Bloody Mary's and was kicked out of The Blast Zone.  Oh, and I found out that there is a family history of the Asian Flush.  Without further adieu.

My CF and I took the Peter Pan home Friday afternoon.  Immediately, we wished we had wine in our soda bottles.  I can't believe we didn't think of that prior to the trip.  Next year. When the minivan came to pick us up, Anthony was in the back seat solo.  Nicholas was home napping. I told Karen how Nicholas told me to "Come home quick," last week without any prompting.  My sister and mother looked at each other and rolled their eyes.  "Meredith, do you live in a bubble? He's two-years-old!" one of the jerks said.  I said, "Yes, I do live in a bubble.  And I like living there."  The boys did say "I love you Titi" without someone telling them.  So I was told.  I don't know if I trust that.

Friday night was uneventful.  Karen and I tested out the trampoline.  We plan to take our show on the road in 2011.  After the trampoline, we bought the booze for the weekend.  Of course, we needed a ride.  We filled our carriage with bottles of Pinot Grigio and Bloody Mary mix.  I think the trampoline and half a bottle of wine exhausted us as we were in bed before 12.  This time we didn't have silly conversations overheard on the baby monitor. 

The Lang's were all arriving Saturday afternoon.  This left some time Saturday morning for a visit with Phyllis. Gram was sleeping in her bed when I walked in.  I tried shaking her to wake her up. She woke for a second, beamed and kind of sang when she saw me, then fell back asleep.  Her friend Lloyd wheeled by and asked if I was her daughter.  I said, "NO.  Granddaughter." I shook Gram some more and then nurse Maria came in.  She told Gram to get up so she could visit with me.  Gram obliged.  She's in a wheelchair now so she asked if I could push her around.  "Everyone has someone to push them around.  Not Phyllis!"  she said.  When we approached others in the hallway, Gram would yell, "This is my granddaughter!  Kath's girl! Isn't she cute?"  I think she was trying to pimp me out.  Lloyd seemed interested.  We sat in the dining room for a bit and Gram told me how great it was to see me.  And how wonderful my teeth looked.  This visit was such an ego boost.  I might have to move in with Phyllis.  After a few minutes, Gram said, "Wanna push me some more?"  I did and she said the same thing, "This is Kath's girl! Isn't she cute?"  She told me to wheel her to the cookie cart where she proceeded to steal two packs of cookies.  Then she ordered me to go find Lloyd so he could have them.  I wheeled her down to Lloyd and after much prodding, he finally accepted the sugar free pack.  Gram was trying to push the other cookies on to every resident.  Finally, a woman with a blue knit hat on, I think her name was Vera, accepted one of the two chocolate chip cookies.  Gram ate the other. 

After pushing Gram around the entire nursing home, she said, "Bring me to my seat.  Lunch is going to be served soon!"  I brought her to her table.  Henrietta, Anna and Edna are her meal partners.  Gram introduced me to all of them.  Edna, an adorable little lady who loves wine, asked if Gram was a good grandmother.  Twice.  Both times, I said, "She's the best!"  Edna said, "I'm glad you came.  Normally they never talk."  Henrietta looked at me and said, "We always talk.  She just can't hear a thing!"  Gram told me that Henrietta and Edna were sisters.  I wasn't sure if she was lying, but I think she was.  Though, Edna did say Henrietta had better hair. Phyllis said something fresh about her food and Henrietta started choking.  I asked if she was ok, and she said, "Your grandmother makes me laugh.  I laugh so much I choke.  And then my bottom teeth fall out." 

It was the best lunch I have ever attended.

I was sad to leave Gram, but she will get her fill of me the next two weekends.  I wish she could go in the Blast Zone.  I hope to have lunch with the biddies again.

When I returned to my sister's, no one had arrived yet. My CF and I decided to start off the day with Bloody Mary's.  At 1:00.  Then, my twin uncles showed up and I made some more.  It was a proud moment for me as the youngest of Nana's grandchildren making drinks for everyone.  When my Uncle Buddy first greeted me, he said, "Monica, right?"  I said, "NO!  Meredith."  At least it started with an M.  Due to this error, my friend has now taken to calling me "Monica Assface".   My sister and Tony went in with their friends and purchased a bounce house.  It's called "The Blast Zone".  I was told it had a 500 pound weight limit.  The kids invited me in.  I think that was the only time over the weekend that I put my drink down.  I was jumping around until Tony said, "Mere, I don't think you should be in there."  I was kicked out of The Blast Zone.  The kids were pissed, but my wine did miss me.

We had a bake-off on Sunday.  I decided not to participate as I didn't want to set anything on fire.  Especially the bounce house.  I just helped Karen with her moon-pies.  That's what a cousin friend does.  Even with my splendid assistance, (i.e. being her bitch) she didn't win.  Aunt Mary and Shaun won for their hot milk cake and chocolate truffles.  Both delicious.  After the bake-off we had a wine tasting.  I think it was the same day.  I could be wrong.  Due to the mix of wines and Bloody Mary's, I had a really bad case of blotches. My aunt and mother told me I had a terrible sunburn and was going to be in pain the following day.  I knew it was just my Asian Flush.  Kath thought a Nexium might help, but it didn't.  I asked around and Uncle Richard told me he used to get them all the time, but they eventually stopped.  I won't be a mutant for life.

Mom and Meaghan made a slide-show of the family that we watched Sunday night.  It was nice to see how horrible our hair was.  Debbie made fun of my side ponytail complete with a hot pink scrunchie.  I don't know what Kath was thinking.  However, a photo later was Debbie with a short haired perm.  I will take my scrunchie any day.  (I wore scrunchies until senior year of high school.  I didn't know what a faux pas they were.  Until Kerry and another friend dragged me into the bathroom and ripped a hunter green one out of my hair.  Mean Girls style.)

Back to the slide-show.  It was a hit.  Good job, Kath.  There was a picture in there that likely inspired the characters of George Michael and Maeby Bluth.  I won't say more.  They are my family. I am still sad that Memorial Day is over, but it's worth the wait every year.  Uncle Richard left me with these parting words, "Great to see you darlin'.  Don't worry.  The blushies will go away."  Maybe next year.