Those that follow my radio shows noticed that I did not appear on the Founding Truth of the U.S. Constitution program last night, and my Political Pistachio Radio Revolution was primarily performed by cell phone. This morning, my Constitution Study Radio Program was 6 hours late. An event came up in my family, and so off I went to the desert, and I didn't get back until after two in the morning.
The event was the 50th Wedding Anniversary and Renewal of Vows for my Uncle Donald and his lovely bride Meryl. Don is my dad's older brother, and on that side of the family, the two brothers are the only members of the eight siblings that currently reside in California. Two of their siblings have passed away, and the remainder live in the State of Arkansas (save for one in Oklahoma).
Even though Don's part of the family is still here in California, for some reason we don't stay in touch as we should. At the event I spent time with cousins that I haven't really been around, except for maybe once for our grandmother's funeral, in the last thirty years.
During the event my dad did something I never thought I would ever see. He stood up on the dance floor with a microphone to talk a little about his brother, and to congratulate the pair on their 50th Anniversary. The tales of childhood between the boys had us all in stitches. Dad told the story of Don's little boat, and the only reason he'd let his little brother go out on the lake with him was because he needed someone to bail the water that came in from the hole in the boat.
When dad asked to speak, his brother told him, "2 minutes." Dad told us about that, and quipped, "65 years as brothers and I get only 2 minutes?"
My cousin Darren said to me after, "I didn't know your dad was so good at speaking in front of a crowd."
"Neither did I," I responded.
Dad's speech set up the others. We were treated with half a dozen stories of the life of the couple, from childhood to the Air Force, to their years in California after their earliest years in Meryl's native England.
When it came time to dance, my wife was unable to get free from work and did not attend the event with me, so I spent most of that period talking to my cousin Darren that is also a writer. He is in Los Angeles right now, so we exchanged numbers and swore to stay in touch. Then another cousin asked if I'd dance, so I danced with her, and she laughed, "I didn't know you know how to dance."
We hadn't seen each other since we were kids, so the comment was kind of funny. She wouldn't have known if I couldn't dance, either.
I spun her on the dance floor, and she laughed. It was definitely one of the grandest moments of the evening.
I told her that in my younger days I had been somewhat of a dancer in the Country and Western world, having even won a dance contest. The rock-n-roll type of dancing isn't up my alley, but the swing, waltz, and various other similar style dances come easily. I miss those days, and unfortunately my wife doesn't really like to dance. I'd like to enroll us into Salsa lessons, but whether my wife will cry uncle and do so with me is yet to be seen.
As the evening wound down, I spent time speaking with my cousin Laura. We are close in age, and growing up all of the cousins were either much older, or much younger, so Laura and I became good friends. We played board games, had sleepovers, went to the fair together, and all that stuff until we hit our teenage years, where we lost touch, and the two families settled in to the task of making a living.
My cousin Julie, the one I danced with, and Laura's older sister, has a daughter about the same age as my son, and we laughed when we realized the young woman lives about three miles from my house. Heather laughed as she said, "We have probably seen each other around town, and didn't even know that we are related."
I have another much-younger-than-I cousin in Temecula, who will be married in a couple weeks.
The long drive back with my parents was one of trying to figure out how to get back to the freeway, and excitedly talking about the memorable evening. Don and Meryl, especially with their own antics that included microphone grabbing, and Meryl's long series of quips while waving around a knife just before cutting the cake, made the affair fun beyond explanation.
The reunion with family was an incredible experience, and in eight years, when my folks hit 50 years, hopefully the whole lovely affair will repeat itself. . . though probably not in Palm Springs.
Dad's speech set up the others. We were treated with half a dozen stories of the life of the couple, from childhood to the Air Force, to their years in California after their earliest years in Meryl's native England.
When it came time to dance, my wife was unable to get free from work and did not attend the event with me, so I spent most of that period talking to my cousin Darren that is also a writer. He is in Los Angeles right now, so we exchanged numbers and swore to stay in touch. Then another cousin asked if I'd dance, so I danced with her, and she laughed, "I didn't know you know how to dance."
We hadn't seen each other since we were kids, so the comment was kind of funny. She wouldn't have known if I couldn't dance, either.
I spun her on the dance floor, and she laughed. It was definitely one of the grandest moments of the evening.
I told her that in my younger days I had been somewhat of a dancer in the Country and Western world, having even won a dance contest. The rock-n-roll type of dancing isn't up my alley, but the swing, waltz, and various other similar style dances come easily. I miss those days, and unfortunately my wife doesn't really like to dance. I'd like to enroll us into Salsa lessons, but whether my wife will cry uncle and do so with me is yet to be seen.
As the evening wound down, I spent time speaking with my cousin Laura. We are close in age, and growing up all of the cousins were either much older, or much younger, so Laura and I became good friends. We played board games, had sleepovers, went to the fair together, and all that stuff until we hit our teenage years, where we lost touch, and the two families settled in to the task of making a living.
My cousin Julie, the one I danced with, and Laura's older sister, has a daughter about the same age as my son, and we laughed when we realized the young woman lives about three miles from my house. Heather laughed as she said, "We have probably seen each other around town, and didn't even know that we are related."
I have another much-younger-than-I cousin in Temecula, who will be married in a couple weeks.
The long drive back with my parents was one of trying to figure out how to get back to the freeway, and excitedly talking about the memorable evening. Don and Meryl, especially with their own antics that included microphone grabbing, and Meryl's long series of quips while waving around a knife just before cutting the cake, made the affair fun beyond explanation.
The reunion with family was an incredible experience, and in eight years, when my folks hit 50 years, hopefully the whole lovely affair will repeat itself. . . though probably not in Palm Springs.
As for Don and Meryl, congratulations. 50 years is an incredible milestone. . . especially in this day and age. You have plenty reason to be proud. Yours is a union that shines with your love. The glow of the both of you last night was testimony of your love.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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