graceland's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holiday Celebrations Christmas was different this year. My uncle was just out of the hospital from the flu that escalated into pneumonia so he and my aunt didn't make it. I feel like I spent a lot of time entertaining to fill the void. Because of a family wedding last night, we had absolutely nothing to do on Christmas Day. Absolutely nothing, and that was weirder than anything. My younger cousin was married yesterday. I used to babysit her and her sister. I was the flower girl in her parents wedding in the same church she was married, the same church where I went to grade school, where I was in the May Procession, where I graduated from Kindergarten and from 8th Grade. The Church where my parents were married and where we've laid to rest nearly all deceased in my family. Lotta history. She came up the long aisle of the Cathedral and my Father and I cried. She was her grandmother's favorite, my aunt and my Father's sister, who died a few years ago from luekemia. It killed me all day to think of this wedding without her. As we drove to the church, my Father spoke it outloud, "I'm melancholy today because Aunt Jean should be here," and I sat in silence in the backseat, staring out the window, thinking the same thing. She should have been there. It took a lot for me to steady myself during the wedding. At each turn, I felt like I was watching for my aunt. Her favorite grandchild was a beautiful bride. And the groom is a good guy. The last of the good guys. My Father whispered something to her at the reception about it. I have no idea what he said, but I knew it was something related to his sister and her being proud. It made my heart ache a little bit, as I watched him assume that role. The wedding had 260 guests and only about 20 were friends. The rest were all relatives. We have a lot of family. More than we know what to do with sometimes. There was a lot of love in the room and even more drinking. Drinks in every hand among the relatives, the couples friends stood along the sidelines in what appeared to be a little bit of intimidation. The German side of the family is loud and wild, the Irish side keep up and then some. Tomorrow I head to Mexico for New Years. I'm hoping to just relax and let the sunshine warm this little cloud that has settled over my head. It's almost a New Year. Maybe this one will bring love for me. Slainte. 1:05 p.m. - 2003-12-28 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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