Pneity

It's so bizarre. I know I've spoken in the past about how the family parties have changed since I was a kid. So many aunts and uncles have passed from this massive family. The remainders are so old and divided, the gatherings aren't a thing anymore. But every once in a while, something comes around that pulls us together. Growing up, my closest friends were distant cousins from across family marriages. The brothers Todd and Ryan. Ryan is getting married in a few weeks and today, we celebrated his exciting future.

We gathered at his dad's house. I met with so many family members I haven't seen in years, decades. It's bizarre how time flows and connections to people fade. I talked for hours with Todd about religion. He's a devout animist and pagan, I'm a devout atheist. It's bizarre how someone you were once close to and lost touch with for decades can just fall back in and slot to be good friends all over again.

I had a good time. Talked a lot about my travels and listened to a lot of the local talk about what's happen in the recent years. Friends, lost relatives, those who remain.

I brought a cooler of Japanese beer, which a few people tried and claimed to enjoy. I drank only that all day. There was a fair lot of the standard fare of food for a party like this and it was all very great. There's something so comforting about food like that. My dad's macaroni salad (which I was the first to notice it was not out for people to take), rigatoni, local store fried chicken. Summer party food. I don't want to claim it's anything unique to my area but there's something to speak of with the quality of the stuff. I love it.

I didn't get heavy drunk but even hours after my last drop, I'm feeling buzzed and comfortable. I had a great day. We barely touched our instruments. As a group, Ryan, my dad, and myself played a few songs but I basically carried my mandolin around for the rest of the night. Charlie, a wild card from the area who I have known since we were incredibly young, asked that I play him a song so I threw out a quick "Wagon Wheel." Mom got off work, swung by and picked us up, and now I'm home.

I'm still horrified that this will not be a thing soon. Until then, congratulations Ryan. Looking forward to seeing you happily married soon.

Yesterday was the big wedding. All week, the weather reports said it would be the first stormy day in weeks. And the storms were set to be bad. But they didn't really happen. Before we left for the wedding, we heard thunder rolling through. I grabbed some umbrellas and hoped for the best. We arrived dry and stayed dry through the ceremony. Not clear skies but it was still holding out. I overdressed in a gray collared shirt and pink tie. The groom, the pastor, and father of the groom were the only ones other than me with ties.

But it was a fun time. Lots of drinks, lots of dancing, lots of people I haven't seen in a long, long time. There were so many people I'd not seen in a decade. Names I'd forgotten. But they were all folks that I would see so often before the family aged and fractured.

I love seeing people. I love family. I don't have the heart to think of those we've lost and I hate seeing loved ones age, knowing they won't be around much longer. "...life goes on, long after the thrill of livin' is gone." The joys of this huge family coming together are long passed but when we do find the chances, it's something magical.

On a happier note, I think I'd mentioned in here that dad's upcoming kidney cancer surgery was supposed to be way more invasive than anything he'd had before. They were quite worried about what they would find. But they delayed his surgery two days which made it way more stressful. He got through, they didn't find anything. They biopsied fucking everything. I don't know whether it's horrifying or relieving. The cancer masses they expected to see were not there. But they are detecting something unusual. What is it?

My sister and her (adult) kids came by. It was lovely catching up with everyone. They left a few hours ago. Another year or so without seeing some of the coolest people in my life. Someday even that will be a stretch.

I'm very, very depressed and I'm sorry I have this outlet to make it all of your problem.