fun with family

Today was a good day. I can't remember the last time I had one this fun.

Em and Jamie took aunts, uncles, and kid cousins to Baltimore for the day, but my grandmother didn't want to go out there, and my California aunt wasn't too keen on it either, so the three of us went to Ellicott City Main Street for the afternoon. I do much better in these small group settings and don't get nearly so drained.

We had a great lunch at Cacao Lane. Val had a wonderful ginger and lemon chicken soup (which I've got to find some way to reproduce) and the brie, which she said was awesome.

We checked out the herb shop, the tea shop, the print shop, a couple of the antique shops, the jewelry/fudge shop, and the fairy shop. It was fun to watch Val spend money on elf shoes, jewelry, a shawl, and a druid robe while my grandmother (her mother) scolded her to "put the jewelry back, you've got enough of your own jewelry to start your own shop."

My grandmother pointed out things in the antique shops that she either had at some point or still has, and remarked to Val that "when I die, you kids will have a gold mine." Val, of course, gave her one of those "mom-don't-say-things-like-that" looks.

We went back to Dad and Sharon's for a big family barbeque dinner, and then a bunch of the women decided that they needed hair help, so Em opened up the salon, and she and Mary Jo washed, cut, and colored for us while we sat around drinking wine, chattering, and flipping through magazines.

I hope Sharon learns to appreciate the family she's marrying into. The best thing about my family is how welcoming they are to newcomers, and even to ex's. My mom and my stepfather showed up for my 30th birthday party last year, and they weren't shunned by anyone. Quite the opposite. She may not legally be part of the family anymore, but she's still my mom, and that's reason enough to welcome her as far as my family is concerned. Isn't that cool?