Living My 60th Year

A solid week into my 60th year.  It was a big week, after my birthday - I hosted the Cousins Party this past weekend.  All cousins were present and accounted for except for my brother that lives in St. Louis.  I've a smaller place - so it is a bit packed in -  it was the way we began - a simple house party.   Once thing about a house party - you need to borrow items from people you know so that it works out well - extra crock pots, extra tables for staging in the garage, etc.  Mom supplied some of them and a chance to visit with her.  Here are the turkeys she's been going on about.  I couldn't get a better picture, they were a bit skittish - when they did parade by - there was 12 of them! 

I did the cooking and that was a joy except that my feet didn't care to be on them for the day and a half prep.  We enjoyed lots of stories that only family can tell, created more memories as usual.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  It wasn't a big overnight event - running off spending hundreds of dollars.  Somehow we got away from the simple get-togethers we did enjoy. It seemed that one was trying to out-do the last one.  Their was discussion of next year's event, not a gathering, ensued.  We shall see.  

The taping of stories wasn't as successful as I anticipated.  All of a sudden, they went quiet when the camera was turned on.  I'll have to rethink what I wanted to do.  They were all gone by 12:15am ouch - and I finish cleaning up and was finally horizontal by 2am!   What is left is to return borrowed items, last of the dishwasher runs, and pack the balance of extra dishes away.

The rest of my week was good.  Minimalism has paid off!  In the challenge, I needed to remove items from the kitchen that I wasn't using right now.  That really paid off with all the cooking I did for the party.  There are a couple of other cabinets I need to re-assess and complete over the next week or two.  The garage will get a look over again.  I hung up a old lace curtain over some of the shelving and it looked so much better.

Town meetings abound and will continue over the next several months.  Some are televised which means I could listen to them here. Others are not and will possibly need to attend in person - errrrr!

It's another week - 358 days to go.  All in all, a good week.

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

Cousins Party

Yesterday was Day 14 - turn the bedroom in a place of relaxation.  Relaxation can be many things to many people.  For me, it is a chance to have quiet.  Quiet time is special - I don't need to be doing anything.  Just me and the quietness of the day.   I really didn't do much about it yesterday - except think about it.  

I was distracted about the cousin's party that I am hosting this January.  Many of the ideas for this "event" I thought about were not feasible due to time of year.  Yes, the third Saturday which makes this weekend a three-day-weekend due to MLK holiday celebration.  This is the 27th year (I think) that my first cousins (and spouses) have gotten together.  It started after my grandmother Nat Nat passed away.  At first - it was before the Christmas celebration to share with each other our decorated homes.  Only the first cousins - no adults (our parents) and no children.  Then that became too much, so it was moved to January.  After fiddling around with what weekend, it is now the third Saturday.   

When it started - it was a get together at each of our homes.  A pot luck type event so no one host was put out. We visited talked, played games.   Then we did an overnight  somewhere around year ten.  Now it is a big overnight event, at some attraction event, such as casino.  It's become expensive night out and not all of the cousins can or wish to attend.   The visiting has become the least part of it.  

I'm one of nine (which includes my brothers) and the oldest of them all.  I've never married, nor turned out a host of children- the count is at 21 and this 2nd generation cousins are now having babies!  My path has been so different and good for me. 

I started working on it in spurts - day of searching and making calls since the summer.  I knew that I wanted to do  - go back to the way we spent time together.  The previous hosting I did was dinner out, private room, cocktail hour with a guest magician to do slight of hand tricks.  We all visited.

Yesterday I went to see a place - hmmm  what a great idea - inspiration has happened.  A friend of mine put me on to it (thanks Pam!); more later when I firm up the plans.  It will be interactive - we will be going back to a simpler time.  


Photo credit - www.quoteshunger.com