Labor Day Weekend
Sep. 4th, 2006 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zalenaFriday, Brother met me for lunch (and my last summer hours afternoon.) We saw The Illusionist, which was disappointing. It depends on a secret I will keep; but as I guessed the secret early in the movie, it made for a rather dull film.
Brother has had a rather dreadful week, including a totally inappropriate reprimand at work. I could tell he didn't want to go back to his apartment. So I let him stay at the house. We went to see relatives Saturday, so it made sense, but I hadn't planned to spend the weekend looking after him, or drinking with my relatives.
Saturday the nee Wood motorcycle gang met at Chez Dad. (I've got motorcycles on both sides of the family. It's like a hereditary disease. And let me tell you, no one rides bitch. All the women have their own bikes.) We pulled up within minutes of each other. It couldn't have been choreographed better. The funny part is that the meeting time was "afternoon" so it was totally unplanned.
Aunt Donna is looking well. She's been battling cancer for the last year. Uncle Dan seems the more touched by the experience. They are my favorite relatives, probably because they didn't have a daughter and always doted on me because I was a girl.
With the aid of several paint buckets, we managed to seat 8 around the table. We topped off 4 bottles of wine. Two weren't drinking. (My dad and his teetotaler girlfriend.) There was much cheer and telling of stories (Sister Mary Whoever, being one of the jokes of the evening.) Someone drew diagrams of chemicals, and there was a lot of one-up-manship and high fives. My uncles (no blood relation) seemed particularly proud of my contribution to the conversation, which involved some great quips, a funny story about making my boss smell her shoes, and some rock 'n roll anecdotes.
Both my uncles are great guys. The Wood family tends to marry enablers who tolerate our shortcomings and antisocial behavior. It is probably because of the in-laws that we're all speaking. The good part is they make us bearable to each other and the rest of the world. With any luck, I'll marry one, too.
There was one really regrettable conversation about meth, and we finally found out more about dad's girlfriend's work (something about miracle nutrients told with the religious quaver of a true believer,) but on the whole it was a positive experience and made me feel that there are some positive traits to belonging to this family, and that the larger dynamic (with Donna & Dan) shows a clear place for me in it.
Dad's house was picked up and he has a lovely vegetable patch which provided salad for dinner. All the relatives were complimentary about the house. I have to say it gave me a bitter pang. Why couldn't I have grown up in a nice house with a garden? I'm so thankful that dad is living back on the grid again, and that as my brother puts it "he seems to have decided that enjoying life isn't a sin," but that doesn't mean I don't wish he would've been a better provider when I was a kid.
Brother showed me his plans for the stairs. Mom has really pushed for me to "let Nathan give." She won't pony up the cash for me to hire someone to make repairs. But she will give him all the cash he asks for to pursue this project. It kind of pisses me off, but I decided I'm going to "let" him do it within the next six weeks.
Sunday I found out the reason my neighbors have been gone is because Virginia died. Gustavo has been visiting relatives in Mexico. I feel horrible, first because I didn't find out sooner. Second, because Virginia was a lovely lady and it seems like just yesterday we were getting acquainted in my very poor Spanish. I have no words in either language to convey my regret.
Marla stopped by this morning the Rob Brezsny Boulder Weekly.
Things I didn't do this weekend: both Job's BBQ & the show I wanted to see were on Saturday and had to be dropped for the family.
Holiday weekends make me feel at loose ends. They highlight my being single and not more heavily attached to a peer or family group. They also remind me of how used I am to being busy. I don't know what to do with myself with the extra day. I can't quite relax into being unoccupied, so I busy myself around the house. I baked brownies and a quiche (which I dropped on the floor. That was interesting.) I worked int he garden and took several long wanders. I watched Veronica Mars (the prom episode made me cry. I think I identify with Veronica just a little too strongly.)
Anyway, that was my weekend. Several things need to change this month. That damned project needs to finish one way or another. I need to collect for the work I've done on it. I need to start applying for new jobs. I need to make more effort to invite people over and include them as a part of my life.
I even considered starting internet dating this month, but after looking at some of the profiles this weekend, I've decided I am entirely too cynical to meet someone that way. People seem to lie even more online than they do in real life. And while not having herpes is certainly something I'm looking for in my next partner, it should not be the #1 reason someone recommends themselves for a date. Besides, it's rather obvious that no one is picturing me when describing their dream date. I think I'd do much better on my own. The goods present much better in person.
Brother has had a rather dreadful week, including a totally inappropriate reprimand at work. I could tell he didn't want to go back to his apartment. So I let him stay at the house. We went to see relatives Saturday, so it made sense, but I hadn't planned to spend the weekend looking after him, or drinking with my relatives.
Saturday the nee Wood motorcycle gang met at Chez Dad. (I've got motorcycles on both sides of the family. It's like a hereditary disease. And let me tell you, no one rides bitch. All the women have their own bikes.) We pulled up within minutes of each other. It couldn't have been choreographed better. The funny part is that the meeting time was "afternoon" so it was totally unplanned.
Aunt Donna is looking well. She's been battling cancer for the last year. Uncle Dan seems the more touched by the experience. They are my favorite relatives, probably because they didn't have a daughter and always doted on me because I was a girl.
With the aid of several paint buckets, we managed to seat 8 around the table. We topped off 4 bottles of wine. Two weren't drinking. (My dad and his teetotaler girlfriend.) There was much cheer and telling of stories (Sister Mary Whoever, being one of the jokes of the evening.) Someone drew diagrams of chemicals, and there was a lot of one-up-manship and high fives. My uncles (no blood relation) seemed particularly proud of my contribution to the conversation, which involved some great quips, a funny story about making my boss smell her shoes, and some rock 'n roll anecdotes.
Both my uncles are great guys. The Wood family tends to marry enablers who tolerate our shortcomings and antisocial behavior. It is probably because of the in-laws that we're all speaking. The good part is they make us bearable to each other and the rest of the world. With any luck, I'll marry one, too.
There was one really regrettable conversation about meth, and we finally found out more about dad's girlfriend's work (something about miracle nutrients told with the religious quaver of a true believer,) but on the whole it was a positive experience and made me feel that there are some positive traits to belonging to this family, and that the larger dynamic (with Donna & Dan) shows a clear place for me in it.
Dad's house was picked up and he has a lovely vegetable patch which provided salad for dinner. All the relatives were complimentary about the house. I have to say it gave me a bitter pang. Why couldn't I have grown up in a nice house with a garden? I'm so thankful that dad is living back on the grid again, and that as my brother puts it "he seems to have decided that enjoying life isn't a sin," but that doesn't mean I don't wish he would've been a better provider when I was a kid.
Brother showed me his plans for the stairs. Mom has really pushed for me to "let Nathan give." She won't pony up the cash for me to hire someone to make repairs. But she will give him all the cash he asks for to pursue this project. It kind of pisses me off, but I decided I'm going to "let" him do it within the next six weeks.
Sunday I found out the reason my neighbors have been gone is because Virginia died. Gustavo has been visiting relatives in Mexico. I feel horrible, first because I didn't find out sooner. Second, because Virginia was a lovely lady and it seems like just yesterday we were getting acquainted in my very poor Spanish. I have no words in either language to convey my regret.
Marla stopped by this morning the Rob Brezsny Boulder Weekly.
Things I didn't do this weekend: both Job's BBQ & the show I wanted to see were on Saturday and had to be dropped for the family.
Holiday weekends make me feel at loose ends. They highlight my being single and not more heavily attached to a peer or family group. They also remind me of how used I am to being busy. I don't know what to do with myself with the extra day. I can't quite relax into being unoccupied, so I busy myself around the house. I baked brownies and a quiche (which I dropped on the floor. That was interesting.) I worked int he garden and took several long wanders. I watched Veronica Mars (the prom episode made me cry. I think I identify with Veronica just a little too strongly.)
Anyway, that was my weekend. Several things need to change this month. That damned project needs to finish one way or another. I need to collect for the work I've done on it. I need to start applying for new jobs. I need to make more effort to invite people over and include them as a part of my life.
I even considered starting internet dating this month, but after looking at some of the profiles this weekend, I've decided I am entirely too cynical to meet someone that way. People seem to lie even more online than they do in real life. And while not having herpes is certainly something I'm looking for in my next partner, it should not be the #1 reason someone recommends themselves for a date. Besides, it's rather obvious that no one is picturing me when describing their dream date. I think I'd do much better on my own. The goods present much better in person.
