Best Weekend of The Year

Fourteen months of no social interactions is the excuse why I am writing this blog at 12:30 in the morning. Technically this is yesterday’s blog, but I was having way to much fun to stop and write my blog. See, I am at the highlight of my pandemic year, the memorial service for my cousin Flo. I have never been so excited to go to a memorial or funeral before in my life and so far it has lived up to my expectations.

My sister Janet drove down to my house today and she, Russ and I drove to a Columbia, SC together. Normally visiting Columbia would not be the place I was dying to go to, but thanks to dying I am here with many of my favorite relatives and none of my least favorites.

My cousin Mary is a fabulous planner and when it was eminent that her mother was going to be off to join her father in heaven she started figuring out how best to celebrate her.

Tonight we had cocktails on the terrace where it became apparent that my generation was now the old guard and was in charge. For many years we had a large contingent of our parents and grand parents’ generation around, calling the shots and planning the parties, but sadly there are no grand parents and fewer and fewer parents.

After cocktails we had a lovely dinner in a private room and the Michie cousins got to catch up after what feels likes many years being apart. From dinner we moved to a room at the bar we commandeered and the story telling, laughing and hugging continued. For those Michies who are not here we need to let you know we are planning a reunion that is not a funeral for February of 2022 in Washington, DC.

I know this was a plan that was hatched in a bar, late at night, but we need to follow through on this one and we are missing lots of loved ones. We should not have to have someone die to spend time together.

There is nothing as wonderful as family who has known you all your life and still loves you just the same. Flo was a great cousin, whom I am thrilled to celebrate, but mostly I am glad to be here for her daughters, Mary and Haidee, whom I adore like sisters. Thanks to them for hosting the most fun weekend of my pandemic.