MichiePalloza

Tonight was the first big “all cousin” get together of what my cousin’s wife Meredith calls MichiePalloza. Everyone here at Pawleys with us is either a descendent or married to a descendent of one of six Michie sisters of Charlottesville. Some of us are siblings, some first cousins, most are second cousins and their offspring are third cousins, but you would think we were all siblings. Well, most of us. Like all families there are some outliers, but that is just part of the entertainment.

My sister Janet and Meredith created swag bags for us all and we had a fabulous barbecue tonight at Harry and Meredith’s cottage. In the small world that is Pawleys, the cottage they are staying at is the same one my college boyfriend and his friends rented the spring break we all came to Pawleys, which was exactly 40 years ago.

This morning I spent two hours in the ocean with my cousin Leigh, her two daughters and French exchange student Jeanne, like we used to do when Leigh and I were kids. The wonderful thing about Pawleys is that it is so timeless.

This afternoon we started the family Mah Jongg lessons. Games have always been an important part of our family trips here. I used to play hours of risk with Leigh’s father, my Uncle Wilson and my cousin Brooks.

My mother is the only one of her generation to be with us, as a spouse of a Michie. There are only two Michie cousins left in my father’s generation, Big Harry and Ben, sons of the youngest Michie daughter Nancy. There was a remarkable connection among those first cousins, that created this great loving bond we all have for each other. I am certain that my father, his brother and their cousin Johnny would be so thrilled that we are here together having so much fun. This was the place we all came to see each other together and carrying on that tradition is proof of our love for each other.