Sunday Afternoons

There are four separate family groups, plus Gerry and me, to try to get together all at once for a "family celebration".   Though most of us live in the area,  it is still not easy to assemble the various parts.

V&M live on Long Island ,  so we do try to have some gatherings when they are here.  Today, we were celebrating Zanni's 18th birthday and high school graduation.

The Long Island family unit has a 5 hour trip back home on Sunday night, so that eliminates Sunday evenings.     One family member/unit works on Saturdays until 7:00 p.m.  That eliminates Saturdays, leaving only Sunday afternoons for family events.

I believe there were thirteen of us there today.  We tried to have a picnic outside, though it was very hot and sunny.  Meat was cooked on the grill and everyone brought something to share.  It was a feast.
We have a new patio umbrella, but it does not produce enough shade to cover all the people sitting on the patio.

Inside we had cake and ice cream, and Zanni opened her presents.


She genuinely seemed thrilled to receive the photo album I had put together for her.  In the middle picture, everyone is trying to get into the act.  Included were pictures from her birth, through much of her childhood, including some of all her relatives----one of four generations of us women  (when my mother was once visiting).   Pictures of all her aunts and cousins.   Pictures of family dinners and of different places she has lived, and we have lived.     For Christmas, I gave personal albums to all four daughters.   She seemed to be waiting to get her own!

There's nothing I like better than Sunday afternoon family times.  I only wish they happened more often.