The Voice Of Reason

Family means a lot. Family is who you are and where you came from. Our family, Dad's side, used to get together for big family picnics and "reunions" fairly regularly but we don't much anymore and that's a shame. More often than not, you don't get to see them unless it's a sad occasion like a funeral because everyone is pretty much married off and had their own babies. There were 9 Johnston siblings, there are 5 left and one of them lives in BC and the other one is ill in a nursing home. Today was the party for my aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. The photo of the siblings showed three people. Other than my uncle Keith who is Dad's twin, all the other siblings are older, some in their 80's and as the family ages, the numbers start to dwindle.

Enough of that. The party was lovely! Loads and loads of people there, quite a few I didn't know as they were friends of the family. I know a number of my aunt's family as well and it's always a shock to see how much the children of my cousins and second cousins have grown since i saw them last, some of them 10 years ago! I took about 40 pictures and I can't say i'm overly impressed with the battery life taking all flash pics. It was flashing dead when i left. All the pictures were using the flash, there was a bit of using the zoom and the review, and the battery was down a little to start with . It wasn't quite that bad when i was taking photos outdoors, of course, without the flash. Just as well i've ordered a spare battery though. And maybe i wasn't letting it charge up long enough though the indicator was off which means it's finished charging. I suspect the optical image stabilizer probably uses more battery power too and i've been leaving that on all the time. I shall have to rethink that.

Yes. The party. A table full of party food plus more that was passed around. I mingled and ended up standing the whole two and a half hours that we were there. Lots of hugs, lots of memories. My cousin Barry read a speech in which he noted quite a few things that have changed since 1957. There's photos here but they won't be of much interest to non-family.

Very nice party this afternoon. Lots of people came out to celebrate. Many of the people were all part of the group that Mom and Dad and the McManuses all hung around with all through the years. They had lots of old home movies converted to dvd and had that playing on the big screen tv in the family room. Wow! It was interesting and somewhat cringeworthy seeing yourself as a child hamming for the camera lol! look at all the old cars! Oh and the toys (lots of Christmas footage), i had one of those too! Plaid trousers!!!! And everyone had cigarettes where almost none of them smoke anymore. There was some footage of 3 or 4 couples just after they were all married, including Mom and Dad and my Uncle Keith and Aunt Bonnie on a weekend away at a cottage. They were all horsing around and the men had the women on their shoulders. Dad was hanging off the eaves of the cottage doing pull-ups and he was sooooo long and white and *skinny*! Later on in that same sequence there were closeup shots of all the attendees and that was a bit of a *gulp* moment but i loved seeing them all so young and full of beans. That "Lost Weekend" has gone down in legend for the astounding amount the men all drank and a few other shenanigans (Keith fighting a tree for one). Dad was celebrating passing his final exams to get his electrical papers.

Anyway, there were lots of people and lots of finger foods, drinks, sweets. Their parish priest said a few words and a casual vow-retaking. Their oldest grandson started to read a speech he wrote but he was too emotional to finish so his mother finished it for him. Patrick said a few words too and even he got emotional which is rare for him. There were more than a few tears on cheeks as there usually is during sentimental events like this. The sun came out and it was really nice and warm but not too hot inside which was comfortable enough. Most of their original wedding party was there. Later on Patrick got a bit emotional talking to me about Dad which was another *gulp* moment but Laurie came over and the subject got successfully changed.

Pics here including some nice ones of Mom and her friends and of me, Mom and Laurie

Dad was a bit tired yesterday. Had some coughing just before i got there but judging from the size of the bite out of the sandwich i'd say that was the culprit. But it's hard to say. It could also be his throat starting to tighten up again. Dunno. Take it day by day i guess.

Am taking Mom and Laurie to see my Aunt and cousin outside of the city a little ways. First i have to stop into the rental place because the windsheild wipers appear to be buggered. They didn't clean the screen very well last night though they were just fine the last time i drove it 2 days before that (Update: I called them and i have to take it to a place close to where my Mom lives so i'll do that before i go pick them up.)

My toaster didn't toast the top half of the bread today. Or yesterday come to think of it. I don't know if it was the bread or if it's the toaster. It's pretty old though. The toaster, not the bread. I could probably do with a new one so i think maybe i'll have a look tomorrow when i'm out shopping with Denise. *adds "toaster" to the list*

After i left the hospital, about mid afternoon, i thought i would go into the mall just out of curiosity. Didn't get farther than the parking lot which was a madhouse. It wasn't even that there were no parking spaces, or that the cars were seen stalking shoppers who left the stores so that they could get newly vacated parking spots, it was the people themselves that would run across in front of you willy nilly (Ha! didn't think i'd ever find a use for that expression! *snicker*). I wonder how many narrowly missed cases of fenderitis there were.

Party last night was very nice. Clearly it doesn't matter whether the house is small or palatially large (like last night's "venue"), parties pretty much stay in the kitchen. Now this kitchen and dining area is nearly the size of an apartment (and there's a formal dining room and living room in addition to a family room behind the kitchen which we did use for a bit but the bulk of the guests stayed in the kitchen). These were friends i've known no less than 25 years and a few of them for most or all of my life. sammantha you were missed as were another couple who have a disabled child and can't usually get a sitter. Usually just one comes or the other but i think they also had a very poorly old kitty they didn't want to leave. Aside from these, pretty much all the usual suspects where there. One discussion had us caught up short, and one guy said you know we used to talk about having enough money to put gas in the car and now we're talking about having enough money to retire! Shit! Now that makes you realize how much time has gone by! Most of us have been in the same jobs a long time and could take a retirement package within the next 8-10 years. Nobody that was there had grandchildren yet though. I don't think most of the group have kids old enough to potentially be parents other than my sister. Most of them didn't have their kids until well into their 30's.

All this palaver about making everyone feel included at Christmas? In the Grand Parade Square in downtown Halifax there is not only a Christmas tree but a huge menorah for Hanukkah which started the other day.

Just got back from a get together at a church hall to celebrate my cousin Barry and his wife Lavern's 25th wedding anniversary. It was lovely. My aunt and her sisters did the food so the table was groaning with sandwiches, sweets, fruit, meatballs, meat and cheese and more sweets. Coffee, tea and hot apple cider (non alcoholic). They had invited about 100 but i don't think there were that many there. Quite a few though. This cousin is from Dad's side of the family so some of those relatives were there as well. I was a bit concerned that people would get upset talking to me about Dad but aside from a couple of teary faces, most everyone was ok, and i kept it light and positive. Dad really is doing ok, good spirits, no pain, pretty much in a holding pattern for now. Cousin (well they're all cousins if i don't say otherwise, how's that?) Heather introduced and said a few words and Barry's best man was there and said some stuff too. Barry talked for a bit and mentioned two people specially because they meant a lot in their lives and couldn't be there because of illness, Dad of course. That was really nice.

Only one of their sons was there as the younger one was called in to work and had to work a longer shift than he anticipated. They had photos up from the wedding and of the boys through their growing up years. There really wasn't that many people taking pictures either, just Heather's husband Mark with his digital camera. I only noticed one or two others that took a couple of photos. If i didn't come with my camera, people would think there was something wrong with me! Another nice thing they did was take a picture of everyone that arrived and were going to print them and put them in the guest book on the page where you signed your name.

I took most of a roll of film and dropped it off at the drugstore tonight and i'll get it tomorrow. Got them to do a cd as well so i will upload the photos to an album and send the link around to all the rellies.

I also have to throw out the black shoes i wore tonight. One was almost loose but the other one was very tight. Peter looked down and said, they *are* a pair aren't they? I said well yes but apparently my feet are not. That one shoe hurt too much so i just took them off and walked around shoeless :) Brought a takeaway container home of stuff to take to Mom's tomorrow too.

Right.

Spent the night there last night but am home at mine tonight as it was closer to the party venue. Will be renting a car on weekends from next weekend and i think i'll spend nights here in my own bed as my back is more used to it. Plus when Laurie moves in it would be the couch anyway.

That's it for Weekend Update from my desk :)