Saturday, June 26, 2004

Gloria Jean and Bob's wedding last Saturday was really nice. I kow all brides are beautiful, but Gloria Jean, a classic beauty, was absolutely ravishing in her white gown. And Bob, beaming through it all, was looking good in his white tuxedo.

Funny thing, Uncle Mack was with us in spirit.

Before the ceremony got started, while people were still arriving for the ceremony, this woman (who obviously wasn't any of our family because we all know each other by sight) stood up, said 'hey there! I'm Debbie, my husband, Art, is the best man! Just wanted to say hi to you all!" and then sat back down. We all started laughing and crying because that's something Uncle Mack would have done in a roomful of strangers (smile).

This week's mail brought another wedding invitation. My cousin Nicole and her fiance, Corey, are getting married in early August. They've been going together for a couple of years and finally decided the time was right to tie the knot.

I know this is selfish, sort of, but I am so glad Gloria Jean and Bob got married here in the metro Detroit area, and that Nicole and Corey are marrying here, too. Hotel rooms, gas and gifts--it all gets pricey, you know?

I know whenever I go to Michigan City for a family event, at least until the price of gas went sky high, it's been the cost of the hotel room that's hit me hardest. I could stay with family, that's what most of my relatives do, but when you stay with someone, well, you never get any peace and quiet or rest. My family likes to stay up half the night partying and me, well, by 11pm I've had enough of seeing everyone and talking and I just want a quiet place to lay my head. Yeah, I know, I'm no fun, that's what my cousins say (smile).

Tawny
ww.tawnyford.com

Friday, June 18, 2004

I know I don't post very often. And I know that's not a good thing because a blog is supposed to be, like, a diary. I don't know why I don't write more often, maybe it's because I talk for a living and I'm all talked out by the end of the day.

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 19th, is the first big family get together since Uncle Mack got murdered and Uncle Gunk died. My cousin, Gloria Jean, is getting married and that's a good thing. She and Bob, her intended, make a nice couple.

A lot of the family is up here already for the wedding. The Michigan City relatives arrived this afternoon. My Uncle Robert from California, and my Uncle Walter from Mississippi, they and their families aren't coming. It was so costly for them to come across country twice in less than three weeks for the funerals that they can't afford to come again for awhile.

Aunt Sylvia, Uncle Gunk's widow, isn't here. The trip on the train was just too much for her. She has sent her love to Gloria Jean and Bob by telephone. One of my uncles said Aunt Sylvia wasn't coming because she used her train money at Bingo and lost it, but I think he was joking.

Everyone is used to Uncle Gunk not coming this way for events because he'd been sick for a long time before he died. He needed a new kidney, but......

On the other hand, Uncle Mack and Aunt Pearlie used to come north for family events all of the time. Last year they were here for my cousin Tiny's wedding and for Uncle Joe's funeral.

A party just isn't a party without Uncle Mack.

To be honest, when the Pistons won the championship the other day, that's the kind of thing Uncle Mack would have loved. He was a diehard Detroit sports fan. The family was glad the Pistons won, don't get me wrong, I mean, who really likes the Lakers anyway? But it just wasn't as much fun as it would have been if Uncle Mack was around to celebrate it with us.

So while we're all looking forward to Gloria Jeans' wedding tomorrow, it's going to be a little sad too because the uncles won't have to have a "Mack Plan" and they've always had a "Mack Plan" for a zillion years.

What is a "MackPlan"? Well, it's like this.

See, Unce Mack used to like to drink a bit. Okay, Uncle Mack loved getting his drink on (smile). And he had a habit, as many happy drunks do, of beig a little obnoxious if you didn't know him. He gave out hugs and told jokes and sang songs, all things we loved, but things that mae strangers cringe. So if Uncle Mack were still alive, well, the uncles would have had a plan to keep him from bothering Bob's family.

I'm looking forward to the wedding but I know I'm going to be missing Uncle Mack something fierce.


hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com