Dressed to thrill

If your family is anything like mine, you see your extended relatives on two occasions. Weddings and funerals.

Saturday we said goodbye to my Aunt Marie, last of a great generation of aunts and uncles, my mother's brothers and sisters and their spouses.

As is usually the case, the sadness didn't last long. Instead, it turned into a celebration of Aunt Marie's live, and the growing respect all of us have for that generation, what they endured, and what they accomplished.

They also passed on another crucial trait to their children. They knew how to have a good time. So do we. In other words, it didn't take long for the party to start.

After the Mass, after the cemetery, and after I made a stop on the other side of the cemetery to visit with mom and dad, we gathered at a local eatery to do what our parents were expert at - having a good time. It didn't take long for the stories to flow. I was somewhat taken aback, both at Friday night's viewing and again at the funeral on Saturday, to realize how many people had read what I wrote about Aunt Marie in my blog last week. You can read it here.

That is one of my favorite things about the Internet and this blog. It has allowed me to reconnect with a lot of people in my old home town, as well as keep up with relatives I rarely get to see in person.

One of those at the funeral Saturday was my cousin Jeannie.

She came armed with a surprise for all of us, some pictures of us as kids.

That would be how I came to be in possession of the photo you see with today's blog. I have no idea what possessed me - or more likely my mom - to have me don this lovely dress.

The best explanation was that our cousins - Jeannie and her sister Dottie - were always putting on shows for kids in their basement and this was likely one of the outfits.

I especially like the shoes.

When I told a lot of people that I definitely wanted to post the picture on my blog, most didn't believe me.

Well, here you have it.

Rest well, Aunt Marie.

You can be sure that the family has not lost our sense of humor. Nor our touch when it comes to parties.