Being with "your people"...

Yesterday I spent the day at my aunt and uncles cottage on Lamoka Lake.  It was a "work day".  We built a deck for their "grilling gazebo".  It took the better part of the day for 5 of us to complete it, me, my son (only 10 but did help where he could), my aunt, uncle and cousin.  By 3 in the afternoon, sweat dripping in our eyes someone declared it was break time and we headed out on the pontoon boat to swim in the middle of the lake.  Along the way down the channel to the lake (the channel is a little weedy to swim in) we were discussing the project and my aunt said "no day on the lake can be an all work day".  She's right of course, even in the midst of the work you can't help but notice the herons and king fishers darting above the water.  And of course, you have to wave at the passing boats, because that's the nieghborly thing to do.

My uncle installing the last bolt that secures the grilling gazebo to it's brand new deck!

My maternal grandmother used to call a persons family, their "people".  Throughtout the afternoon and evening, even when the sweat was stinging my eyes I was happy.  Being with your people is easy and comforting.  Over the years I haven't spent nearly as much time with my extended family as I should have, it happens to all of us I suppose, there will always be obstacles.  I urge you to find your way around the obstacles and just be with "your people".  My people are the nourishment that it seems my soul has been missing even if I didn't know it.

It seems that my siblings have been feeling the same way.  For whatever cosmically unknown reason (maybe because our kids are older and that makes thing a little easier?) we finally are making time to get together and just be with our people.  No occasion, no tragic event, just because.  The weekend of August 4th will be "Siblingfest 2012" , I hope it becomes an annual event.  We will be gathering at my aunt and uncles lake house, and hopefully their kids will be able to get home for it too.  I hope we all eat, laugh and enjoy til it hurts!