Last Sunday was a pleasant family affair as I joined Ex Sis in Law and her husband for lunch to celebrate his 68th birthday. He was born in a very auspicious year, as a couple of you know.
Many family members attended, and a photo was taken of him with 10 of their collective grandchildren. They all love Pa. 3 children weren't there, the Bellarine Peninsula boy twins and their older sister, so that is 13 grandchildren in total.
But how are they made up? Only two are his blood relatives, his daughter's two children. So the rest must come from my family and are blood relatives to me, via my youngest brother. No, not quite.
Birthday boy has four children, a boy and three girls. His dyke daughter has a partner, who is new to me, and I will guess that the child they brought along is their daughter. She and her partner are Anglos but the daughter is of Asian appearance (English: Chinese). I will ask about this later but no one batted an eyelid. While no one should, I am naturally curious. Maybe she had an Asian husband before she saw the errors of her straight ways with a man, or maybe the father was a doner? Or it could be the daughter of a friend who who asked if she could come along? I am happy once I fit people into boxes.
Two others were also of neither family's bloodline, Ex Sis in Law's daughter's two step daughters, meaning Hippie Niece has a Brady style blended family with her twin daughters. The two step daughters are the ones with the drug using mother.
Are you still with me? Ray always said it was stupid of me to note bloodlines, and perhaps he was right,
An afternoon family party has been organised for Jo's 18th birthday in July, my sister's and her wife's daughter. Eighteen! How can that be. She was born in 2007 and I blogged about her often on my old blog. She is all growed up now and what a privilege it was to spend so much time with her when she was young.
I was looking for something on my old blog and I think it was about 2010 and not one person on my favourite blogs list still blogs or even makes comments. It was interesting to remember who they were. As a long time blogger, you have to develop a bit of hard heart as people come and go.
Later edit: There is one, Daniel Bowen, owner of the first blog I started reading.
Being Friday, here are a few funnies I came across last week that appealed to me.
Andrew, I’m so confused I won’t even bother. But could you please tell me the makeup of your direct family, as in siblings, and am I correct in thinking there are two gays in your family, absolutely no judgement, just curious. A girl I worked with for ten years was “straight” but her brother and sister are both gay (she told me her mum and dad despaired, them being Maltese looking for grandchildren, but my workmate gave them two from her heterosexual relationship).
ReplyDeleteMarie, Cheltenham
Marie, I am the oldest, the next down is ABI Brother (acquired brain injury, straight but never married), then Tradie Brother who has provided so many young ones via Fire Fighting Nephew, Oldest Niece and Hippie Niece. Then there is Sister and Bone Doctor, a married female couple with their daughter Jo.
DeleteAahh...you lost me early on. My poor old 68 year old brain can't keep up...
ReplyDeleteNo matter JayCee. It won't become any clearer in the future either.
DeleteIt is confusing. As is my own blended family to outsiders. If I am nit picking there are half/step members in the mix. And they are all family.
ReplyDeleteEC, I think it can be quite typical of modern families.
DeleteI laugh when I look at my cousins' kids. I have one gay cousin (the one I'm closest to) and I remember how horrified one of my maternal aunts and maternal uncle were (not her parents nor mine). Now their grandkids number a few gays!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a straight friend who has 2 gay siblings.
Jackie, it really does make you wonder when as in my family, there are two siblings who are gay.
DeleteIt's natural to be curious about people's stories, but it's also good to let those stories unfold on their own terms
ReplyDeleteYes, you are probably right Roentare.
DeleteDrug using mother? I would welcome everyone into my home and family, except her.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe any of my family have ever met her Hels.
DeleteThose are good ones!!! The Flintstone one made me cringe. Sympathetic pain I guess. I like the Snoopy philosophy. I envy you your family and family get togethers. I long for any family sometimes. I have my brothers but I never see them. Once a year with the one, for a few hours on christmas. That's if I drive all the way down there and I won't be able to do that anymore unless I come into the money and can get a better working car.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, I am fortunate but with like all human relationships, delicacy is needed at times.
DeleteThe “Family”. Reads like a maths problem solving question using an ancestry tool. From an outsiders view Andrew your “ family”looks like a “family” many people would want to belong to .
ReplyDeleteIs it possible for gay/lesbian genes to be inherited.? My partners Aunt had a lesbian daughter and gay son , her cousins in the mix. I had an Aunt who “ never married” , one of that eras expressions.
I have two sons, a one of whom calls my partner his step mum, and my partner is always asking to officially adopt her step granddaughter who is now 18. Just love this connection.
Having been married and then seeing the “light” which had been undercover since I was 12, also enabled my ex husband to gain my partner as a good friend which meant so much to me because he was a good man and the best Dad who understood
Family for each person is unique . You have a great one♥️
That's indeed interesting. I like it when relationships can continue in some form after a break up. It is certainly good for the children.
DeleteOh poor Fred Flintstone! My own family has a lot of mixed bloodlines, I don't care to differentiate, they're all "Family".
ReplyDeleteRiver, quite true, but as I am now the senior of the family and I hold much family knowledge, I like to know who is who.
DeleteThat last funny made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteIt grabbed me too, Pixie.
DeleteFred Flintstone. Sigh. Better to invent shoes first and THEN the wheel.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking Kirk. Or ensure before a stone rolls, make sure you can stop it.
DeleteCan't believe Jo is 18. Is that your neice that you referred to as 'little' Jo?
ReplyDeleteFun60, the one and same, and your E is about the same age, if I remember correctly.
DeleteSort of followed your family, Andrew. It is a bit of a mix up when you bring X's into it though, however if the X had children with your brother, the children are related for sure.
ReplyDeleteYou have some good names for your family.
Jo, yes, now 18 - wow, I remember when she was younger and you posted about her but on this blog.
A few funnies there, made me smile.
Margaret, yes, we've known each other for quite a long time now.
DeleteFamilies are a mystery, even to their members. Good to get together, though.
ReplyDeleteJB, Mother would be pleased to know her family has remained cohesive.
DeleteI am always amazed by the complexity of your family descriptions. My family is small with lots of dead ends.
ReplyDeleteTP, it is a sure thing that my family is spreading branches very wide now.
DeleteFamilies can be so confusing. Yours certainly is, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteLove Fred Flintstone.
I feel sorry for kids who didn't grow up with Fred and Wilma.
DeleteOne of my original blog followers is still blogging -- the guy who prompted me to try it, my former co-worker Kenneth in the 212. He may be the only one.
ReplyDeleteThat's excellent Steve. It is funny how people come and go, some slowly, some abruptly.
DeleteI don't recall the first blog I read or even visit.
ReplyDeleteMe either about comments Dora, but I could find out.
Delete