FAMILY GET TOGETHER.....

As the eldest child you are often asked to do many things. Lift that, move this, feed the dog, organise the family get together. Most requests don't send shivers of panic down your spine like organising an event. Especially organising family...it's like herding kittens.

The trouble begins because we all have families---and children....and some of these children have children. So instead of organising Dad and Kate, myself and three siblings...it grows to attempting to organise many.

Then there is the fact that so many of us work weekends (really, how anti social is this? Perhaps it is our way of not ever catching up?) Not to mention children's sports and other regular events that occur on weekends.

The first feat was to choose a date.

Then a place to meet. I chose a park, halfway between US and THEM....noonish.

Then I made the stipulation to bring some games to play, there would be no 'electronic devices'. Aren't I a meanie?

With a playground nearby for the youngest....and an assortment of games from football to cricket, to frisbee and some flying thing that made a whooshing noise...to penguin bowling....the games were a big hit.

(even if the penguins did attempt various disguises to avoid being hit by bowling balls)


Tables were decorated with tablecloths, Christmas ornaments and bon bons....here was lots of wonderful food to share......cookies in the shape of Santa and stockings...slices and mousse cake...nibblies and truffles. We do food really well.

And for the centre piece my brother made the most amazing gingerbread house. 

As my SIL said, 'this is what happens when I leave him alone for a few hours!"

Unfortunately not everyone could make it (and you were missed :( ) but the majority did. It was fun...it was really good fun. Reminded me what a quirky sense of humour my family possess...how funny they are....how full of love and warmth (even though they try to hide it a lot of the time)

On the drive back home, it struck me how so many stories, great stories are written about families. Families that not necessarily the 'happy ever after' contenders....most families are not like this, at least not day in, day out. There are tensions and confrontations, subjects not to be talked about, events to be forgotten.

But because we are family, we know how to push each other's buttons. All it takes is one word or comment, sometimes just one look and we become small children again.

'He's looking at me'

'Am not.'

'Are too"

'You're on my side'

'It's my side"

'DADDDDDDD!"

And don't you wish you could write about them all. I mean we do, in our own way. Some times I think I could just do it, open slather, only change the names of the guilty  innocent because really who in the family reads my work any way? But I don't.

No, I don't write about people as such, but some events, some conversations, some circumstances do find their way into a story or poem. Other stuff is too confronting, too emotional. Obviously I myself have not dealt with it so it can't be written about.

But family does offer so much ammunition to use if we really wanted to. Fodder for writing, or for blackmail. 

So 2015 family get together...done and dusted.

Gives me a chance to relax before the next one.

Vicki