We talk about sleep. Wine-induced sleep.
What a blessing. What a curse.
We talk about age. Sixty and six months and everything in between.
What it means to grow old. What it takes to stay young.
We talk about the kids. How active they are.
How much energy they have. How much energy they take.
From us. All day.
We banter. About the little things.
Happily.
Because we are family.
And this is what we do.
And it is comfortable.
To talk about nothing in particular.
When you are with family.
There is no agenda.
No point. No expectation.
But togetherness.
Time spent together.
With wine.
And with banter.
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and laughter. what would we do without laughter?
Oh the laughter. Were I not 3/4 drunk when I wrote this I’m sure I would have written more about the laughter. :)
Is that what it’s like when you all sit at the adults’ table? For the 33rd Thanksgiving in a row, I sat at the kids’ table … with the kids. We talked about which dishes were best, who was going to win the traditional Scattergories game (me, of course), and lots of boyfriend/girlfriend talk from the teens. We definitely had the laughter, though. ;)
Must I start a petition for next year? Kelly deserves a stand-in at the kids table? A place is set for Kelly among the adults? Hmm. What should we call it?
Although, listening to the banter of kids can be even more fun depending on your own family. We get a little wild over here from time to time, so I like to stick with the adults just to see what will come out. Once the kids get out of tantrum-stages I would probably be more willing to join them. :)
I don’t know what I’d do with myself at the adults’ table!
Oh the wine induced banter…. I know it well! It always keeps things a little more interesting ;)
Ah yes. This makes me miss my family! (was thanksgiving with husband’s family this year).
Also, for us, all different sides of a political issue or current debate are aired. Usually the loud & well-read uncle trumps with some “irrefutable” data, but it’s always fun.
Wish I had been there. I love that banter. Sitting on the comfy couch. In mom’s warm house. Drinking wine and hearing the kids pretending to sleep upstairs. Christmas, my sister. We will have this at Christmas.
How very true and how truly wonderful it is! I hope you and yours had a fantastic Thanksgiving!
This is beautiful and so true. We had my mom in California on speaker phone at one point as four of my six kids, my sister and I sat around the table and yelled at the phone…LOL
Love it. As much as I enjoyed our small Thanksgiving celebration, I am looking forward to Christmas with a house buzzing with boisterous familial conversation.
I hope you and yours had a very happy holiday.
Kelly, I am outraged. Tell everyone that you’ve been in big girl panties for a while now and belong in your rightful place! Unless the kids are more fun, which is often true. :)
Part of the fun is the banter…one of my favorite moments of this Thanksgiving was bantering with my mother about an ancient potato peeler that she still owns…you probably had to be there, but it was good fun.
Thank you that laugh. I don’t mind it considering this year the kids’ table was comprised of my sisters, my 14-year-old nephew, 12-year-old half-sister, and my daughter. The other kids ate on the floor and the adults ate in another room. I have no idea what they talk about in there, but we talked about Twilight, heartbreaks (my half-sister’s), new loves (my nephew), and how boring the adults are! :)
Nope, I didn’t even have to be there…for the potato peeler banter. I know exactly what you mean! Probably something similar to the banter MomalomsMom and I had about coffee makers, and grinders, and dull steak knives….
Family. I am more thankful than I have ever been and I think I’m almost making myself sick with the sweetness.
This is delicious. And poignant. And one of the things I miss, because there’s nearly no family left. But there is this wonderful virtual family! And that’s very cool.
NOW, Missy… seems to me that you’re getting a jump on the HALF DRUNK CHALLENGE. (No fair. You’ll need to be 3/4 drunk or maybe even 7/8 drunk to even FEEL the buzz, and give us your best “lit up” literary litany of licentious limericks and love-limned longings…)
CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!
(Now does anyone know anyone who can help figure out why I can’t move all my files off wordpress, dammit!!!???!!!)
More coffee, more coffee, more coffee… and good morning. Oh yeah, it’s the afternoon. Oops.
I am sorry about your internet difficulties!! I wish I could help, but I am clueless. Completely clueless.
I love this poem. Family is comfort. The only place you can be your real self.
Family is comfort.
Yes.
For me. And Jen. And our family.
But I realize
it is not always the case.
And we are so very very very VERY
lucky.
And the banter?
I relish it. I throw it around. I remember the feeling of the smiles across my face.
Oh Family.
Beautifully warm thoughts (even if you were partially drunk). Easy and Banter aren’t two words that so often come along side each other in my family growing up (maybe it’s what happens when half the family are lawyers?) but it’s what it SHOULD be. Sounds perfectly delightful! There’s nothing better than being in comfortable company…
Becca,
You are welcome at our houses anytime…the wine AND the words are always flowing freely!
Our father was an attorney, and I do think we are lucky there was only one in the house. His wit and humor were always appreciated, and most of his banter, but I can imagine if we were around “his kind” it may have been a bit different for us kids! :)
And you are right…nothing better than being in the company of all that is comfortable. We are so very lucky for such a wonderful family.
I love treasures!! I have moved so many of my elementary school cutouts with me so many times I know I’ll *never* be able to part with them!!
I liked reading this– fun!
Oops, this was s’posed to go under “Out of the closet and into the heart”
Nonetheless,
All of these posts are delightful. So glad I found you ladies!
No worries, Bre! We read ALL the comments…
And I loved the story about Jen’s treasures, too! I can’t wait to see a few of them on Christmas when she comes down…but hopefully she’ll get to a scanner before that! Who else wants to see the gerbil drawing?! hee hee hee