I don’t know where to start this bit of writing or how to shape it or where it will all end…

I went to a high school graduation party this afternoon. I keep trying to say that the graduate is my niece but, in fact, she is my first cousin once removed. That means she is my cousin’s beautiful child. I wanted to go to this party but I was nervous. I had to go *alone*. Mouse had work and a rehearsal and the GG and Liz were on the homeward leg of their road trip today. Not to mention that it was a 70 mile drive. That is no problem for me since I routinely drive 350 miles to get to the yooperland and back. But at least I know where I am going on those trips. This one involved my GPS and a bit of pre-trip scouting on Google Maps (although it was in the East Lansing area, which is familiar to me in general). And I knew that I wouldn’t know most of the people there.

I was texting back and forth with Lizard Breath as they were driving northward and it became apparent that I would not get to see my AWESOME (hate that word, but) daughter today. I felt really sad. I offered to skip the party. My little lizard knew better. “Moom, you need to go to that party. You will have fun.” Yes. I needed to go to that party. When I couldn’t find T (mom of grad) in the back yard, I made my way into her house. The house I have never even seen before. I was met with the biggest hug on earth. We jabbered away like we always do. As mother of the grad, she knew that I wouldn’t know many of the other guests. I said, “Is S here?” YES YES YES! Her older sister, also my cuz, of course! “Go inside and find her.” So I made my way through and upstairs and there was S and a good friend of T’s.

I won’t try to describe the feelings that went through my head today as my cousins and I talked (and laughed) about the eccentric relatives and dysfunctionality in our extended family. We realized a couple of things. One is that the MacMu fam is much less dysfunctional than a whole lot of other families. The other is that we have outlived that dysfunctionality and one rather toxic relative. All I will say is that we love each other and there are a whole lot of families who have a lot more problems than ours does. I got some darn good hugs today. I needed that.

And then I got home and wouldn’t you know, the reason my kitchen radio didn’t work all week is that mus musculus has found where we are keeping the cereal and that is also where one of the power cords to my radio snakes through the cabinets and mus chewed through the cord and shorted it out. And pooped.

I don’t know if what my rambling words support my two themes today but they are: 1) life goes on (mus musculus) and 2) family is more important than just about anything.

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