Now that Jack isn't an infant anymore... now that he can walk, laugh, talk, throw things .. He's much more interesting. He has two brothers, Gavin and Arran, but they were running around with cardboard tubes that doubled as Bazookas and Automatics.
Jack is now the member of my family who is most desirable to hang out with during family gatherings. All I have to do is smile at him or pick him up and his face gets wrinkly, twisted, and swallowed up by his big smile.
So, I threw him around a bit and kissed his belly.

And all of that cancelled out Paul's intrusive questions, the constant screaming from Arran and Gavin, my mother being my mother, so on. and so. forth.

Uncle Danny and Adam have just returned from Africa, but couldn't make it because Adam caught something and is in the hospital. Dana and Steven are both moving into Brooklyn today ... so I was the only 20 something grandkid around.
The less members of the family, the better I think. Especially for my first time around them since being back. Paul asked me What is the sense of community in India doing to help all those poor people there? That's when I told him I don't want to talk about it and went outside.
Uncle Joe came out and we talked. I like him best. Kyle drove up to the house, got out, and brought in the groceries Aunt Marianne told him to get .. and said "A little early to start hiding out, right?"
A sign that a family is a good family is when the members are honest with eachother. We always get together with a little bit of dread and hesitancy. And we all know it.
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Today's lunch was good. I had salmon and took the leftovers home. Tonight's This American Life is amazing. Tomorrow's hang out session with Rachel will be comforting (who can pass up a best friend and some old movies on what promises to be a cloudy day?) This week's time spent in D.C. is going to be amazing and I have no qualms going to the conference with high expectations.