Okay, this FP of mine has some layers, so bear with. But first:
WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
Okay, now that you’ve all dutifully recommended this evening's playground, I’ll get to the meat:
Part of my FP is that my sister has moved out of town. She’s lived out of town before, of course. For years and years in fact. But not since my father died, and not since my mother got old. Now, our mother is 84, dad’s been gone since ’02, and my sister has moved all the way across the country. They’ve never had a good relationship, my mother and my sister. In fact, their relationship has always, always completely sucked. But it has sucked passive-aggressively. Nothing violently overblown or loudly distasteful, dontcha know. Just low-grade, life-long, gentle, straw-at-the-bottom-of-the-empty-glass sucking. So, it's not like I have to deal with anyone's heartbreak. But the opposite is almost worse. I wish my mother cared a bit more.
So, there's that part. My sister leaves me here with an aging mother. It’s all on me now as far as Mom goes. And that’s challenging.
BUT. My sister left because she got a job. A fascinating job. With (drum roll) The Government. Yep. My sis up and moved to DC at the end of June to work for one of "the agencies", leaving my brother-in-law to clear everything up and sell stuff and get the house ready to rent and move things and arrange to have the car shipped and prepare to fly the dog with them. And it was 98 degrees and we were helping him paint and repair and move and store stuff and I’m going to miss him so much that it makes it hard to breathe and why, why, WHY didn’t we use the years since they came back from Morocco better? Why couldn’t I have seen that they wouldn’t be here forever? Why didn’t I see them every time I could instead of thinking that there would always be time LATER and now there is no "later" and they’re moving to the middle-east when she finishes her training and I’m sorta scared. Yeah. A little bit scared, cuz that part of the world is So. Fucking. Volatile.
Fortunately, my brother-in-law is an Arab-American from Morocco. He's also a Muslim who speaks Arabic (and English and French and Spanish) so he can help the two of them get by linguistically and culturally to a great extent. And he’ll have no trouble finding a kick-ass job when they get overseas, not only because he’s linguistically talented, but because he’s one of the most wonderful people I know. Just a great human being. Aaaaagh - I cry just typing this! They’re going to be so far away. For a long time. And I know I don’t need to make a two-by-four of my point and take it to your heads, my friends, but I will anyway: Love the people around you right now, because they may just up and move to the other side of this big, blue globe, and there you'll be - wishing.
Anyway. I’m on my own with Mom, and my Sis and Bro-in-law might as well be moving to Pluto, BUT, there’s an interim dilemma: You see, my sister does live in DC. Close-in DC. Within walking distance to - well - everything. So:
We're going to the inauguration.
I got our tickets on the night that Barack gave his acceptance speech. I’m going to be there. My hub is going to be there. My eleven-year-old-kid is going to be there for this event and I could not POSSIBLY be more thrilled for him. We’re going to stay with my sis and bro-in-law and spend a whole week+ with them.
Try not to hate, people, just because I’m going to be there watching Barack take the pledge, watching Michelle be poised and magnificent, watching Malia and Sasha be bored out of their adorable little gourds! And of course, watching the Republican dead-enders grimace and contort like slugs sprinkled with salt! And I simply have nothing to wear! What does one don for the most amazing politically historical event one will ever witness? Decisions, decisions.
Oh – and, by the way – what’s your f*$&%in’ problem?
(And an aside: The gulf coast is bracing for the worst, yet again, and many people are in harm’s way. From conversations I’ve had, they may be fearful, angry and tired, but they’re also strong and adamant in their resiliency. A moment of silence/prayer/hopeful thought for those who are – once again - facing nature’s fist.)