The Importance of Family

I'm all done and you know what my body did to congratulate me? It got a sore throat that escalated into a shivering sweaty fever!! Come on! Actually I'm not all that upset about it as I now have no school plans for it to get in the way of. Ahh relief!! And you know I promptly went over for Mommy Love Time and chicken soup. Though to be honest, Mom wouldn't stop talking and I was desperately trying to sleep. Even she became tickled at her efforts to stop blabbering before she passed out on the sofa where I had been comfortably tucked in. I was forced to relocate myself though in her defense, she wasn't feeling great either. I did manage a few service glasses of water out of her before her demise asking her, in honor of Alston, to "save a little room in the top for love".

I spent the day quietly entertaining myself meanwhile I could hear Mom downstairs groaning in the agony of her general yucky feeling. She became quite cantankerous around 5:00 when Dad came home from his latest obligatory Realty class. "This is the biggest waste of my time. I could do the whole thing in two hours if they would just shut-up!! I don't want to be told what to do!!" You see where I get it?

As expected, the Stagnant Slapper had no concern for the indisposed women in his house and he continued his normal stomping around, slamming doors, and conversing with Buddy in a tone that rivals Uncle Ricky's. "Are you a gas ball?? Big ole Buddy's a gas ball!! Are you a stinky Boy? Go get the rope. Go get the rope Buddy!!" Meanwhile Mom and I had our mouths open and our eyes rolled back in our heads. Then he proceeded to order greasy Chinese Food and invite over Princess Black Cloud herself to add to the excitement. Ellen was also in a foul mood which escalated to dangerous heights when Dad forced her to go pick up our dinner. Dad also forced us to listen to old Zig Ziglar tapes upon hearing that he recently died. "You see" he said, "it's all about having a positive mental attitude" and then pointed at Mom with his eyebrows raised.

Anyways, I've just found that I have no family photos of us- or photos of life lately for that matter. Instead you'll have to settle for these photos from one of the more recent (though not so recent) Passing of the Afro Rituals.

I really love this last picture.