"Where did the time go?"

My cousin must have read my mind as we sat on my cousins porch watching mini versions of ourselves run around the front yard playing. I laughed, "Man I dunno but it feels like that was us just yesterday! When did we get old?". That followed a great conversation about the past. It was really great for my cousin Jb to show up. He's the closest thing I have to a blood brother. He is 5 months older than I. He was born, grew up, and lived in DC until his mom passed in 96 then they shipped him to NC. People used to ask aunt Diva, who was our designated babysitter back then, if we were siblings to which she always said yes! LOL It was a lot easier than explaining how were related. Very soon after he got to NC he started reproducing. He currently has 4 young ones that look JUST LIKE HIM! Well, all but the last one but this is supposed to be about my turkey day. LOL

There were 3 of my cousins that showed up Thursday that surprised the fam. JB was one, Hollywood (with husband in tow), and one of my first cousins. The last cousin was the biggest surprise because she don't really mess with the fam like that. She never comes the the Thanksgiving production. In my last post I referred to our Thanksgiving dinners as a party, but it's really more like a production. I mean seriously, what other family has a program for dinner? LOL Cousin Hollywood brought her wedding pix and passed them around. They were simply beautiful. They wed in Jamaica and their pix looked unreal! To bad a good portion of the fam stated they were not going to the reception party today. Matter fact it's going on right now as I type! Oh well.

The dinner itself was great as always. Everyone looked good in their western gear. My grandmothers oldest sister had on these fitted jeans and was rocking them like WHOA! We kept picking on her and asking who she was going to see when she left the dinner. I mean she's been really sick but she came up in the spot looking good you hear me? Between her and my momma I don't know who I was gonna tell about themselves first! They ain't old enough to be dressing that sexy! LOL

The best part of the evening was the last act of the entertainment portion. My 2 younger cousins (I am not going to give every cousin a name) performed "Soul Man" by the blues brothers. OH MY GOODNESS I wish I could You tube it and share that performance with yall but I can't. It was toooooo funny. Me and another cousin were bout to be on the floor laughing so hard! I swear to God there in no other fam like mine. There a bunch of Looney Tunes! LOL! When we finally got home and put stuff away my grandmother was fugg'ed up. When she drinks she talks...a lot. So she had me, aunt Diva, and my cousin who owns the house up for a good while laughing our butts off. It was like a one woman stand up. What was even funnier is my grandmother didn't remember saying any of it Friday! LOL She did mention my grandfather a few times in her standup, like the time they went to go see the Rock wrestle at the MCI center years ago (I never knew that!) but she'd always cut herself off and say, "Let's not talk about that". We wonder how she is dealing with him being gone, but none of us are going to ask her.

Friday morn at about 4 something aunt Diva woke me up and told me it was time to roll out. Normally on black Friday I try to stay very far away from malls and retail places, but my aunt couldn't find anyone to go with her so I said I'd go. Why Lord why? I mean I sorta figured since (1) she had knew where she wanted to go (2) pretty much knew what she wanted to get (3) wasn't shopping for clothes that this trip was going to be fairly painless. I was wrong. We got to the first store about 5 and we got back to my cousins house about 11. Enough said! LOL. I wasn't planning on spending any money till my next pay check, but I did buy Pooka and sleeping bag set (thanks to an idea of a certain blogger) and the Willy Wonka Chocolate factory movie. They'll stay in the back of the van covered up until the day b4 we leave out for Christmas. My aunt brought her an remote control Hummer and Pooka is gonna flip! I can't wait to watch her open it! Pooka's not much of a baby doll little girl even tho' she's mainly a priss. I did buy myself Underworld and Memoirs of a Geisha. Walmart was selling them for 4 bucks a piece so I figured why not.

Once we got back to my cousin's place we were on st8 chill mode. That's how Jb and I ended up out on the porch watching the kids. I took me a quick nap and brought it back to Raleigh Friday evening. As much as I love my fam, I need to digest them in spurts. When other fam came through and folks got to talking negative about this that and the other, the he said she said, and how my 13 year old cousin is having sex and her parents (really grandparents) won't believe it, I knew it was time to bounce. As much as I wanna be in the know, I didn't feel like hearing it.

I got home and checked my messages. The first one was from my father. Well knock me down with a feather, he used my number! LOL He just wished me a happy thanksgiving and whatever, then my dude I went out with hung up on my machine (caller ID), then got a message from T-lo with the holiday well wishes, then another message from my father from earlier that day, awwwwwww. I didn't call anyone back. Just chilled.

Today has been chill as well. My father called again this morning and I didn't pick the phone up on purpose. I didn't have a reason to not to pick up, but I just let it ring. He called back later today and I figured that since he's called me more in 3 days than he has in the last 3 years that he needed to relay a message to me. I pick up asked me if I was in the country yesterday. He had the nerve to ask why I didn't come by to see him! HUH? Well one, I didn't think about it, two, I don't know where he is living, three, he claims to fly back and forth to NM why not leave an extra hour or so early and come visit me? I live 15 minutes from the airport and it's not like he hasn't been in my place b4! Anyways, we chit chat and I am wondering what the important message was that he had to keep trying to get up with me then I think it came....

"you got a car"

"yeah, I have 2"

"what you got"

I tell him...

"what years"

I tell him...

"you need to upgrade"

I chuckle "you gonna upgrade me?"

"well I got this Mountaineer that I need to get rid of and I was planning on giving it to you when you came down this way"

I roll my eyes "oh word?" At this point I wanted to ask him about that black pick up truck he had for me in 97 that I still haven't seen, but I continued to listen to him tell me about this truck. When he was done, he spoke with Pooka who didn't know who he was. He was a tad sadden by that but she's never spoke to him on the phone so why would she recognize his voice? Anyways, he tells me that now that my number is programmed in his red razor (why couldn't he just say phone?) that he'll call more often, come pick Pooka up, blah blah blah blah blah blah. I kinda tuned out when he was talking and let him end the convo.

Maybe one day my father will recognize that he doesn't have to lie to be around. Whether he was as rich as Bill Gates or pay check to pay checking like the next man, he's still helped give me life and if nothing else I can give him credit for that and him making an attempt to really be around.

Whatever.....