I just returned from my one-day viisit to Irvine, CA to help my aunt and uncle celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. They moved to California in the past year from Tyler, Texas; I reall posting about their leaving Tyler long ago, but the bottom line is that the have settled into a "retirement" community called Leisure World (my brother calls it Seizure World).

One reason for going was that all three of my first cousins in that family were going to be together for the first time in many years. Cousin Ray came from Brownsville, TX where he is a public defender for teenage criminal defendants; cousin Max came from Mexico where he is in the manufacturing business; and cousin Lisa stayed where she was because the party was at her house. There were about 60 people present and the party was held outside (the weather is one thing you can count in in the LA area).

There were people at the party from London (now living in LA and Arizona), from Israel (now liviing in LA), from Texas, and of course, from Missouri. The mix of accents was wonderful, and my cousin Lisa hasn't lost her Texas drawl despite 20 years of living in and around LA. It was a fun time, and made me wish that we cousins lived closer so our kids could get to know each other.

I talked a long time with the guy from Israel, now settled in LA, and engaged to the beautiful woman sitting next to him. Said beautiful woman started pounding her fist on his leg, and I had to tell him that's the international signal for "let's go". But he's in the software business, so he and kept talking, much to said fiancee's dismee'.

Oh, one funny thing was getting picked up at the airport. So I'm used to traveling and had told my parents I'd just take a taxi the 15 minutes to the hotel, but no, no, they wanted to pick me up. So they all show up, my parents, and my aunt and uncle, and I feel like I'm 15 again.

Aunt Fuffy and Uncle Sandy, happy 50th wedding anniversary (y'all)!