Massachusetts

Wow, I haven't had time to get to this until now: the ending of my summer.

Sometimes the loveliest things are the things that are most commonplace: dinner with the family, watching grandma bowl, sitting in the living room and doing nothing. No matter what you do, you can’t enjoy every moment as if it is special but damnit you can try.

Visiting the relatives in MA was a special time. I got to help my grandma check her email and use Skype to video chat with my dad. She made her famous lasagna and had the familiar fruit salad and yogurt stocked in the fridge. The house smelled the same. It always smells the same and has the same organized cluttered feel and the same hard plastic pastel colored dish ware. I love it. I have so much respect for my grandma too because she is still so active and enjoying life. My mom and I cheered her on in one of her bowling league games and all I felt was pride and joy. I soon felt laughter as her bowling league buddies all came up and talked to us in their thick New England accents, "Shawp coppah." And then even more laughter when the organizer of the league got mad at one of the bowlers who always forgets which lane she should bowl in, "For Pete's sake Suzzzziee! It's so simple. You bowl one frame here. The next frame you bowl in the other lane!" Imagine a slightly portly Napoleon looking elderly woman with a thick New England accent yelling that and imagine old Suzzie looking as perplexed as ever.

I also got to visit my other grandma, uncles, aunt and cousin who I haven't seen in a couple of years. It was nice to get caught up on what they were excited about and what was happening in their lives. Chilling out at my grandma's pool and doing cannonballs was a lot of fun and going through her pictures showed me many fond memories.

Another really cool part of the trip was that Marla was visiting her friend in Boston and so we were able to meet up and do a trapeze lesson. It was so much fun! Next time I know to wear pants instead of short though so I don't get blisters behind my knees. Hopefully I can edit the video of that soon and post it.