We really like Us.
Much to catch up with in this journal, but here’s this.
On a whim, three of us converged on my sister Sue in Nashville last month. Four sisters together for 5 days! For some this could sound like a recipe for disaster, but for us it was pure magic. And as always, our time together was over far too quickly. We are very different in our spiritual and political views, but alike in that we are all strong enough to know our own minds and respect each other for it. And so we happily basked in each others’ company, deep history and our endless adoration of one another. Loathe to leaving each other at all, we dormed in one bedroom and talked until 3 or 4 every morning. And of course we reverted to our teenage years and naturally decompensated into that wheezy, asthmatic uncontrollable laugh-til-we-cried state of hilarity. (At my age nearly “dying from laughter” becomes a very possible concept!)
When we did leave the house, one of the places we visited was Cheekwood, a very cool art museum mansion on acres of stunning gardens and grounds. The just-spring weather was perfect, and all was in lovely pastel bloom. We had the place nearly to ourselves and wandered through the rooms in wakes of laughter, awe for some of the art, and general (but quiet) misbehavior. We were reveling in that slightly abstract sense of awe– “are we really here together?”, when one of the gallery workers did a double take and approached us, drawling “Y’all MUST be sisters!”
On other days we went shopping and out for lunch, of course.
Julia, tall, slim and chic in her dark sunglasses was taken aback by a man who stopped short on the street, stared at her in delight and began to follow our entourage as though she must have been a “someone”. Many country western star sightings are known to happen in the area we wandered, and we laughed as we tried to figure out which star she was mistaken to have been.
We went on to historic Franklin, a town known for its many civil war ghosts and haunted shops and houses. It’s always interesting to me to visit antique stores in different parts of the country (and world). There is definitely a regional difference in items everywhere that is so fun for me browse through. I bought an old inkwell, some miniature ceramic marionettes, and a couple of interesting charms for my bracelet.
This is one of the shops where a cigar smoking ghost named Miss Addie “lives”. It is the custom to speak a “thank you” out loud to her for letting us visit her house, which we did.
Our delightful nephew Brendan came home from college for the weekend, just to see The Aunts. This was a high compliment, as he didn’t even contact friends or head out to other interests, just hung out and laughed and spent time with us. Sweetheart! Our adored brother-in-law Mike was around as well, being his hilarious and charming self—and yet giving us plenty of sister space.
It is so difficult to speak of our time together, as the simple minutia is what makes up this heaven-like state for us. We ate, played cards, worked jigsaw puzzles and talked around the outdoor fire pit in the cricket-singing evening. Mike and Brendan showed us how magnolia leaves burn into rather spectacular looking molten velvet. We laughed and teased and spent our precious hours together in giddy delight. Pam assigned us to think up topics for our nightly slumber party gab-fests, and we howled with laughter deep into the wee hours.
*sigh*
There is nothing and everything to tell and feel and celebrate, and yet anything I say fails to capture the essence of what we share. Maybe just this:
These are three of my favorite women on earth.
:)xoAdagio
awwwwwwwwwwwww! I envy you that closeness you have with them. It’s a beautiful thing.
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What a joy to read, and to contemplate! I imagine that yours & your sisters’ ability to respect philosophical and political differences is an invaluable asset, in these contentious times. Our family does somewhat OK with most such differences, and we’ve had some wonderful sibling time, too. *Basking in buoyant memories of gales full of laughter* I really like the photos, too! Thanks so much for sharing this sweet and wonderful glimpse into a special time!
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How beautiful to read this! Makes me wish I had sisters. Fortunately, I have close women friends, and get to share some of that magic.
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What a wonder-filled time! I never had any sisters.
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Ahhh — this is like a drink of water on a dry day. How lovely!
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Found your note to redmoonrising. I was very impressed with the quote on your content page. I KNOW such a person and I am stealing the quote to use in an entry about her. Well, actually all my recent entries have been about her and my life changing experiences while I visited her. Please come read. Your photos are great. I do not know which is you in the photo, but you four could be quadruplets. Be well.
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Oh, did you do the painting there? It is lovely. Be well.
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A bevy of beauties! So glad you had wonderful sister time! xo
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The drink of water comment above matches my thoughts exactly. ryn: Yeah, we need an update on what YOUR monkeys have been up (or down) to lately! I am loving the theater season this year, though I’m sure to whine later from exhaustion. I’m directing “Escanaba in da Moonlight” and “On Golden Pond” in October and December, respectively. In my spare time, I’m trying to raise about$50K to get much needed repairs to our building. Honestly, I wouldn’t trade a minute. 😀
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Yes, I can see you being quite delighted with your puppet purchase. 🙂 How I envy you your sisters! I often feel quite inadequate when in groups of women…as if I’ve somehow missed out on a mysterious bonding process. RYN: Am healing well. Biopsy showed NO cancer. Good to be home, even if I’m being attended to in a bumbling manner. 🙂
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thank you 🙂 it feels purty good.
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I envy your magick, A;) What beauty you and your sisters share!
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…reading this makes me wish that I had sisters with a common history! I guess I’ve made my own sisterhood! Great shot BTW! 🙂
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SOB!!! BRO
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I set the picture of you sisters of mine as the desktop background. :O) I am going to see Mom and Dad this week for a couple of days. I was sobbing as I wish I was there, well except for the room of girls laughing and giggling till 3 am part. Lil and I are going to MS to see JJ next week and meet the future inlaws. My sisters are still hot….:O) BRO
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^^What a great bro^^ 🙂 RYN: Yes, and I appreciate that love. **HUGS**
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This makes me miss my sister so much. In March we did get to spend a good bit of time together, but it’s never enough. Emails, pictures and phone calls help bridge the gap, but 900 miles away is hard. I’m thrilled to read of families still so close and loving with each other. This world could be so different if there were more like yours.
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I went out with my sister on Tuesday. We went into the city and swanned around ending up at an exclusive club for Lunch…It was great paying ladies for the day. We always giggle when we are together.
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Just read this today. Made me cry! Love you so much. J p.s. Beautiful photos of Cheekwood!!
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How wonderful to enjoy the company of your sisters so much – and to have that time with them. The thought of that late-night giggling is particularly appealing! RYN: It was lovely to hear from you again. You’d somehow dropped off my Favorites list and I thought you were no longer writing here; it’s very nice to know you are still around.
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You have SUCH a beautiful family. RYN: Are you watching? i am in love with Wexler. He’s awesome. He’d make a great VP as would Joe Biden or Webb. There are SO MANY fantastic possibilities. *big hugs*
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Thanks for the note! I actually remember the OTHER Edna Million- when she vanished, I grabbed her name. These are great pictures – and what a nice entry. I can tell you guys are sisters. Oh, and Fishing with John – Netflix has it, if you’re a Netflix User- our little weird video store does too. It’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
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I’ve always wished for a sister or three.
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Just…look…at…the…four…of…you! My goodness, so different, yet so, so sisters! Amore’. Good to know all is right and loving there, in your world. LYM…
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Oh what a beautiful family you are! And I am way beyond envious ! I miss my sisters. I had two.
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All of you are glowing like the brightest of stars! I so wish that I had at least one sister. You have three…lucky girl!
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ahhh this all sounds so wonderful! 🙂 all the very best,
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Hi you! My new diary name is Blanda and i want you to come by whenever you can. i don’t EVER want to lose touch with you. You’re a wonderful woman. Love you, dear friend.
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Sounds like a perfect time. Take care,
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what wonderful pictures you take! i have two sisters and would love to take a trip with them as you did with yours. thanks for the inspiration.
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