My Cousin Jen

I don't know how cousins are related when your mom and her father were first cousins. Maybe someone can explain that to me. Second cousins? Second cousins first removed?  First cousins second removed?

Jen and I used to get together at our annual Family picnics. The picnics were on my mother's side of the family. All of mom's aunts and uncles, their children (mom's cousins) and their children (my generation) would be there.

Each family head would be grilling up Italian sausage with peppers and onions.  The grilled food (chicken, hot dogs, burgers, too) were for lunch - the lasagna, meatballs and bracciole were for dinner.  Before and after there was bocce, horseshoes, softball, water balloon and egg tossing.

Jen and I got to participate in some of the adult fun but we waited until cousin Rosemary started up with versions of the kids games. The one I remember us having the most fun together was the treasure hunt. On the list was trying to get Uncle Gene's signature and he would keep moving around the park making that the last, and most difficult, thing to get on everyone's list. Seeing her at the family reunion tonight brought all of those memories flooding back. 

But attendance at tonight's gathering was the objective of me accompanying mom home.  As much as I had a good time, tonight wasn't about me.  It was about her...and I saw unadulterated joy on her face every second she was with her  cousins.