Doing a heading check with Taylor, one of my young scientists at the office. Going over various and sundry things as we go into yet another round of “reorganization”, assuring him that his work is valued and that i will continue to captain him through the apparent bureaucratic storm.
We then wandered off into “whazzup”… and i mentioned that i’m off for a long weekend to orchestrate another extended family ‘cousins’ reunion in Tennessee. He’s aware of some of my trailer park issues, and as a kid coming up from a rough launch in one of the poorest parts of South Carolina, he just gets it…
He asked after the warring factions at the homestead. i’d clued him in to the living arrangements for my Mom, and the ongoing feud with my sister in Florida, Hurricane T as she railed against the exploitation of Mom’s finances by my niece DQ. He asked if they would all be in the same place…
My sister hasn’t visited Mom for two years – the last time she came back to The Park she could not contain her rage at the living arrangements. At that time, Mom was living in a bed in DQ’s living room, displayed like a zoo animal. Sister T was beyond livid. And we all agreed that future visits would need to be on neutral turf until the renovations on the old homestead are competed.
The reunion offered a very convenient chance to organize a visit with Mom and daughter, T. As the event organizer, i watched another Trailer Park Mexican Standoff as both T and DQ didn’t confirm attendance until the last-minute. Almost simultaneously, in fact.
daisyfae: Yes. And my role? i’ve rented a third cabin to house Mom, my sister, her partner and myself, to assure some degree of neutral territory with my niece and her clan…
Taylor: Seems like a good strategy!
daisyfae: i’m functioning as NATO Peace-keeper, while trying to assure that my Mom and my cousins have a good chance to visit and re-connect.
Taylor: Yeah. I know how that works. The last time my family attempted a reunion? The cops were called about three times. A few arrests and everything. We decided to quit doing reunions…
daisyfae:…
image found here
So i’m off to a glorious hollow in northern Tennessee. Long weekend. Doing a reprise of our long weekend in 2008 on a gorgeous Kentucky lakefront. Still trying to untangle an intricate mix of “Tennessee Liquor Laws” to assure that Hurricane T and i are not going to run out of essentials.
A few of my cousins are fully aware of the family dynamics, and are only concerned with spending time with Mom – as she is the last of the three sisters of the clan. i love these people. Should be entertaining. A metric fuck-ton* of blog-fodder if nothing else…
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* Metric Fuck-ton = 10 Metric Shit-tons. Also, a Shit-ton = 1.6 Metric Shit-tons. Know your units of measure, folks…
Trailer Park Refugee 
