Telling Stories

Chopped southwest salad with a lime cilantro dressing.

Tangy. Full of cilantro. Delicious on a hot summer day.

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I've had this recipe pinned for a while and decided to bring it to Sissy's today for our fourth of July picnic.

It made a ton of salad. Enough so I can take it for lunch tomorrow. And probably the day after that as well.

Spent a quiet afternoon soaking up the sun, swimming in the pool, and playing a game of ladder ball. My niece cleaned our clocks, winning every single game she played. Clearly I need to get this game and practice more.

When my nieces and Sissy dragged me down to the lower forty to play, I reminded them that I had never played before.

"I'm on Mom's team!" my niece D yelled.

Her twin sister E looked pained to find herself partnered with her auntie who has never thrown a ladder ball ever.

It's okay, girls. My ego can take the hit.

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Had dinner with my dad last evening. I love when there is just a couple of us around because he starts telling stories from his childhood days.

Last night he was telling us about one of his father's sisters, Aunt M and her husband, Uncle J. They only had one party a year and it was a fourth of July picnic. They would have about 70 or so people. Not all the aunts and uncles got along so there would be some who wouldn't come but his favorite cousins would be there and the kids always had fun.

Both my grandparents came from very large families. My grandfather was one of twelve siblings and my grandmother was one of eight siblings. My dad was telling us that one of Nana's brothers was a musician in an orchestra. They played in clubs throughout the area, including the larger cities. Every Christmas Eve my dad's uncle would have a party and the entire family and orchestra members and their families would come. He said the band would play all night and it was a great time. That's how I remember my Nan's family - loads of laughter and lots of fun.

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Dad always seems to enjoy talking about his childhood and I love hearing about it. He's as good a storyteller as I am. Must be the Irish in us.