Remembering My Sister on Her Birthday

Last November, I lost my sister LoRena. Today would have been her sixty-first birthday. If she were still alive, we would have commemorated the day with a "sister's lunch", which we do for every one of our birthdays.

Being spread out over three states makes frequent get-togethers generally reserved for holidays, but we started the tradition years ago, and today seems hollow without it.

We meet at a somewhat central location, my sister-in-law, Karen's house, mid way between my house and Kentucky. Karen is our sister also, and before her husband, my brother Bruce died, we always told them that should they ever divorce, we were keeping HER,and Bruce could find his own family. We are all that close still.

My other sister would come up from Ky., and the other would fly or drive in from Minnesota for the celebration.

It is always the "birthday girl's" choice of restaurants. LoRena always chose "Red Lobster", as there is a lot to choose from in Chillicothe, Ohio. She always made a point of ordering "Maine" not "Rock" lobster. 

We would meet at Karen's house, and start the festivities with a glass of wine. LoRena was a stickler for something sparkling, which the rest of us dislike. So it was usually a White Zin for all but her, who preferred  Asti. We teased her mercilessly about her choice of wines, but to mo avail. 

We would all bring gifts, with a $10 limit, usually gag-gifts, or kitchen gadgets, which we all love. 


After having our wine, and opening gifts, we would all pile into one car and head to the restaurant. We would eat, laugh, cut-up, and generally make a ruckus for a few hours. we would all complain that our faces were sore form all the laughing afterward.

This year, here I sit. My sister in Mn. is opt coming home till her own birthday in May. My Ky. sister is at home, and my sis-in-law is as well.

So, today, I am going to buy myself a bottle of Asti, and choke it down, every damned drop, in honor of my sweet LoRena, and have a good cry. 

God, I miss her.