Reconnecting

Well I have been remiss in posting here. Have a lot to share but not enough time to compose a good post.

So enough about that, let's move forward.

I'm not sure if I have ever talked much about my Dad's side of the family. As a young child I didn't spend time with my paternal Grandmother. She died when I was a young girl. I don't know the year but I do remember going with my father and my brother to the hospital when she was dying. I have a recollection of being left in the lobby of the hospital when my father went up to see his mother. For some reason I do not remember my mother being with us. I think there was little love lost between my mother and her in laws. Not entirely sure why that was the case but it simply was. So I'm guessing her death would have been in the mid to late seventies, I would have been anywhere from 6 to 9 years old. I think probably on the younger end of that spectrum. Would it have been customary for children of that age to be left in a hospital lobby as I seem to remember? I wonder... So the history is complicated on this side of the family. I think part of the lack of communication or connection to Dad's side of the family had a lot to do with the relationship between my Mother and her in laws. After my Grandmother passed away there was a rift in the family that had to do with the sale of her house and the disbursement of her moneys and things. I think that my Aunt actually remained in the home rather than selling it and splitting the proceeds with her brothers. The details are foggy but I do know that we didn't stay in touch with my Aunt and her family. We kept in touch with Dad's brother J and his wife for many years but later in my early teenage years there was another falling out with that family due to complex matters that I won't go into here. Many years passed and we got the news that Dad's sister R. had passed away. Well off we went to her funeral. At the wake I met my cousin D who is probably 10 to 15 years my senior. Well looking at her was like looking in a mirror. It was uncanny. She is actually the reason for this rambling post. We have exchanged Christmas cards for years and before Christmas this year she contacted me regarding photos she found packed away in her attic. She planned to copy and send them along. Well last week I received the package and a lovely note. Included in the package were photos of my Dad with his sister and her first husband, my Grandmother and my Grandfather as well as photos of Dad with his brother. The photos were fascinating. There were a couple photos of Dad with his Sister and if I didn't know better I would think that she was his Mom. They had a stunning resemblance. I'm planning on reconnecting with D. We have a date and time to talk by phone and hopefully that will lead to more. I'll let you know if anything interesting comes from our conversation.