WOYWW 170 - Sewing!

 I am sewing! I HATE sewing! Remember those concert costumes my wonderful grandie1 volunteered me for? Well, I could no longer ignore the huge pile of fabric, they have dress rehearsal next week and my school starts next Tuesday (where did that months holiday go?), so yesterday I spent most of the day cutting and todat is the day those jumpsuits are going to be made. I will finish them, even if it kills me, but today is the day.
Some random family ramblings to follow, so if you are from WOYWW, this is where you can stop reading if you wish.

 I rarely post about my personal life or my family, but this weekend I was reminded of just how very lucky I am. My dear dad's side of the family started to have a family reunion 27 years ago. Every first weekend in September the whole family gets together for a weekend. He was one of 9 children, so every 9th year we (my brother, my sister and I) have to arrange the weekend. When my parents passed, I missed a few, not because I didn't want to go, but because I was just too sad to be there without them. This weekend was arranged by the two middle cousins on the photo. Susan and Hennie. Then there's me on the right and my all time favourite cousin, Susan. There were over a 100 people there! All related to us.

 On this photo are my dads surviving sisters, The oldest is the little old lady in the front, Tannie Bella, she is 86. They are fondly known as the 'oermense' (the ancients) We always have some sort of competition on the weekend and this weekend we had to do a Spring table. The whole family helped. DD1, Karin, could not be there because she had 8 cakes to deliver, so she sent the centre piece, a flowerpot cake and enough cupcakes for the whole family. DD3, Ankie, and grandie2, Hannah, helped set ihe tyable. We won 3rd prize.

 Why third, you ask? well the judges, the ancients (who are ruthlessLOL) felt that we were trying to bribe them with the cupcakes, they said that it was wastefull to mess paint on a tablecloth (I handpainted the tablecloth years ago) and that it was just plain wrong to stab perfectly healthy fruit (we made mini fruit sosaties!) So you see, its all rigged and we each get a turn to win, but it is great fun.
At one stage during the weekend I was sitting there, watching my two youngest play volley ball with the children, My grandies were off with some of the other cousins' grandies playing all over and the new babies were all laughing and shrieking with joy and suddenly my eyes were leaking (like my grandie would say) I felt so grateful, so humbled to be able to be part of this wonderful group of people that love me unconditionally, that know all my shortcomings and still love me. I am so grateful that my grandies get to experience this and be aware that they are part of so much more than just us and their parents and their immediate cousins.
Have a great week and I will try my level best to visit all of you for the 4th week in a row!