The "Cousin Judy" Story

It was an ordinary day. Carol and I are enjoying supper with my cousin Judy, husband Buzz and friend Sharon. Sharon was a neighbor of ours when we lived in Grandview Heights for 29 years, while Sharon was also a classmate of my cousin Judy in high school. Invited them over for a picnic supper on our back deck. I have 10 cousins, but only correspond with one of them Sue, on a regular basis. My cousin Judy is closest in age to me, but I haven't seen her for the better part of four years. Why? I have no excuses. We both lead busy lives and only ever got together for picnics and family gatherings. The last family gathering we saw each other was when my father died over 4 years ago. Judy's one daughter works at a dentist's office across the street from our house and I wave to her and occasionally stop in to see her, but never talk to her mother. Well, about three weeks ago I told Carol I was going to call Judy and invite her and Buzz for supper. About time one of us makes the call, and since I am the oldest, it should be me. Sounded the same on the phone and I guess I did also, since she recognized my voice immediately. After talking for a short time about the last 4 years, she accepted our invitation for supper. Judy is my father's sister's daughter. Aunt Lillian died a few years before my father and dad's other sister, Aunt Doris, died a few years before that. They both were older than my dad. Judy was born to Aunt Lillian and her first husband while Judy's brother, and another cousin of mine, George, was born to Aunt Lillian's second husband. I think! Aunt Lillian and her second husband, uncle Bud, lived along the Conestoga Creek with Judy and George. I have many fond memories of going on vacation with Judy and her family, minus Uncle Bud. He always had to work for some strange reason. We would visit Crystal Beach along the Chesapeake Bay and have the best times. Spent some time reminiscing about our time at the beach and some of the rides and games we played in the small arcade that was located by the beach. Then, after my Aunt Doris, my dad's other sister, married into a family that had a cottage on the Elk River, we switched to this location for our family summer vacations. More fond memories. And finally, after my Aunt Doris sold the cottage and bought a larger house along the C&D canal, we move the vacations one more time. Eventually we both married, but continued our vacations with our own children at the house along the canal. Wow, the evening was full of memories that I have documented in past stories. But finally I got to reminisce with my cousin Judy in person. The evening was fun and we said we will have to do it again soon. Hope soon doesn't mean another 4 years. We'll see. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo at top shows Judy and me digging in the garden, riding on my tricycle, and recently on the deck behind my house.