happy late birthday sister

sister came to visit me for her birthday. very nice sister, giving me a such a spiff present for your birthday. (thanks squinty-eyed dinky, too.)

sister and i forgot to take pictures while we were escapading. i got a few. like this one in muir woods.

sister is kind of like mother except that she can handle sleeping in on vacay. sister is kind of like mother because she takes care of me. i love sister.

sister has been kind of like mother since i was born. she used to drive me all over tarnation for lessons and so on (with frequent stops at wendy's and taco bell), she helped me with my homework (ie taught me the art of b.s.), and she let me tag along with her cool friends. sometimes sister had to make me do things that were good for me that i didn't want to do. the dishes. piano practicing. dedicated horseback riding. sometimes i got angry at sister just like i got angry at mother. i feel bad about getting mad at both of them.

i did a lot of things because sister did them first. extended trips to countries i was scared to visit. summers in wyoming. taping pictures to my wall. pressing wildflowers in books. strange the things you remember.

sister used to take me out of school for ski outings in the ruby sue. we would sit on the back bumper with the trunk popped up into the air while we ate pb and j and oranges that sister packed. i always count on sister to carry a little food for me.

i loved having sister all to myself again. it's been a really long time, perhaps even pre-wedding. i loved hearing her talk to her babes on the phone and realize that she is not just kind of like mother, she is mother. she sees the colored carrots in the berkeley bowl with six eyes instead of two, making mental images of everything cool to report back to the little people. mother did that too. her thrill and delight at life did not diminish in retelling, and neither does sister's.

love you sister. wish ya happyappyappyappyappy.