The Other Shoe Looms

One of my reverential uncles on my mother's side called yesterday to extend an invitation to The Old Goat, Tinker, and me to attend an inpromptu dinner party. The ostensible reason was that the other reverentiall uncle was in town for his high school class reunion. With the Simpson extravaganza last weekend and now this gathering of the Perrys, I am awash in family. I can't swing a cat without hitting somebody related to me. Not that I am complaining... too much. It is a natural consequence of moving home; family comes as part of the deal. Everybody is being exceedingly kind to me. They figure that I need a little adjustment time. That tells me that soon, the other shoe will drop. I will be sucked into family machinations and feuds. I will be expected to pick sides and circulate the latest intelligence on activities and attitudes. I dread that part. And, it is the primary reason that I am not taking the wheels off my Airstream or getting rid of the hitch on the truck. Never know when I might need to make a run for the coast or the mountains to escape a pot-luck or a fish-fry. For now, I am having a fine time and enjoying some terrific food. The wife of the younger of the reverential uncles prepared herb-roasted vegetables, layered salad, potato salad, grilled chicken. It was all delicious. I think she may have taught Paula Deen how to cook. I am willing to risk the slings and arrows of internecine familial warfare if I can continue to feast on such taste treats.