Jacqueline Gets Her Geek On

Tasha is alive!!!

There was a text message waiting for me from my brother when I turned on my phone after the plane landed: "Tasha came home!!! Call mom"

Mom is apparently asleep now so I don't have the details yet, but I am so happy to hear that my little fluffy kitty is back home.  I cried so much this weekend when I thought she was dead. 

I almost want to plan another trip back to Bellingham soon just to see her.  Hopefully Mom needs some more QuickBooks "consulting" and will spring for a ticket. :)  A weekend with me is cheaper than two hours with a real accountant!

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?, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

My cousin's husband has mowed a backwards question mark in the lawn.

People have to make their own subdued excitement here.

Breakfast at the Marlin Cafe

Breakfast at the Marlin Cafe, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

My mom and stepdad opened a cafe in his store earlier this year.

Ugh. Morning.

Ugh. Morning., originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

It's bad enough that Mom put me in the room with all the skylights... now my brother is bringing the dog upstairs to jump on me and get me out of bed.

Update: He videoed the dog attack.  Fortunately, Mudge was more interested in attacking his dog bed than jumping on me.

MRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK

Backyard party

Backyard party, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

My stepbrother is having his graduation party. He has another 30 minutes before we call the party bus on him, LOL.

"Mom, where's the fudge?"

'Mom where's the fudge?', originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

"Martha Stewart made me put it in a pretty dish on the table."

Kitchsy decor

Kitchsy decor, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

He likes to collect old signs.

Nelson's Market

Nelson's Market, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

This is my stepdad's store.

Newest member of the family

Newest member of the family, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

My cousin made it from scratch!!!

Gas station of our youth

0621081540.jpg, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

This is the gas station Mom and Dad used to trade children at for weekend visitations after the divorce.

We are teaching my dad how to send text messages

We are teaching my dad how to send text messages, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

He is soooooo last century.

Whoo hoo! Free booze!

Whoo hoo! Free booze!, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

James and I were just informed by the waiter that our $50 bar tab would be "hosted". We tipped him well.

Apparently I am related to Jerry Garcia

Apparently I am related to Jerry Garcia, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

This is one of my cousins.

My brother and I are on round 3

My brother and I are on round 3, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

Our waiter just commisserated, "The year I started drinking at family gatherings is the year I started enjoying them a lot more."

Hair of the dog that bit me

Hair of the dog that bit me, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

A few more of these and I might be ready to cope with all this.

I gave the waiter my credit card and asked him to open a tab. My brother promptly ordered another drink and put it on my tab. What!

A passle of Passeys

A passle of Passeys, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

I have no idea who these people are. We don't see this side of the family much. Dad was supposed to make a family tree cheat sheet for us to study last night but those plans were derailed by heavy drinking, pyromania, and gnomenapping.

Mimosas!

Mimosas!, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

My brother and stepsister have managed to obtain alcohol despite early reports that this would be an alcohol-free gathering of Christian Scientists.

I want one. Hell, with this many relatives, I need one.

Time for family brunch

Time for family brunch, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

Goodbye, pink flamingoes

Goodbye pink flamingoes, originally uploaded by Jacqueline1776.

We're off to the Passey Family Reunion, then my brother and I are headed up to Bellingham to visit our mom.

The family reunion won't be nearly as fun as last night's party because most of my paternal extended family are boring religious people who don't drink.

LOL it's genetic!

My brother and I were just unnerved by the discovery that -- completely independent of one another -- we both buy and use the exact same skin care and hair care products.