Visiters

My mother and baby sister have been in town for the past week and a half.
I have had my apartment cleaned, my laundry sorted, my fridge filled and pantry organized, my bedroom cleaned and rearranged, and my back massaged. I have sat on both Mom's and Baby Sister's lap (and they on mine).
What is it about Ma being around that makes it alright to be 15 again?
Mostly, it's like a slumber party having her and Sis here; and of course, there is still the heightened sense of nosiness when my phone rings - Ma seems to find things to do in and around my bedroom.   


Inevitably, there have been more family gatherings than usual - the cousins, the cousin's children, the aunts (and great aunts) and uncles (Ma's brothers - she has three) - which, of course, means obnoxious amounts of food and the perfect balance of sound advice, stimulating conversation and bathroom humor. I can always count on the consistent flow of belly laughs associated with every grill-out in front of the pool at one of Uncle Paulie's home, who, out of sheer nonsensical curiosity (and because he's a good "player") attempted to pull his entire rod iron patio table in "little scoots" with nothing but the twine from the canoli box...just to see if he could move it. Maybe you had to have been there, but I was surely doubled over.


It has all been an escape of sorts from the normal anxieties and frustrations of the day-to-day rigmarole , which have seemed to be incredibly overwhelming, lately. 
I get to enjoy another week and a half of all the hullabaloo and will hopefully kick off the second half of summer with new-found energy and...p'raps even a new job.
[Fingers crossed]