Happy Birthday Kathy - Cousin

Kathy and her sister Tammy

Looks like I am on a birthday roll again~~

Today my cousin Kathy turns 51. Kathy

lives in Georgia and we only see each

other once every other year or so these

days. You know how it is when you

have so much going on with your life.

Although there was a time when we

were younger that we saw each other

at least twice a year.

Kathy and I have always been close.

It was just a given that when we went

to visit Grandma, I stayed several

nights with Kathy. I have even seen

pics of Kathy and I playing as children

of maybe 2 or so.

When we visited Granny, there was

not always a lot to do, we sort of made

up things to do, just like kids have

always done before a lot of tv and

video games. My granny lived on a

busy 2 lane highway and one of the

games Kathy and I came up with

was to sit on the porch and count

cars. Granny had one of those

covered porches with a metal

glider on it and metal chairs.

I spent a lot of time out there.

But Kathy and I would sit in the

glider and if she was to the right,

she would count the cars coming

from the right side. I would to the

other side. When we were tired and

over that game, whoever had the

most cars would be the winner.

Simple, but it kept us out of trouble

and spending some good times together.

Kathy is a couple of years older

then I am (yes Kathy, I am rubbing

that one in)!!

As a preteen and teen, when staying

the night with Kathy, I would be so

excited to see her and we would lay

in bed just talking when we were

suppose to be going to sleep. I guess

I was more excited to share then she

was (laugh) because I would be talking

away (and yes, I have always been a

talker) and I would look over and she

would be asleep. I would shake her and

say “are you listening to me”! We, or

should I say I would lay there talking

for hours! Those were the days.

As we grew and got older we just seemed

to remain close. Kathy married at a

young age but when my family and

I would come to visit, I would go stay

with her and her husband. We have

seen each other through her marriage

and mine, and the ending of those. But

before that my ex and I would go to

visit in Georgia and we would go stay

with Kathy and her family. It’s just a

given. I have aunts, uncles and cousin’s

that live in that area but everyone

knows that I will be staying at Kathy’s

house. Course I make the rounds to

visit the others or Kathy will arrange

for a get together and have everyone

come to see us.

She scared me a few years back when

she had a heart attack and had to have

open heart surgery. I could not bear

to think of her not in my life. We have

shared the loss of our grandparents,

aunts and uncles and she was even

here for me when I lost my father

when I was 7 months pregnant with

my son. She was so worried about me

at that time. She can be a brat (she

will know what I mean with using

this word) but I love and I would

miss her so much.

Happy Birthday Kathy. Have a great

day and remember I love you.

Pam