The youngest ones skip the mulling around, wondering who you are and are not related to, and by which side, how many "greats" to add before the apropriate title of aunt, uncle, or otherwise.
None of this matters to the 6-and-unders...by some gravitational pull a small herd forms upon the opening of van doors. And off they go - for the rest of the afternoon they will be a passing blur of screams, laughter, and questions.
But for the adults, the mulling about and apropriate hugs with the apropriate people become a bit more casual as soon as the appetizers and homeade alcohol appear. It would't be a family get together in E Town without Rips most recent concoction - this year its mojito mango and based on the steadily lowering mark on the mason jar, it's a keeper.
As the room fills, the personalities filter through the house. The two 20-something year olds sit in the corner by the piano sipping lemonade reminiscing about travels abroad. Their mixed conversation about spanish accents and ski conditions in the french alps is backdropped by great great aunt Norma's talk of a great neice's success in the latest miss Kentucky pageant. Next year she says, next year she will win. Just a little more work on the talent portion, and she'll be golden. Another cousin sits in the living room, stationary due to a recently - and mysteriously broken foot. The stories range from an enraged public fight, to a simple slip down the stairs but nothing is certain. A little family humor is mandatory when a casted foot is present.
As the evening slips on, burgers, brats, and charred hot dogs lose some heat waiting on the solitary vegitarians veggie burgers. A great aunt with an eye for photography - her work in photo archives and restoration as well as her travels to Tibet and beyond - provides more than the typcal small talk, but it's her jade jewelry that draws the cousins eye.
The has-been-in-progess-for-the-past-year koi pond is as big of a conversation starter and point of envy as is the neighbors new pool (heated by the graceful waterfall flowing from the raised hot tub - how intelligent!)
Conversations regarding UKs football season and the decline of USA's golf future without Tiger blend with the Zac Brown Band playing in the background. Rennie's famous pea salad dwindles. The squash casserole is almost gone too, now completely stripped of its bread crumb topping - the best part. Gani's benadictine is present to - but with the disclaimer that this particular one could never live up to the real thing when she used to make it. And of course the competing baked beans, from the light and spicy to Kim's bacon and brown sugar version.
As the afternoon draws to an end, to go plates are filled with brownies and left over potatoe salad. The loud chorus of crickets and frogs and the blinking of lightning bugs might be alarming if the family was coming from a quieter setting, but go unnoticed for now. Young cousins cry as they drive away from their "new friends" and goodbye hugs between family members that won't meet for another 6 months - till Christmas - are cut a little short by the heat and humidity of the summer night air. The collective group breaks into individual families packed tight in their vans and get ready for the journey home.
And as the country roads melt into the highway and a faded afternoon glow, a certain 20 year old sits in between 3 arguing 6 year olds, humming Chicken Fried, and can't help but think - It sure is good to be home.
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