the end is here

the end of my summer travels, that is.

i've just returned from my last big travels of the summer. and this is about how i feel...a little haggard.

on thursday night of last week i drove to asheville, nc to meet my cousin's to leave my car at her place. from there we drove to boone, nc to her parent's house. we spent the night in boone in my uncle and aunt's really cool, old (and slightly ill-repaired) house and then on friday morning, after a slight detour, seven persons and two dogs set off to grandmom and grandad's house in western pennsylvania. those traveling were my mom's brother, my asheville cousin, izzy and aila the dogs, the boys and their respective girlfriends.

we made it to pennsylvania in relatively good time and proceeded to spend friday thru tuesday at grandmom's house. if we thought the car ride was cramped, that was nothing compared to gradmom's. all seven of us (and the two dogs) were joined by my mother, grandmom and grandad and their various animals, and my brother, his wife, and their 2 kids. luckily my brother and his family stayed in a hotel. good choice on their parts.

the occassion was the 60th furgiuele family reunion which was held on sunday. my grandfather is the seventh son of italian immigrants and i think there were another three or four after him. my grandad (who turned 89 in november), his younger sister and older brother are the only ones still alive.



despite the deaths and relocation of numerous relatives, family members and offspring of the original siblings came from all over the country for this year's reunion. we had a great turn-out.



more photos can be viewed at my flickr page.

other highlights of the weekend included me winning bingo for the first year ever and me sort of winning texas hold 'em . i guess unemployment brought me good karma or something.