Color Me Happy

I love my siblings.  I really do.   I know that sounds hokey but I don’t care.  I can’t get enough of being around them.  Recently we all went on vacation together and it was one of the best weeks of my life.

It’s not just the love we share and the bond of blood ties.  It’s the laughter.  You see, we think we are all incredibly witty and highly entertaining.  Fortunately for us it’s true.  And every time together almost immediately the one-liner of the weekend or the trip develops.  On our vacation the witty remark that we all used through the week was from a movie, and we each found ways to work it into the conversation at just the right time.  Every time someone said “Here’s an idea…” we broke out into hysterical laughter.   Our timing with humor is pretty much amazing.

Shawn is the one with a heart as big and generous as Texas, so thoughtful and considerate he could have been a girl.  But he’s definitely not.  A firefighter, with his Z71 truck and Harley he’s as manly as they come.  And  funny.  Incredibly  funny.  Definitely  funny.  Here’s an idea…

Marie is the styling one of the bunch, earrings and shoes to match every outfit.  She’s always been cute as a button, with eyelashes from here to Dallas and perfectly placed dimples.  Her smile lights up the room, and her Marie-isms – both verbal and gestures – are legendary.  And if she needs you to trade seats with her on an airplane, she Will ask.  Here’s an idea … please move to Seat D!

Tracy is the glamorous, talented, cosmopolitan one.  With her lovely sleek hairstyle, trendy wardrobe and gift for dance at first glance you think she doesn’t belong with us.  But she does, she definitely does.  She is the quietest one of us but when she says something it’s classic.  And when she gets ill, it’s a doozy.

I’m the bossy old broad, although I’ve quit trying to tell my siblings what to do, they just don’t mind me like they did when we were little.  I’m the least coordinated of the group, but don’t tell me I can’t ride a Segway because I can and I did.  All over St. John’s Antigua, with my siblings, who I really enjoy.

At the Coconuts in St. Croix, hanging out in the beautiful water with $2 Dos Equis, Nancy and Tommy treating us like royalty because they know Shawn and he sent them a new Texas flag.  Which is flying outside their establishment right now.  With Rufus in St. Maartens, cruising about town and watching planes fly in for a landing, right over your head.  Learning to Segway in St. John’s, over rough terrain around an ancient fort and on the beach right up to the water.  Dodging Jellyfish and stray children in the water there.  Visiting Tracy in the ship’s hospital before doing a little souvenir shopping in beautiful St. Lucia.  Submarine diving in Barbados.  Pool time on our day at sea.  Music trivia (we are pretty bad).  Music trivia with Amy and Leonard (we almost won).  Sports trivia (we suck).  Karaoke (I chickened out).  Fine dining (best lobster ever).  Towel folding demonstrations.  Casino for half an hour (I won $32).  Breakfast – with grits - overlooking the ports of call.  Drink of the day.  Getting gussied up for a formal picture.  We clean up well.

Color me Happy from that Trip.  Thank you siblings for being you, and for wanting to be with me.  Here’s an idea … Let’s do it again next year!