Happy Birthday to Valerie

September 9 is my sister Valeries 71st birthday. She is second from the left. (like I had to tell you that). I come from a family of 8. I am number 5 and also the 5th girl. There are 7 girls 1 boy. Don't say oh that poor boy. Trust me he had it easy. He may have been a little dismayed by us dressing him up as a girl but I'm sure that had little influence on the paths he chose in life.
Anyway , growing up in a big family was ...... I'm looking for the best descriptive word..... interesting. There was always someone to play with. There was never a quiet moment , and there was always just enough... most of the time. We definitely learned to share and to fend for ourselves. Its funny how families go. You are all raised in the same house with the same parents , yet you all turn out so differently.
Valerie , oh yes this is about her. Obviously she was not at home when I was born so we did not do the growing up together thing. She was always this older ,glamorous, travel around , live in California mystery. I remember she taught dance lessons at Arthur Murray dance studio in Medford Oregon. I would see her get dressed for work and she looked like a movie star to me. I was 6 years old so you know I was stricken by the long nails, makeup and beautiful dresses. She was a stunning woman. When I was 13 she came to visit us in Boise and she was driving a red Oldsmobile convertible , complete with Jackie O sunglasses , scarf , the whole nine yards. I was so proud to have her drop me off at school.
Well I'm not 13 anymore and she does not wear beautiful dresses anymore but she can still awe me with her stories of younger days. She looks and acts so much like my dad its amazing.
The other people in the photo are , left to right, Joanne , Valerie , myself , Linda. We all live in town and try to see each other as much as we can. $ of us are missing from the photo. Judy the second oldest who lives in Melba is absent because she is livin it up. Her husband retired last year from farming and they are blazin a trail across the U.S. and parts unknown on there Harley's and in their 5th wheel and boat. Dianna is next after me and the last known address was somewhere in Alaska. She is reclusive and is happy with her cats. Ed my one and only brother whom I have not heard from or seen in 3 years I believe lives somewhere in Oregon. The boy marches to the beat of a different drummer. When he does appear its worth the visit for sure. Angela my youngest sister lives in Nampa. The baby child syndrome is her mantra.
But for all their craziness and weirdness and oddities, I love them all dearly. We have a common thread that runs amongst us all. They are the only people in the world who truly know me , know where I came from and how I got here.So HAPPY HAPPY Birthday to you Old sister. Hope we celebrate many more together. Love recalling the old family stories that only we can appreciate.