The Blue Boxes

 "Billy, Lois... I have Mum's picture albums.  Do you have any interest in looking through them?" I asked on Friday evening.  Billy and Lois, my brother and sister in law had just arrived from Pennsylvania.  This is the first time that we have been together in over a year.  We had just finished one of our mom's old recipes, Slomgolean, and were feeling a bit nostalgic. 

"Sure!" Lois answered rather quickly.  Billy just sorta rolled his eyes and muttered a "whatever".  Boys are so weird, especially about pictures and strolling down memory lane.  We went about our night, chatting about all of the things that they have been doing since the "shutdown".  We marveled at how different each state was.  Lois commented that the further south they came the less they saw masks.  "Yeah, that seems to be the norm around here," I replied with a smirk and a shrug.  

Saturday morning arrived with nasty cold, windy, wet weather, so our planned walk was off.  We ate breakfast with an old familiarity that can only be found with family.  I just kept going back to the blue boxes in my storage closet in my mind.  I knew once we got them out we would all enjoy it.  So... I enlisted my husband to help me carry these two heather blue dusty boxes to the kitchen table.  "Here they are! Do you want to look through them before I have to start cooking?"  "Sure, Chris.  I am coming," Billy muttered.  Lois looked around for her reading glasses and eagerly approached the table.

We spent the next few minutes going through an album.  "Ooh, look at Mum!"  "Who is this guy?" "Any idea who this is?"  "Why is Mum wearing a uniform?" And on and on we went as we explored the album.  It was especially fun when we got to the bikini pics from my 8-month-old photos.  Every sister alive can imagine the ribbing I got from that one! "I need to cook.  Can we look through some more after dinner?" I asked.  "I guess" came the reply.

Dinner was finished, we were all stuffed from our steak, potato, and mushroom dinner.  We cleared the table and I made my way to the boxes.  I could feel my brother's glare from across the room... as if he was trying to will me away from the boxes.  Boys! Being the fantastic little sister that I am, I totally ignored him.  I have been ignoring his looks forever... why start paying attention now?

I slowly opened the lid on a new box.  This one had what seemed like a million newspaper clippings.  "Why are all these here?" I wondered.  "OOH Look... It's your wedding announcement!" and with my best theatrical voice I began to read.... "The bride wore Chantilly lace......"