Surprise Party

Jeff, my mother and I headed down to New Jersey on Saturday for a surprise 70th birthday party for my cousin Barbara.

We all met at a restaurant in Tom's River just before the bridge to Seaside Heights (official Jersey Shore locale.) My cousin Greg (Barbara's nephew) and his wife Steph brought Barb to the restaurant about a half hour after she said she hated surprise parties.

Barb's brother and two sisters who had traveled up to 20 hours, joined her at the head table. The people who spoke described how Barb was the one who kept the family together.

At first I was surprised that I knew only about half of the people there. At the after party at Barb's and at breakfast the next day, I was with family members. We exchanged stories and memories--how Cindy and I played UNCLE and Honey West, Thanksgiving dinners at our house in Audubon.

It was fun to compare notes; I enjoyed reminiscing. It was a pleasure to be among family members who genuinely care about each other.

What a novelty.