Brothers and sister

Tom made a comment on the Happy Birthday post not remembering the punch in the face. I was going to reply in comments but decided to turn this into a post and explain it a bit better. And I would like to point out that Tom did not remember hanging me from a hook on the back patio until sister Katie backed me up a few years back, so.... ya' know.

Anyway, it was back in Spokane at the house on Waverly Place in the upstairs bathroom. I was in grade school and Tom was either in the 7th or 8th grade (he's three years older than me for those who don't know). We were having a fight over some thing or another. He insulted me and I lost it - as I often do in an argument - and yelled some idiot nonsense about backing it up (which by the by I never do, but a brother can get under the skin). I put up my fists and Tom took one swing and hit me smack in my left eye. I took a step back; we looked at each other for a minute; he walked away. Later that day he mocked me for losing the fight and I tried to salvage my pride by saying he was the one who walked away. Ha!

Two points in telling this story. One is that I do not remember what the fight was about but there is every chance I deserved the hit. Two is that it doesn't matter. The fact is I have great siblings. We had plenty of fights when we were kids and we did plenty of rotten stuff to one another, but that was when we were kids. As adults, my brothers and sister have never been anything but great to me. Supportive in the rough times, sharing in the good times and always there to keep me grounded. They're good friends and when I bring up stories like this it is to laugh at how different it was.

So Mike, Tom and Katie, here's to you. Thanks. And it gives me a great excuse to post this picture of the whole clan (minus Madeline and David) from a couple of weeks ago.