Aunt Alberta (Monday Morning, January 01/11/10)

Hello, World! Isnt it a great day to be alive?! Honestly, I'm in a good mood but I shouldn't be. I got surgery this week in the same hospital where my Aunt Alberta Thompson is a patient in a hospice. Alberta is the oldest member of my father's side of my familia; my father, Anthony Hardy, passed 2 years and 3 days ago exactly from today. Without either one of them, I probably will never find my other relatives. OK so I'm being negative & I'm lying a little. As long as I breathe, I have a will & WHERE THERE'S A WILL... yall know the rest anyway. I will admit I am in touch with my other relatives on my dad's side, I'm just not as 'accustomed' to them, feel me? I mean, we're related, but I barely know them. I generally grew up around my mother's people, only visited my dad's fam on a once or three times a year basis, depending on the year we're talking about. I'm pretty sure in some of their eyes, I am still a stranger. For the most part, I agree. But with Auntie Alberta, I've had a chance to spend numerous times with her; I stayed right around the corner from her off & on, mostly on, since 1997. Her son Larry (my cousin) is another person besides my dad & his mom that I really know, that I feel acquanted with, since I been around him just as long as Alberta. I also feel close to my other Thompson cousins, Steve (the minister), Lowell (the author), & Kerry (the painter). They aren't strangers to me either & have embraced me with open arms. The rest I've met during various gatherings. The last gathering I believe was Pop's funeral. I dont think I've seen anybody since & unfortunately, that may be changing soon. I'll be happy if it doesn't, you feel me, but one has to look at everything with a sense of truth; another funeral may be right arouond the corner....