Lordfans, Saturday thru Tues, I will be attending the 11 thousandth annual Bray family reunion at Yaupon Beach, Oak Island, NC, which looks like this.

Not too shabby! We’ve been going every year since I was round 8. My Mom’s side of the family is huge – we rent three beach front houses. It gets weirder and weirder every year because all the cousins are getting old and popping out kids. More and more (less secret) drinking occurs, and I seem to spend more and more time keeping my mouth shut.

But the weather is always killer, the bread is always white, the water is always warm and it always goes by way too fast.

I have to take a moment to think about fat fried sea food.

Oh my God.

Okay, Now I must take a moment to visually reflect on beach trips of the days of yore: or at least, the past few years. PS: when I am at the beach: I look AWESOME. Ladies, send your boyfriends into the other room and pump up your self-esteem. Do some quiet affirmations in the mirror before you look at these pictures. You’re pretty, too.

This is what a meal looks like, generally. Babies; people with Blonde Hair.

This is what happens when my Mom and I Both wear Green, I wear a Pink Bra, and we all match the Salad she is consuming.

Sorry it’s sideways. You get the idea. This is my Grandpa with his youngest Grandkid, Petra. Yes, like the Christian Rock Band, Petra. You have all their Tapes. Petra is the youngest of 13 kids – my Uncle Mike and Aunt Janie have finally stopped. I heart this picture. Petra is sad, as babies tend to be.

Yay. Pretty.

Yeah, so, maybe my cousin’s wife is hot. Maybe she looks like this even though she just had a baby. Maybe that’s the baby, right there. Maybe that baby’s name is Lilly. Yeah it is.

Niiiiice.

I’m the poet with the booze in the corner.

And finally, a busted picture of me with a baby. Lilly again. Last year, she was my roommate. And what a roommate she was.

I love babies.