The ties that bind

I am proud to present my sister PJ. I have talked about her often but have never had a picture I’d like to post of her. This is definitely a picture I enjoy sharing.

The picture is of her with her pride and joy, my nephew Johnny Boy. This is the sibling that tied me in to the other siblings and Paul’s mother, she’s petite like them but light skinned like me and the sperm donor. She is the ties that bind and so much more.
On January 14th of this year, it will be nineteen years since she passed away. Some days it feels like yesterday and other day it feels like forever. I miss her but have not forgotten her. I can remember the smell of the Jean Nate that she loved to splash on after a bath. I remember swimming in the lake with her, her doing the doggy paddle like nobodies business. I remember once when she was home sick from school and I had this car that drove around the house, my parents borrowed it from my cousin or something and she wanted a ride. My mother wouldn’t let her out of the room because it was highly contagious, measles or mumps or something, I can’t remember. So I let her drive the car around while my mother was on the phone. I never got what she had, at least I don’t remember getting it.
I remember getting punished and supper taken away and she’d sneak me in some of her supper. We’d get in big trouble if we didn’t finish our cereal in the morning and she’d eat the rest of mine so I wouldn’t get in trouble or she’d sneak the cereal outside and dump it over the stone wall while my parents were otherwise busy.
I remember when Paul’s mother had no place for us to live, she’d take me in. She took really good care of me, even gave me my own room for awhile. Then she couldn’t afford the rent so she had to move in to housing. I couldn’t go with her so I went to live elsewhere. But when R and I were first together we lived with PJ for awhile. She never asked for a thing from us. When we got our own place she helped us move in to it. I loved when she came and stayed over. It was a treat to spoil her.
I remember when she got her tonsils out, I finally got to help her out. I took care of her, Johnny boy and the house. I even went and bought her ice cream. I was so excited to be the one that finally got to take care of her because I’ll be damned if she didn’t take care of all of us.
I love you PJ and I miss you, you will live forever in our hearts!