4:39 p.m. - 2006-10-23

All things relative

One of the things that came out of my mom’s passing is that I was asked to go through her address book and call people that should be told. For me this was the least I could do for the family (being geographically so far away), and in fact turned out to be a very cool walk down memory lane.

Many of these folks (mostly relatives) I hadn’t spoken to in upwards of 20-25 years. One ‘cousin’ in particular I had quite a lengthy conversation about how exactly we were related. As a kid I just accepted that this cousin and her family were my cousins. They had the same last name as my mom’s maiden name, but I had never asked (until now) the who’s who of this cousindom.

As it turns out, this cousin’s grandfather was the youngest half brother to my great grandfather. Confused? Which I believe means that I am her third cousin, and she is my second cousin. ?????

. . . . . I think . . . . .???

So … what does it mean to be “cousins once removed”? Does that apply here?

And truthfully – we’re only half cousins because the two brothers had the same father, but different mothers.

I never realized my family was so confusing, and extended.

If any of you understand how these things work I’d sure appreciate your input.

On an upside – I’ve reconnected with some very cool people, and as weird as this sounds …. I have to thank my mom for dieing to have allowed this to happen. And I don’t mean that in a morbid of sarcastic manner. I really truly would not have had any reason to call any of the people I did, if it hadn’t been for her passing. Thanks Mom. (kinda sorta, only different).