which is almost as odd as saying,
Lauren is a mama,
because it was just a little while
back that Donna birthed Lauren,
who arrived earlier than
predicted, and tinier—
smaller than cousin Marryn
and Robyn’s Cabbage Patch dolls—
and now Lauren’s a mama
(though wasn’t it just a few
minutes ago that she and little
brother Kevin splashed around
in a blow-up pool in the back
yard?), and that old adage about
time whooshing by as we age
turns out to be true because not
only has my baby sister retired
after a long career, but today it’s
her birthday, this happy grandma
to Henry, a whole four months old,
though to me Donna Gail is still
that cute young mama with a
brand new baby girl, the one
born on my 29th birthday, who
grew up to marry Gerald and
made this baby boy grinning at all
of us googly-eyed relatives in
a wee scrap of a sweet moment
here and gone in an eyeblink,
a heartbeat, a sigh.
Güd wrtr 
Jan— Thinking of you, seeing you still
And moving
Gleaning so many luscious vine ripened grapes
Left behind by the rush
to take the easy ones
to make barrels of money
Slaking the wine obsessed.
None of my old phone numbers ring in your ear
How can I connect from the Vine Hill School?
Bearing messages just for you
Wishing to reach only you
To find a way
to hold tight the singular string
stretching taut the timeless line
Vibrating between my voice and your ear
My heart and yours
Too cute! Yes, time flies when you are having a good time! Let the good times roll! Enjoy the birthday party of your “retired” sister and THEEE BABY, Henry! He is lucky to have a doting great aunt Jan! Love, ~Connie
Thank you, Ms. Connie—you who has something like eight great-grandchildren now? Our family is nowhere near that… Lucky YOU!