Remembering Who You Are, Part 7

Although Leslie, and later Kate, could be considered family, this entry actually IS family.
Gina Intraversato Your expression when we told you there was no Santa,LOL July 15 at 9:31pm

Gina is my cousin on my mother's side, my late aunt's only daughter. Our relationship has always been kind of strange; when we were kids, she used to love to shock us, as she is the oldest cousin, and we didn't see them often. Actually, even as an adult, she loves to shock us. It's entirely possible this story is true. I don't remember if it was Gina that told me there was no Santa Claus, but it wouldn't surprise me. Gina has a flair for the dramatic; our mothers are both Irish-Italian, but her father is entirely Italian. The positive side of that formula is that she can cook like no one's business. So could her mother. Some of the best Thanksgiving dinners my family has ever had involved Auntie Anne's cooking. Gina is also a nurse, and an extremely talented one. She's a fierce advocate for her patients, and will stand up to doctors for what she thinks is necessary and right. If something serious ever happens to me medically, Gina is coming with me to every appointment.

I love my cousins, and I always enjoy spending time with them. It's harder now, though; Gina's brother David has moved to Maine with his family, and Gina lives in Humarock. We saw a great deal of them after their mother died, which was horrible and traumatic for all of us, particularly my mother, and I know she wishes that Gina and David were closer. And we have some interesting memories together, some good, some bad, some slightly twisted and dangerous. One summer bbq with our mothers' family and a roman candle fight comes to mind. But despite the slight danger involved, I want to thank Gina for being one of my memories, and for being the ferocious woman she is.

And yes, I have a recent picture of Gina. I just happen to love this one of the two of us, taken at my maternal grandparents' house. I might be three in that picture, which would make her six.

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