cousins

When I was growing up, I was in an awkward ranking cousin-wise. One set of cousins was much older and cooler than me. Although they were nice to me and didn't give me nougies or red-arm-rubs that often, I usually felt like a shrimpy know-nothing in comparison to them. Even Mary Anne, who was fairly close in age to me, knew about stuff like ACDC and pulling up zippers on tight jeans with the help of a coat hanger when I was still nose-deep in Nancy Drews. At family parties I'd gawp at my older cousins, envious of their makeup-use and social skills. I remember visiting Wendy's high school and being amazed at just how cool she and her friends were. I guess that if I'd had older brothers or sisters, I might've gotten a taste of this outside-looking-in-hungrily perspective on a more frequent basis. But as it was, first as an only child and then as a bossy elder sister, I only got this dose with my cousins.

Then, there was a big set of cousins several years younger than me. They had their own self-sufficient cousin circle and didn't really need me in it. Plus, I was their babysitter.

Now that all of us cousins are adults, I feel much closer to everyone. But I do think I kind of lost out a bit on having close cousins as a kid. I am therefore very pleased that Ji was born smack-dab in the middle of a whole passel of cousins close to him in age. Despite the major geographic distance separting them, the Sayo gang will always be international compatriots. Shout outs to Quinlan and Freeman in the 'Sault, to Bo Bo and Bo Be, Suki, Yaki and Fuji, and to Ji's five other cousins in Laos. In celebration of your cousin-hood, some photos from our trip to Pakse. But first, a look back at Phet, his brother Sing, and his half-brother Douy in Pakse back in '76:

I love that picture. Dig Sing's ears. Dig how Phet is clearly the smart, quiet one. And dig how chubby Douy used to be. Douy means 'fat' in Lao...but we saw Douy last week (he lost FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND BAHT on the rooster fight - that's, like over a thousand bucks US) and he's now about 20 kilos skinner than Phet or Sing. Now, here's a photo Phet took after he bought ice cream for the gang. Just so you know who's who, here's an abbreviated Sayo family tree:

Phet's Mum & Dad -> 7 kids (Sing [2 kids], Phet [1], Hong, Long [3], Ing, Ming, Ling); Phet's Dad & his 2nd wife -> 3 kids (Douy [4], Ping [3], Meuy [2]).

In this picture, you can see Ketey (Ping's son), Yaki (Long's son), Ji, and Suki (also Long's son):

And here are the boys enjoying noodle soup:

Lastly, a fine shared repast of pork leg 'n egg on rice:

Just think, a few more years pass, and when we go to Pakse these guys'll be able to head out to rooster fights, cheat at cards, and commisserate about their gambling losses together.

Lastly, for your viewing pleasure, here are Phet's photos from Pakse before I arrived on the scene. [Laos-28-July-2005]