Rest of the Story

 Insofar as my previous entry sounds like the whining of a petulant toddler, I will continue “writing it out” before deciding if there’s anything worth mailing to A… 

Our last family outing must’ve been in 2006 - the Trenberths convened in PHX, where A & T were visiting her family. This was the disastrous Easter visit - granted P & I were already dealing with some tensions - but P laid his hands on 8-yr old Z, yet failed to apologize after tempers had cooled; we separated for a few weeks but (obviously) reconciled. I will have to ask Z if he has any memories of it (yet another thing for Mom to apologize over)?!? In my mind this incident was like a chain reaction; as I recall A & T’s  separation & eventual divorce occurred the following year.

ANYWAY, I’ve already mentioned my cardinal sin (in Trenberth eyes), which was giving A funds to hire a good attorney when T was blowing his stack & threatening kidnapping charges when A returned to PHX. It seems so strange - here we have my parents’ 69-yr marriage, P’s folks 50-yr one, yet amongst the offspring we have my high-conflict 1st marriage & divorce, followed by tenuous 2nd union w/P. The only enduring relationship was middle brother Ken’s (RIP) 35-yr common-law marriage to Kate?!? (If I’m going to be mailing out letters, I need to mail one to Kate see how she’s holding up as we approach the 2nd anniversary of dear Ken‘s death)

So what I send may turn out to be a cheery “thinking of you” card, with regrets that once again I did not make it out to PHX to visit (A has happily remarried & has a 10-yr old 3rd daughter whom I’ve never met In Real Life; Auntie Val has had to content herself w/the occasional care package!)