I'm the youngest of four kids.
I have three older sisters, the youngest of whom is six years older. They're all a year and a half apart- which means that I didn't have three sisters, I had four mothers. The Three Furies, I call them.



Yeah, it was kinda like that.

In particular the youngest of them used to enjoy teasing me, just to see me get angry. The angrier I got, the funnier she thought it was. I can recall one glorious day when I got sick of hearing her, and decided to shut her up. I was about five at the time and had been watching "Superman", and did a running dive from across the room as she lay on the couch. I assumed the full Superman pose, flying through the air, fists outstretched, imaginary cape flapping... and caught her in both eyes. Even fifty pounds was enough to strike a blow for freedom, and she went to school with two black eyes.

Fast forward forty years. You'd think that when we're in middle age things would change, right? We're all adults now. I'm a far cry from the young boy who used to spend his afternoons in the woods to avoid the Three Furies when their menstrual cycles were synchronized.

This summer I went to my parents' place for a long weekend, and as it happened the entire family converged for that time. All of the siblings were present, and all of their kids as well- a massive throng of people. And during that time I noted that the family dynamic is still the same as I remember from deepest childhood- the oldest sister is rather aloof from the mayhem, the middle sister is trying to nanny everyone, and the youngest is still snarky and snippish toward me. I won't bother to detail it, but after that I've had enough- if the youngest one should die tomorrow, no tears would be shed.

The temptation to repeat history was great, especially now that I weigh about four times more than I did...
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 13 Nov 2009, 21:06, 6 replies)

It's funny..
Well, odd really, how the dynamic you have when you're kids kinda renews itself at gatherings when you're older?
(Beer Elf Thought this was like a campfire, anyhow, on, Fri 13 Nov 2009, 21:23, closed)

Strange, but true.
It's well established that family dynamics don't change with age. As the youngest, my siblings have often thought it appropriate to correct me and override me when dealing with my kids, as though I have no idea what I'm doing as a parent.

I finally informed them that being older than I am does not automatically confer superior wisdom, it just means they're wrinklier.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 13 Nov 2009, 21:27, closed)

My Mum..
Is the post-war baby, to her older two pre-war sisters, and she's STILL the baby that doesn't really know what she's doing. Never mind her amazing achievements since then, never mind my brothers and I, and our dynamics... Fascinating stuff, and I'm sure the source of much seasonal stress on other people's families as well..
(Beer Elf Thought this was like a campfire, anyhow, on, Fri 13 Nov 2009, 22:04, closed)

That pic
one of your sisters has a nice rack.

Or was it not a family portrait?
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Sat 14 Nov 2009, 3:57, closed)

Crikey!
Doesn't take much to cover up your John Thomas does it?
(Stonkwood Pipes made me do it, Sat 14 Nov 2009, 12:21, closed)

That's "Orestes Pursued by the Furies"
by Adolphe William Bouguereau, 1862.

Unfortunately my sisters aren't that pretty, or nicely built. And that inadequate scrap of cloth would barely cover one of my bollocks.

But his expression says it all.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Sun 15 Nov 2009, 2:03, closed)