Off To Edmonton

I'm taking it a bit easy this morning, taking my time to enjoy the breakfast Katherine made for me, a second cup of coffee, writing this entry. Once I am done here at the keyboard, I am off and running for a few days of road and air travel. I'll be busy until I get on the plane at 8:30 AM on Monday morning, where I can rest for about five hours as we wing our way south to Cuba. In the meantime, it's off to Edmonton this morning, there for the night, then back on Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening is shower, laundry and final packing for Cuba.

The trip to Edmonton is perfectly timed. It's a chance to see my brother Jim in an abridged version of Beauty and The Beast; he is playing The Beast. The show is a charity affair, put on by The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose, the GLBT group my brother belongs to in Edmonton. He is the "G" part. The whole group began as a gay support group many years ago and has since become a significant fund raiser for a variety of straight and gay groups in Edmonton.

I've seen my brother Jim act, dance and sing in "straight" productions before; this is the first time I will see him in his GLBT group. I'm not sure that there will be a great deal of difference. His group, and he in particular, puts a lot of time into these productions with many rehearsals, set creations, staging and all the rest. It's no high camp spoof; they are going to sing and dance their hearts out for us. I'm expecting a good time.

For many years I had issues with my brother's sexuality. Eventually I realized it's none of my business. As the song says "Who we love, and why we love, is hard to understand." I am certain that the details of my sex life are just as icky to Jim as the details of his sex life are to me. Some things are just meant to be left alone.

While this disease has made me angry, difficult, and even more of a drama queen than ever before, I am fortunate to have family near me who care. I hear from many PALS online who are not so fortunate as me. I am grateful that my family is here. I am grateful that they put up with my wild emotional swings, my anguish, my tears, my needs, my frustrations, even my demands on occasion. I am grateful that they come to see me. I am grateful that I can share my life with them. I am grateful I can still go to see Jim sing and dance on stage up in Edmonton. It will be a fun trip.