I’m not sure how I started writing him. Dear Great Uncle Peter, that is. My dad, a faithful letter-writer for years, sometimes mentioned him and I was always curious about the enigmatic Great Uncle Peter. Never married. Lives in Manitoba’s frozen tundra. Traveled every country in Europe, North Africa, Egypt and Israel (to name a few).
We became pen pals shortly after Jamie and I got married but once my kiddos arrived, I admit I was horrible with keeping in touch. That pretty much sums up my correspondence with anyone who is not online: NIL.
But over the years, I’ve often thought about Great Uncle Peter and missed his letters. Have you heard of the infamous Twitter feed and now-TV show S#*! My Dad Says on CBS? Welp, that about sums up delightfully crotchety 90-year-old Great Uncle Peter and so I dropped him a Christmas card/letter about my family’s happenings and tropical travels.
I just received a response back and he does not disappoint:
Nice to hear that you are still active and enjoying life. I don’t really understand what you can really say about holiday beaches. To me they are all the same–sand, water, mosquitoes and skimpy bathing suits. In some cases even murder is included.
With an intro like that, Great Uncle Peter and I are back “on” as pen pals.
=======
After writing this post, my mind wandered back to my dad’s brother Lawrence’s memorable Christmas letter five years ago wherein he talked about errr…”crap,” rape and pillage…..
Thus sums up my father’s colorful side of the family.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 