The trip so far.

The trip, so far, has been better and worse than expected. (The bad parts have been worse than expected, but less frequent than expected.) The true typical interactions of the family have surfaced, but I'm not the only observer. This isn't to say it's all bad, but everyone's character is out in full force. Peter, my aunt's fiance, (and a successful architect!) is also seeing these things, him for the first time, and he's fascinated by how my aunt and her sister (my mother) can be so different, and by how my sister and I are so very different. I've had some good real conversations with him, and with my aunt. It was good and affirming and sad all at the same time - the family situation won't change, but she and I both see it the same way, and are having similar experiences. I wish that we saw each other more often; maybe we will.