Epiphany and the cousins

Last Saturday the Nuzzo Cousins (that is, all the family on my mother's side) got together to celebrate the end of the Christmas festivities with an Epiphany Party. It was my cousin Paula Nuzzo Radosevich who started this yearly Cousins' gathering in 2002 as sort of a substitute for the Christmas Eve gatherings that were celebrated either at our grandparents' home or at our (Boenzi) house. But, after the death of our grandfather, Salvatore Nuzzo, in 1990, which coincided with the beginning of my father's decline in health, the Christmas Eve celebrations were taken over in local units.

Okay, well to cut to the quick, the cousins and the children of the cousins, and of course the aunties too, all got together at Paula and Ken's home in Temecula. Between yesterday and today my cousins have been sending me photos by e-mail because, as it turns out, I was one of the few not to be able to be present.

So here is a photo of my two nieces, Teresa and Angela Boenzi. And from the e-mail messages coming in from all the enthused cousins, plans are already being made for Epiphany 2007. It must have been quite a happy party! It all points to the irreplaceable value of family and , thank God, our family is extended and crazy and close -- very close. Viva la famiglia!