Happy Birthday, Ms. Purrfect

So, I know really nice people wish their deceased loved ones a happy heavenly birthday when the day comes around but seriously, I'm not that nice. Also, my sister would hate that so I've got to wish her a happy birthday in our usual sisterly trash talk genre. If you find this wrong or disrespectful, you probably shouldn't be here because, at this point in the game, I don't plan on changing my ways. And, I'm not even sorry, so you're welcome.

I called our big sister this morning to see if she knew what today was. Of course, she did. Which, by the way, I found very interesting since she didn't remember my birthday two weeks ago. I very respectfully and politely, (ok, not really) let her know I found it very disturbing that even dead, Kelly gets all the attention. That doesn't seem quite fair to Debi and I but I guarantee Kelly is loving every minute of it. Come on, be real. Just because you get to heaven you don't automatically become an angel. Anyway, we had a good conversation as we always do with lots of laughing and then Char said goodbye, thanking me for bringing her down by reminding her of all the good times with Kel. I told her, no worries, it was my pleasure. I also plan on doing it on each holiday until she remembers my damn birthday, so there's that to look forward to.

Today would have been Kelly's 60th birthday. She would have hated it because she was a weirdo who didn't want to get old or look old. I bet she wouldn't mind being old now. Actually, she probably would because I'm pretty sure she's happy right where she is, with our dad. Oh, she loved our mom too but she and Mr. CFC were cut from the same cloth. It was sort of ridiculous and I took every opportunity to make fun of them for it. They didn't seem to care though because they were always too busy making sure they looked perfect for that next big business deal. The only business deal I dealt with was usually in a diaper. 

As much as Kel would have hated turning 60, she would have loved all the attention we would have showered on her. How do I know we would have made a big deal out of today? It was the expectation. Come on! She was the baby of the family and must be adored. Those are the rules. Wait a minute, My dad was the baby in his family as well. This is all starting to make mad sense.

I was looking through pictures and seriously, those two were joined at the hip and wallet. Big spenders, overachievers, ridiculously generous and all about a good time. Especially if they got to run the show which was never a question. If there was a show to run, Barnum and Bailey Casas were running it. You better believe it was always spectacular and a blast to be a part of as long as you remembered your lines and didn't mess things up by showing up in overalls with a van full of kids and dogs. Occasionally, a baby pig. But that's a story for another day.

Anyway, I wanted to post some sweet pictures of Kelly honoring her on her 60th but honestly, that would be so unlike me, so instead, enjoy the slide show, kids.

Kelly Jeanne and Carlos Francisco. They started out a dynamic duo and just carried it through the years.

This is Batman and Robin dancing at my wedding. You won't find one photo of me dancing with my dad at my wedding. Not one. Ok, I was too self-conscious to dance in front of all those people. Thank goodness Kelly had this guy wrapped around her little finger and kept him busy the entire night.

Yeah, see the big bow on top of the brand-stinking new car? That's what Kelly got for Christmas that year. It was 1977 and she was 16 years old. You know what I got? Pregnant. Thanks, Bob!

Bernice might not have appreciated a new car every two years, but I can tell you who did. The blond baby who got to drive it just by batting her eyelashes at Mr. CFC. My mother always called Kel Ms. Purrfect because actually, she sort of was in a lot of ways. 

This picture hung on the wall in my dad's home office. There were pictures of all my kids and nieces and nephews. A few dogs, past and present. But front and center, just like in real life, it was Kelly Jeanne.

This is Kel on her wedding day. The house was decorated and full of activity but were these two happy? Not completely. They were weepy and inseparable. What would they ever do without one another 24/7? Before getting dressed to head to the church, they had to take pictures out front together. What you don't see is me off to the side doing a standup routine of fake crying and fainting that got me sent into the house. This pretty much was my lot in life. Harass and annoy, get sent to my room even though I didn't have a room in this house. I was married with two boys by this time. Hey, somebody had to hold the middle child line.

This is one of the many parties Kelly had at my parents house for her friends. I mean, doesn't everyone's parents move all their furniture out of the house and set up a casino for their baby girl? No? Just mine?

My dad loved all of us girls and our mother. He just liked this one the best and we all knew it and surprisingly, we were all ok with it. We sort of liked her too. I've often wondered if she was the favorite of so many because God knew her time was short. I don't know. I just know she was. 

If there was a dinner or a meeting or a conference, Kelly was going to be there with my dad. She was going to make sure everything went off without a hitch. She was also going to make sure my dad was happy with whatever was happening. They were business partners in everything in life. My secret power was cooking for my dad and cleaning the garage. I could also make him laugh. I mean really laugh. I can still hear him if I get quiet and listen. I could make my sister laugh to but she had to start off acting disgusted with me. It was our thing. Then, when she couldn't hold it any longer, she laughed until we were both crying and finish it off with calling me a moron. I miss that.

They were pretty to look at and they both always smelled so good. No farm smells here, folks. I'll tell you a secret. I wear the same perfume my sister use to wear. I wear it every day and have for decades. It was my way of keeping her close throughout all the years of her illness and now that she's gone. She thought that was so ridiculous when she was alive but I didn't care. If it annoyed her, it was a double win for me. I lived to annoy her. Some people thought she hated it but she didn't. She was my best friend and she knew it. I wasn't hers but I was extremely important to her and that was enough for me.

I can't even tell you how many surprise birthday parties my parents threw for Ms. Purrfect. It was ridiculous other than we all benefited from the fun. Like the surprise cruise to Mexico for her thirtieth birthday with probably thirty of us in attendance. It was a blast! I think this picture is from the following year when they threw a smaller surprise birthday party at the house. Come on! How many times can you be surprised? Weirdos. Oh yeah, this was another casino birthday surprise thing. I never got a surprise cow for my birthday. What's up with that?

Then, of course, "we" threw our dad a surprise 70th birthday party at Kelly's house. When I say "we", you know who was in charge. I just wrote my measly check and kept my mouth shut. Yeah, that second part didn't actually happen.

This is our daughter Rachel's wedding reception. It's ok. Don't worry about getting the BRIDE AND GROOM in the photo. As long as Batman and Robin are in focus, we're all good. By the way, my sister arrived a few days ahead of the wedding, went over all the plans with me, changed them all last minute because I obviously did it all wrong and then paid for all the upgrades. Thanks, Ms. Purrfect. 

Happy 60th Birthday, Kelly Jeanne. I love you and miss you.