The kids and I sneaked off to Los Angeles to see my step-brother on the event of my mother’s visit to him. I bet you didn’t even know I had one (a step-brother, that is, as I presume you assume I have a mother and was not hatched, though my father insists that I had been). In fact, I have FOUR step-brothers (only one mother). Most of the time, I think of myself as a baby sister with one single most awesome big bro. Through a twisted series of events, more twisted than I’ll ever tell, I wound up with four baby step-brothers. They aren’t actual babies. In fact, I don’t recall them ever as babies, however, they remain my baby-brothers — my (perhaps illegitimate) baby step-brothers.

The middle one, we’ll call him Commander Uncle A., married a fairy princess. She’s the Cinderella sort who works real hard and always thinks of others and is completely unaware of her nobility. If she knows it, in any event, she doesn’t show it. Commander Uncle A. and Cinderella have two children sculpted of utter wonderful. Chuchieness sublime.

As I said, the kids and I sneaked away to visit. Handsome Hubster is dissertating and may not realize we’d ever been gone, so I thought I’d produce some photographic evidence of our mini vacay to LA. If you would like to keep score on the potential for photo ops, consider:

• My mother is here with her husband (who is totally paying for my most awesome hotel room).
• I’m visiting Commander Uncle A., Cinderella, & two chuchies.
• The eldest of the step-brothers made a few appearances, once with his photographic sweetheart.
• The cousin of the step-brothers made an appearance with her significant other.
• We went to the acquarium.
• We ate at a diner & visited a quaint toy store with plastic-covered 50s Jetson-style furniture.
• Commander Uncle A. & Cinderella treated us to a BBQ.
• We swam.

And that’s pretty much it. Oh, but we also spent four or more hours on public transit. You got all that? Okay. Here’s the photograph.