2018 Tuesday—dinner with Cousins

When I was a little girl, we lived in the same neighborhood as Joan and her two boys. I don’t know how long we had lived there when my parents separated and ultimately divorced.

Just down the street was the Schiefelbein family (she-fell-bine) . . . Carl, Joan, Doug, and Denny. Carl’s older brother, John, was a bachelor and eventually he and my mom started dating and got married.

To make a long story short, it’s been 46+ years since I have seen them. For years I’ve sent Aunt Joan a Christmas card. Then last May, Doug phoned me and the reconnecting started.

This evening was the first opportunity to see them. We started with a tour of Doug’s business “Rainbow Nut & Bolt” and it’s right in our city of Corona. He and his two sons moved the company here 12 years ago from Santa Ana. Doug told me there are now ten Schiefelbeins living in Corona. Doug still lives in Norwalk. His wife of 43 years, died 3 years ago from cancer. Dennis, at the far end of the booth, lives with his mom in the city of Temecula and cares for her. She has been diagnosed with dementia. Dennis has two adult children and I don’t know if he is widowed or divorced (I did not ask).

It was a wonderful evening with the three of them.

Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol