Contact: Half-Siblings

I had an interesting day. Today is my half-sister's, Marie Hards, birthday (one of the 4 Tabers vs an un-Tabor, me and 3 others). Marie is three years younger than I am.

During our early teens, we were very close, or at least I thought we were. So I always remember her birthday, and about every 5 years or so I call to wish her a 'happy day'. This is is spite of the fact that I haven't seen her in about 20 years, and that the last time I actually spoke to her (again I called on her birthday), she more or less told me to get lost. Her actual words were something like, "We have our own family now, please don't bother us any more."

At any rate, since half-sister Kathy (4.5 years my junior) died this last summer from breast cancer, (I was informed of this via email from a niece in WV), I thought I'd call and leave a 'Happy Birthday' message on their machine. (They never actually answer the phone; they screen - too many relatives out there I guess!).

Much to my amazement, the phone was picked up by a male. I knew it wasn't Marie's hubby Chuck Hards. So I asked for Marie. I was told she wasn't there. I explained that I was just calling to say 'Happy Birthday' from evvy.

At which point, the voice boldly said, "Oh, this is your brother Bobby (Taber)!" (I'd last seen him during the infamous visit, with Marie mentioned above.) Bobby is the youngest.

We proceeded to have a long and interesting conversation. I gave him my phone number (like I've had the same number for the last 23 years!), and my email. And I invited him to come down and visit when he had the chance.

In the typical family way, he did not reciprocate. Other than to say he was living with our brother, Bill (Taber) who has had two heart attacks and surgery. And btw, whatever happened to my x-hubby, they'd tried to get in touch with him. I told him I had no info on x, but both my adult kids would.

Bobby said he'd actually been talking about me, on Thanksgiving, with brother Dale Taber (another of the un-Tabers - really born Dale Foley), who'd come down from WA state to visit. Dale doesn't even reply to email from me or his nieces...