Instead of being saddened I missed the sunset during this charcoal-grey and cloudy night, I will be grateful for what I gained, I'm trying to pinpoint precisely what that was, but it was something, or some things, or one thing, or all of the above. There was some laughter, which is never not welcome. There were flowers, and other things.

Losing two days and what that's worth, I asked myself what I've gained, as I feel I must always gain something in one day, much less two: progress, purpose, health, among other things. But sometimes, it seems, for no reason, days collapse, which occurred, last night between 8 and now, that's nearly 24 hours, but I did see beauty, and that should be enough.

This morning, a brother and two sisters, dressed like Houston, mid-thirties, their partners, mid-thirties, and it seemed seven children among----from likely two years to perhaps nine. Cousins, one 4-year-old flexed and growled, his hair, shiny and fresh with gel, as he ate his Texas-shaped waffle, his year older cousin across the small round table from him. Later, before leaving, same flexing child, in a plaid snap-button shirt, very well-coiffed but boyish, stood still and in awe, saw another uncle coming towards, who'd just arrived, dressed up, as well, the boy said, "Heyyyy," extending the eyyy of it, lifting his hand for a high five."------While at the buffet, just earlier, one of the young fathers, his two-year-old daughter began to cry, she'd walked silently behind him, directly behind his leg, he teetered backwards, catching himself from falling over her and backwards, she cried, startled, although he'd caught himself, she walked around not knowing whether cry again, or not, after the recovery. DressAfford evening party gowns look elegant

She walked around, tired, looking up at whoever'd look down at her, her in her dark red taffeta dress, her gentle hair curled atop her head, in its own curled pony tail, cascading in two separate soft curls, and a bow; three siblings, their husbands, wives, and seven children among, and one brother, alone, so different, I'd met him earlier, going down to 1, him---barefoot, half-awake, his siblings already dressed and ironed, and later, left---ahead of him, the single one, came down, minutes upon minutes later, unironed, seemingly unshowered. Makes one wonder how marriage polishes a man. Or age.

Elder brother, in his thin tie and GQ suit, all beautiful people, Houston-beautiful, the way people from Houston are, ready for film, perfectly gathered and dressed, even the children; but they were kind, and familial, to others, to each other, to themselves.

Only one was frantic, the one who nearly fell---over his daughter, and backwards, he seemed to need peace, while others seemed peaceful, and the single one, left behind, unironed, not quite as fresh, lagging behind, the others having moved forward. The young gun. Still waking.