Dave Smith > wrote in
:

> Then there is the late BIL's ex wife who still considers
> herself part of the family. If she comes, one of her sons will
> not, nor will the other SIL or her husband.

Our family gatherings vary between 50 and 150 depending on how many
age groups are allowed. I don't organize these as they are held in
Montréal so less rather than more people have to travel two-three
hours to get there, myself included.

We have all kinds: exes, children of exes, widows and their current
squeezes...they all come. And they are welcome. I can't think of
any one who is not welcome. One of my ex-aunts passed away recently
and there was a family remembrance in her memory, partly by e-mails
and partly by those who gathered at a restaurant to remember her.

The Gascon family is like the Cosa Nostra or the Catholic church.
Once you join, you're a member for life :-)

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song