Sometimes I assume people just *know* what’s going on in my convoluted little brain.

I think that just because I’m used to something or because I’ve told a story a million times, everyone must know it too.

For instance, I learned recently that Teara’s friend Pam, (also my friend but in the sister realm you “claim” your friends by who met them first) thought I called her “Teara” as a term of endearment.

This is not true. I call her, “Teara” (think year-a) because it annoys the hell out of her and I am a gigantic pain in the ass.

When we were young, everyone in our little bubble called her “Tara” with their Long Island accents.

But when Tony Fortuna and his family moved 2 houses down from us, Tony’s mom pronounced it “Taira” – like – “Tear a piece off” in her Maine accent, and all hell broke loose in Teara’s world.

The more people she met, the more of a crap shoot it was that they would pronounce her name in ways she hated.

It was mostly “Taira” but once in a while she’d get someone who said, “Tarra” like – “There is tar on the pavement.”

To be clear, the only way she wants people to say it is, “Tara” as in “Farrah wore a lot of mascara when she stayed at Harrah’s. She ate a Lara Bar while watching the Giants who were owned by the late Wellington Mara.

But because I am her always loving, never annoying little sister, I affectionately call her Tearaaaa as in “Tears fall from Teara’s eyes when I call her Teara”. I just do it because I know she secretly loves it. Sisters just know these things!

It got a bazillion times worse when we moved down south. Everyone calls her Taira. In fact, when we all wanted to move here, Teara was the only hold out. She says it’s because she doesn’t like change but I think it’s really because she knew she’d live in a world where every time someone said her name her skin would crawl 🤣

Oh how I love you Tear 🥲 ♥️