Ode to Family

I stepped out of the Fort Smith airport and felt the breeze. The prairie wind is home. The sky is home. The family is home. Nora had me at Boom-a-rangs diner in fifteen minutes with fried okra ordered. Fried okra is home. The drive to the park was blissful. Thank you Nora. Greenleaf State Park is home. All the hellos, happiness and hugs are home. Even all the dogs, four-legged or skewered, were home -- some how.

Jean had a clean cabin for a while because she bunked it alone for a few nights, it might be the first time ever. It probably felt strange to have a cabin to herself after thirty odd years. I think she slept naked.
Cathy had to leave early and bequeathed her "sleep late" cabin to Julia and Tal with firm instructions to the girls to leave it clean. They did. Sorry you had to work Cathy.
Brittany had Dax, her new well behaved dog, and Lindsey her well behaved special friend.
Lindsey reads Shakespeare not Twilight. Silly me.
Chris had food and drinks for everyone. And a special jambalaya for one pot dinner night. Thank you Chris.
Janice had her bubble machine, her crossword puzzles, and welcomed Jan with a comfy nest and bed. Thank you Janice.
Art had Janice and Jan well taken care of. He kept an eye on the bubble machine, hauled the bags, food, totes, parcels and made sure I had safe light to return to the cabin by. He made sure the porch light was on and I had a flashlight to stumble to the bathroom with. Thanks Art.
Jerry had a swollen arm.
Jane had orphan Ellie all grown up and cuddly in Jerry or Jane's lap and snappish any other time.  Maddie couldn't get near her at first, but she was persistent and finally won the orphan dog over.
Amber had two dogs, orphan Heidi and not so old but sluggish Maggie, three children, one husband and Ann-Lisette. Amber actually looked relaxed, now you tell me how she did that.
Mark said grace more than once and finally remembered to include t-shirts in his list of blessings. Yes Mark we are blessed once again with your truly lovely family t-shirt design, plus you and Amber do all the blooming work. Thank you. And you made the midnight coffee run with four different kinds of coffee. Well, not quite midnight, we are all getting older.
Taylor had a lot to say about movies, performances, TV episodes, and working. Not so much about ballet other than he will pass the class and graduate.
Ann-Lisette is always a picture of poise and grace. She had skittish Rudy laying by her side and her new hand work is coming along wonderfully. I'm not smart enough to know if it is knitting or crocheting.
Hannah had her drivers license so Amber made fewer trips up and down the hill. I lusted after her pink headband/hat thing.
Blaine has a mouth and knows how to use it. He beat me at every story, punch line, joke, pun, quip, and I thought oh poor poor Amber. However, Blaine did win a pass from me, a forgiveness pass for eight and a half years because he stood up in the big group and introduced himself. The boy is not shy.
Marc arrived with three children in tow, got his tent set up, and commenced to sit with the rest of us around the fire. The fire just isn't complete without him. He didn't bring his orphans Daisy and Dirk.
Clark has grown a foot, I'm not sure I would have recognized him if he wasn't with family. Instead of tall dark and handsome, he is tall blond and handsome.
Jordan never quit smiling and is a most kind cousin to all the little ones. Everyone loves her and she oozed love for everyone.
Jackson I saw swoosh by a time or two, but he is like the wind; can't be caught, tamed or bottled. I couldn't keep track of him. Was he fishing? Was he playing at the playground? Only the wind knows.
Jan made it there and back again, from beginning to end, with a smile on her face. Thanks to everyone who helped make it possible.
Julia made her morning walks/runs/woggles look like fun. She was usually the first for coffee either at Janice's or Jean's. The sibling coffee gathering was fantastic.
Tal cooked, read, fire sat, and didn't torment anyone too much. He looks good, his old ticker is still going strong. I know he walked up poop-out-hill more than once. Show off. You know his food was good at the lake, but I had a taste of his premium cooking in Arkansas. I feel sorry for anyone who hasn't tasted it. If you want a special meal from Mr. Tal Bowman just tell him you want squash. It worked for me, it might work for you.
Nora made the drive to Greenleaf twice, once to deliver me and once to deliver Andrew. How two siblings with only their personal belongings could have such a messy cabin is still a mystery to me. I mean it was strewn with stuff, mystery stuff. I did appreciate the taxi rides up the hill though. Thank you Nora for all the rides.
Andrew knows seventeen times more stuff about movies than I ever thought about. He also always supports his opinion with lots of resources. He missed his calling when he didn't become a lawyer, he would win every case. He also owes me a list of movies so I can catch up, well not exactly catch up more trail closer behind.
Jeff was the master of the main campfire and a master camp fire host. Thanks Jeff for the goodie box, the fire maintenance, the chair unfolding and folding, the napkins, hot dogs, mustard, hatchet, charcoal, charcoal starter, dutch oven, wind break, hot dog holders, fire cooking and wit. Jeff says next year he is only bringing a suitcase.
Summer brought special special Branson, was there ever a better baby in the world. He was precious to us all. Babies are family. Summer's peakiness finally dissipated with five days at the lake. You were looking much better by the end than the beginning Summer.
Jonathan was all heart. When he finally arrived we had to quit Branson holding for a while so Jonathan could get his fair share.
Michael entertained us all with his wit and intelligence. How can a six year old be so smart, oh right, he is Taylor bred.
Branson an angel, no more need be said. He ate, slept, cooed, burbled, hiccuped, smiled, and cuddled us all. Thanks Branson.
Kathy brought Izzy and Harvey, the wild dogs are growing up. She also gave a lesson in how to lose ice chests out of the back of a pick-up truck and if you happened to miss the first demonstration, she repeated it later that day. Sorry Kathy.
Mike fished and photographed when he wasn't walking the dogs, cooking, messing about with kiddos or simply messing about. Thank you for the fish fry, best fish fry I've had in thirty years or so. I never knew anyone who could actually catch fish.
Lynn didn't have her truck and was left stranded a time or two, next year she will have a vehicle.
Cara brought Ellie Mae the howling hound dog. She also carried on a tradition by writing a superb treasure hunt. It was so creative I was jealous. Something fuzzy, something that makes a noise, something beautiful. Michael looked at Kathy and said I'm looking at it right now. Awe!
GG came with Cara now that they are newly weds, but I didn't see much of him, nor did I get a fried baloney sandwich this year. What's up with that?
Avery smiled almost as much at Jordan and caught a fish. Way to go Avery, I think I ate it.
Madison wanted her books marked with her name so they didn't get mixed up with Avery's. She also persisted in befriending Ellie. I thought she would give up when Ellie snapped the fourth time, but not Maddy, she was fearless.

Reunions come and reunions go, an ordinary reunion. Remember the year of the bees, the years of the floods (twice) once when we kept moving to higher ground and once when all the tents came down. Remember the year of James' Army tent with a stove with a chimney and a spare bedroom for Ian and I. Yes, reunions come and reunions go but this one seemed perfect, or as close to perfect as it could get. A thousand points of light, I was going to say by president Regan but damn Tal was right it was president Bush Sr who said that. Thank you for saving me from an embarrassing snafu Tal.

This was the reunion of Branson, sunshine, lost ice chests, fish fry, books and movies, Chris' cooking, of nice people. Art, Janice and I went to Harps in Gore for a bit of grocery shopping, when Janice and Art went back to the store the next day the store lady said "You're back!" Janice explained she was back for milk and the store lady said well they are unloading the truck right now, tell me what you want and I will go get it for you. And she did. This was a special reunion.

Every one was particularly kind to me. I must be one of the older generation because all the youngens kept moving my chair, filling my plate, getting me water, helping helping helping. Thank you youngens.

Actually all of us siblings are getting older, none of us could remember a thing. We are all losing our minds together. No one could remember the name of a person, place or thing.

Janice gave me an article which I will now quote about ageing: "If there is something to glean from this it is to stay active, to treat old age like a strong wind you face head on."

I loved it when Nora didn't want to go to the playground with Michael so she told him she was in time out. Michael, thinking this problem through, went to Julia and asked her if Nora could get out of time out. Julia, uninformed by Nora of her diabolical plan, released her much to Nora's chagrin and the laughter of the rest of us. Yes, Michael still calls me Uncle Jan.

Ode to Jane:

There is no such thing as an off duty Jane. She is a care giver to all. She is a nurse, a helper, and concerned for every one. While Jane is around no one will be cold, hungry, distressed, hurt, sick, sad or left out. She had her nurses' laser eye trained on the family and could tell in a wisp if someone needed assistance or was a fraction less then before. And there was a lot to watch, what with all of Jerry's ailing siblings: she watched Jean, Tal, Me. She watched Mark, the kids, the cousins up the hill. She could even sense if the dogs were a little off. Amazing. And she makes the best gravy in the family. Thank you Jane, we are lucky to have you.

Reunions are home.