What a Time, What a Time

Reunion has come and gone. The skies filled with rain and fog and sunshine. Dogs barked, kids played, coffee drunk, fires burned, fish fried.

It was a sickly bunch; surgery, limping, arthritis, COPD, water on the hip, bad hips, recuperating post surgeries, crutches, canes, walking sticks for balance, and Jancie wasn't even there with her fractured back. The old folks had their "organ recital" once or twice a day. Amber isn't old, but she won anyway coming to reunion without a navel and able to brag about her 320 staples from her surgery.

The breadth of conversation was staggering even for us Taylor's. I'm afraid we ran away with "fecal transplant" well, Jeff ran away with that one. I don't think there could be another witticism that includes "fecal" humor because Jeff thought of them all. Amber said it is a very effective procedure but not something the hospital brags about on their marquee.

The conversation included talk about the fact that Taylor just thought ballet class was, well, challenging, but now he is taking a silks class, aerial work for his theatre arts degree. Taylor, and all 250 plus pounds gracefully dangling from silks. I'm afraid Jeff ran away with that one also.

We talked about the definition of harbinger, cabin decisions, to tent or to cabin and the blessings of both. Summer volunteered for fire duties next year. She has been an excellent camp fire host in the past so I know what a good job she will do, even with a two year old.

We all learned something new every day. A wooden spoon laying across a boiling pot will keep it from boiling over. The new texting shorthand is amazingly similar to Morse Code, SOS and LOL with many other likenesses.

Jean didn't bring cookies, she bought her Kurig instead and plenty was drunk during the rainy morning coffees on her porch during the gathering of the sibling-nation with sundry other spouses, progeny, cousins, neighbors.

Two-fires failed, three boyfriends succeeded, as did the emergency bacon fest. A bacon fest at 11 AM on Fridays is now cast in stone.

Nora kept mixing and matching fruity concoctions with the contents of the adult Goodie Box, she did a fantastic job taking over the responsibilities of the adult goodie box. Wait a minute, I actually think boyfriend #2 did the work on that, Nora just general managed it.

Boyfriend #2 presented a bit of a conundrum because his name is Chris also. No satisfactory nickname burbled to the surface during the course of the reunion. MChris didn't seem to work, nor did Millerman, New Chris almost stuck but not quite. Well, we will see next year. Chris Miller did bring a well used Dutch oven and made several delicious delicacies. I don't know about Nora but we will keep him. He's cute and he cooks.

I finally was able to bring home some of Marc's salsa. I'm rationing it out of my refrigerator as we speak. Two Dutch ovens were fired up more that once: Jeff made his world famous Tub O'Stuff and I didn't get a single bite. New Chris made a Bacon Bourbon Maple Apple cobble of some kind that I did get a taste of, as did I help myself generously to his 8 hour chili. His 8 hour chili that he rushed and cooked in 7 hours. Damp wood I think was the culprit causing the late start.

I forgot to get New Chris' shoe size, but he was born and raised in Tulsa, likes to travel, lives in downtown Tulsa, and can't explain his job, a Profitability something Analyst. Jake wears cowboy boots, works all night, and doesn't like Miley Cyrus. Kenny came late and left early but he enjoys winning and dinning Cathy. Nuff said.

Jane passed off gravy duties to Amber. Original Chris made Irish Stew with Guinness Beer. Jean made chicken and noodles that I didn't get a bite of either. There were stir fries, fish fries, and cookie salad.

Grandberry Garland Boyd the Third, or Tripp as he is affectionately called, was properly cuddled by all the women with free hands. What a delightful baby. I was asking Avery and Maddie about the wee babe; Does he cry? Yes. Does he wet his diaper? Yes. Well Maddie became exasperated with my mundane questions and finally declared, "HE IS A REAL BABY."

Favorite quote of the week was Jeff's, of course; "A baby is the world's most perfect product produced by semi-skilled labor."

It was a reunion of moments -- a history of moments -- a life time of moments. It's not the big stuff it's the small stuff. Night walks, scavenger hunts, bike riding, trail walking, porch setting. Children growing, pumpkin carving, Michael learning the difference between Aunt and Uncle. I'm not his favorite Uncle Jan anymore. To quote Jeff, again, Greenleaf isn't the most beautiful, or desirable, or fantastic, but it is where our memories are. It's where we had our moments.

"Every moment and every event in a man's life on earth plants something in his soul, the germ of spiritual vitality." Thomas Merton.

Yes, reunion is over. I've unpacked, paid bills, done laundry, bought groceries, napped, yes reunion is over until next year.

Hey Jeff, I took a suitcase. What did you bring?


Ian came back from his road trip with a package of the best coffee I have every had. The vendor for the amber he buys had a Russian feast and this coffee was part of it. I asked Ian if it was Russian coffee and he said he thought it was German. Well a quick Google search identified it as Bavarian Coffee from Dallmayr. Amazon sells it, now try it, you will not be sorry.

Love to one and all and Happy Birthday to Julia.