Have Family Will Travel

I'm flying off to Oklahoma for our 30 year reunion celebration. That's almost half my life. It is all of some of our family members live's, I'm thinking Summer here our official camp fire hostess. Now that is an investment in family, love, attention, affection. Toddlers to weddings, divorces and deaths and it is still happening; wee Tripp and Branson are not so wee anymore. New family making new memories that is what it is all about. Connor is coming and bringing his staff.

Nora's engaged to The Millerman, The New Chris, by the way Chris your passage into the family will be waiting for you; your very own pass-the-test-or-else Treasure Hunt. You may have all the assistants you need if they are under the age of ten. Be prepared at the Bacon Fest Friday morning. After the bacon fest after, nothing interferes with the bacon fest.

What a difference thirty years can make. I can remember when I would travel any distance for any reason, but after "traveling" for the cruise I thought I don't want to "travel" anymore, too old, too tired, too much work, too much discomfort. It's not worth it. Until Jerry reminded me, "Jan, the day will come when we can't do it." How true. That day will come, probably sooner than we anticipate or expect. So, travel I will. Have Family -- will travel. How many remember that old TV show? I will do what is becoming increasingly unnatural. Travel. I'll join the herd and herding at the airport into the welcoming arms of family for the 30th Taylor Family Reunion. Amber promises Mark's t-shirt design is awesome. How could it be anything else? I'm glad he passed the test.

The gathering of the tribes has already commenced and I have hours to go before I get there. New Chris and Jake will be there, Cathy and Kenny will not. Roger and Stephanie will be there, Jacquie and Dan will not. Mike and Kathy will be there, Lynn will not. Mary Lee will be there, Verla will not. ...and all us old fogies will be there having coffee on Jean's porch every morning we are able to crawl out of bed and be there. Present and accounted for.

Julia will be walking, Tal will be fishing, I don't know who will be biking, hiking, kayaking. I will be sitting somewhere smoking. Give me a smoking bench and I am happy. You will hear about Cathy's cruise drama, Nora's trip to Mexico, Michael's biking prowess, how cute Tripp is, meet Summer's new dog, You will see what Branson can get into, how much Avery has grown and Ellie May has mellowed.

Now I don't expect respect, but I do expect coffee and goodies from Jean, mimosas from Nora or Chris -- whichever, a camp chair from Jeff, some guff from the curmudgeons, cigarettes from Tal, a feeling of inferiority from Andrew, he always out reads and out guns me, love from everyone under twenty-three and hugs from everyone. I will also be expecting some chat, laughs, fire, smiles, food, rain, some sport game somewhere, a fish fry, okra, a map reading or two, and, and, and.

Family. A different kind of tribe, herd. A stretch of personalities as old as time. Family faces, family places deep into a genetic aquifer of connections. Deep into an inner space of connections, a universe of connections. A surface jello of connections -- hmm -- maybe I had better stop there.

Welcome to our world Chris Miller welcome to our world.

Heritage Recipe

Mom's, Granny's, Maxine's Noodles 

Separate 4 eggs, use yolks only
4 Tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon salt - please use less times have changed
1 cup flour

Mush, mix until you have a stiff dough, roll thin on a floured surface, when you think it is thin enough, it isn't, roll it thinner. It should be papery thin. Then roll up jellyroll fashion, cut and toss so you have thin papery noodles ready for the broth of your choice, but it had better be chicken broth or Granny will haunt you.

Welcome to our world, now go make some noodles.