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May 10th was clean up day. There were 27
of us at the ranch for the preliminaries.
What an interesting time we had, all kind of
happenings, from the ordinary to the mystical. Cyle declared it to be the
finest clean up day we had ever had. All three of our duly appointed
officers were there faithfully doing their duty. However two of them did
inform us that they were going to attend the real reunion in spirit form
only. Now doesn’t that sound mystical? Just wait it gets better.
We had three visitors that day. One of them was
Orvel Bundy. The other two-I didn’t know just who they were; I only had my
suspicions. I have thought about it a lot and I think I finally got it
figured out just exactly who they were. I'll reveal their true identity
later!
Boyd was the first to arrive in the early light of
that day. He did some repair work at Camp Ohno; some wind damage I think.
Birds had gotten into his chalet, and that did not make him happy. Anyway
he got it fixed before the rest of the crew showed up. Now it was time to
start on the cistern. For those who don’t know, a new top for the big
cistern on the cistern hill was our reunion project this year.
Our day had barely started when Barb discovered a
snake; it was the rattlin’ kind. Now those kind of snake only get one
chance around our place-- and if they are within 100yards of the
house—they have already lost that one! After the execution someone said
they buried it, but I have my doubts about that, because of what happened
later. I think they hung it on the corral fence. When I was a kid, someone
with great authority on the subject (probably one of my older brothers)
told me that if we would hang a dead snake on the fence it would make it
rain. Some old myths die hard! So what I think happened—is they hung it on
the corral fence!
However that is not what Cyle thinks happened. Now
wanting to be fair and give his myth equals time, his version is as
follows. Last summer—basically the same group as were at the ranch cleans
up day—went to the Bundyville schoolhouse for a party. Now as it happened
there was a little Indian girl there and she did a rain dance sure enough
a little shower soon came by. It was a nice little shower. According to
Cyle one of our group who was on the cistern hill that day, had filed this
happening away for future reference. Therefore on this day he pulled it
out of his memory bank, and said, “What the heck, I guess I’ll give it a
shot!” and so he did. Now again quoting Cyle, the little Indian gal was a
plumb piker beside our guy.
Well now, I’m here to tell you, what ever happened
on the cistern hill, it brought forth wind, lightning, thunder, hail and a
mighty deluge of rain. Now is that mystical or what?
We caught fresh water by the bucketful just by
holding the bucket out the door! Well maybe it was just a little under the
rain gutter. Anyway it was ice cold and tasted wonderful…pure ambrosia!
Now you ask—who was it that did the rain dance?
Ask Cyle he knows! However I will give you a hint. From what I could
figure out, he drives a white truck has blonde hair, and a little
granddaughter named Boo, that he adores. You just never know what hidden
talents some people have! I still think it was the snake!
Brad and Chris had brought and cooked dinner. Had
barbecue ribs and dutch oven potatoes. I was scrumptious, and greatly
appreciated by all.
It was right near Mothers Day and I got two
presents. Harley picked me a bouquet of Indian paintbrush, and Boyd gave
me an eagle feather. (In case those goofy environmentalist have a tap on
our computer it was really a crow feather, huh Boyd?) Thanks guys, I was
touched. It was a fun day! It was fun to see Tina and family—its always
fun to see Tina, and even though Kevin didn’t make it all the way out to
the Strip, we know he was there in sprit. Our three leaders have this
spirit thing down pat—and they have taught their immediate family members
well also! They think that I don’t have any idea of how they do it, but I
do—and I might just divulge all a little later on. I haven’t decided on
that for sure yet!
Moving right along now to May 25th,
reunion day. I thought I might have to hitch-hike like I did on clean up
day, but Kurt unexpectedly showed up on Friday afternoon, so on Saturday
morning off we went to the ranch. All went well until Paul was sent to put
up the flag. It’s Paul’s job to put up the flag. He knows that it is
his job! It was his only job,
Put up the flag! Well, do you think he did it? No! He
comes back with some lame excuses, such as: If he were taller, or if the
pole were shorter, or if a cow hadn’t eaten the rope, or if Jeff had only
remembered to bring his climbing boots. Now what can one say when
confronted with such logical explanations? He is going to be in real
trouble if he doesn’t figure out a way to get the flag up the pole next
year! If all else fails, he better make sure that Jeff brings his magic
boots!
I got Garn to help me put up just the Arizona flag
on a short pole. In my rebellious mood, I suggested that we should declare
ourselves an independent republic. But Garn said that some guys in Texas
got shot for that, so we compromised by just flying our flag down side up,
in protest of everything in general and nothing in particular—that was
reason we hung it upside down wasn’t it Garn?
On Saturday we had a swell dinner as usual—and it
was a good thing Boyd had made a whole bunch of beans…because, I already
told you about Paul, now let me tell you about his cousin Tris. Tris
knows it’s his job to cook the dutchoven potatoes! Just like its
Paul’s job to put up the flag. Do you think he did? No! I didn’t even
hear what his excuse was, because Jeff’s forgotten boots were still
echoing so loudly in my brain! They failed us! But we have faith, just
wait until next year! The flag will be flying so high you’ll be able to
see it clear to Trumbull mountain, and those potatoes are going to be so
good, you’ll be able to whiff them all the way to Wolfhole! Ain’t that
right guys?
Shamane, Brett and family were there. It was good to
see them again. Lorene and Shamane ran a foot race, which Shamane won
under protest of a false start, or maybe it was just a fast break, I don’t
know. Some of the little kids also raced, and I think Shamane’s son Jake
won that. Must run in the family. No matter who won, Taylor tried the
hardest. I know she did because she told me so. She also told me I was her
friend. Hey you can’t beat that!
We did a lot of visiting and picture taking on
Saturday. It was real nice that Lee and Marge were here again this year.
We missed Steve’s family though, especially Bill, to keep an eye on the
trash situation around the corral! Maybe you can come next year Bill, and
bring your little sister. I’ll bet she would like Diamond Butte too.
We had our traditional Saturday supper of
hamburgers furnishes by Garns and Lees—and ice cream by Maxs. The golf
game you know the A-Z Masters was on Saturday this year. It was hard to
carry on with out Susan, but somehow they finally did get it together.
Who won—I’ll tell you later.
Saturday evening we had this real interesting
auction. Some rather unique items found their way to the block. We had an
ancestral picture, which caused quite a stir. We had this picture veiled,
and Boyd thought that it was a poster of Allen Iverson the basketball
player, that he had wanted me to get and auction it off as our most famous
relative! Well I couldn’t find a poster. But discovered that Barb had
drawn a big portrait of Boyd at her art class- so the little demons
started to churn in our heads and we decided that we would use that as the
veiled picture and just change the story a little. Instead of famous
relative we changed it to old ancestor who was the meanest son of a gun
ever to drift into the Hurricane Valley. (You just had to be there) Barb
was afraid that it might insult Boyd, but I knew that it wouldn’t-I have
never seen him laugh so hard, and he loved it. AND we got to chalk up
another--WE gottcha ya Boyd-- on our side. The portrait hangs on the wall
of the Boyd room.
There were also auctioned some old report
cards-from the Main Street School district-back when some of us went to
school at Little Tank. Some of Boyds were for sale, and Anita bid against
him furiously, as she wanted to lay her hands on them in the worst way!
The thing of it was, she wanted to reek revenge on him for naming her new
baby son Hector Penrod. She out bid him too! I haven’t seen them published
in the paper as yet, but then she probably went straight for the jugular,
and put them out on the Internet!
The only ones to stay overnight Saturday were Garn
and Barb, Cyle, Stacey, Mitch, Mike, Debbie, Karissa, Sierra, Ashley and
her friend. The rest of us went to town. Sunday I went back out with Lee
and Marge, as Kurt wanted to stay in town and work on college stuff on the
computer.
It was real nice out there Sunday. Garn drove some
of us all over the countryside. We took pictures and talked about the good
old days. Ethan Bundy and family stopped by Sunday afternoon. He is our
cousin Frosty's son for those who don't know--and his wife is some
relation to Nita. It was nice to have them. We encourage friends and
relatives to stop by anytime, and especially reunion time!
As a closing thought here, I’d like to say
something about our three valiant officers—
Tina, Cyle, and Rod. They did a swell job, and we
expect they will do even better next year. But now I’m going to let you in
on some of their mystical spirit secrets. They have fallen in cahoots
with that black sheep Echo Piney branch of the family! Yep, they surely
have! You know—two mysterious visitors, rain dancers, snake charmers,
unusual happenings—lonely trips to the top of Diamond Butte where they
send up smoke signals.
Cyle sent some up both Saturday and Sunday—I know
he did! Some of them streaked south across the sky toward Superstition
Mountain in southern Arizona, while other went a little more west toward
MT Charleston in Nevada. He was talking to his helpers who were at the
reunion only in spirit. That was my guess any way. How else do you suppose
he kept thins going so smoothly for two days all by himself? I tried to
pump Stacey and Mitch for a little more information, but he has them brain
washed—so I didn’t get much help there. Well Mitch did indicate that he
would tell me more next year when he is a little more familiar with the
language He’s not real fluent in English just yet. They don’t think that I
know a thing about it, but I do! And I am keeping a close eye on them,
because I suspect that they are cooking up something really fantastic for
next year. I wouldn’t miss it, and I hope you wont either!
Jamie won the quilt. Cyle won the candy jar guess
(he only missed by three, just another mysterious event). There were forty
plus people there on Saturday. We took in $829.00 from auction and raffle.
Paid out $775.00 for cistern material.
Shawn moved to Houston Texas where he will be
teaching high school Spanish, and also pursuing a Ph.D. in education. Way
to go Shawn. Don’t let a tornado suck you up down there!
Sure enough Lee Alan, you missed it again. That is
what you get when you don’t come to the reunion. You guessed it Nita sang
the theme song. Next year Kurt is going to help sing it. He said that the
only reason that he hasn’t been helping all these years is that no one
asked him. So—we are asking! He will help you Nita; you can count on it.
A message from our officers: Each family head will
receive an assignment in the mail, pertaining to next year’s reunion. See
you there
New babies: Bob and Nicki: girl-Bret
Steve and Susan: girl-Ann
Paige and Keith: boy-Bridger
Tom and Shelly: girl-Jessica
Paul and Anita: --Haden (Hector
Penrod)
Now this is really going to be my closing shot. I’m
going to reveal the winner of the golf game. It was one of that Echo Piney
bunch in mystical disguise—didn’t you notice there wasn’t a body in
the green jacket when the picture was taken? I just notice thing like
that! Love Carla
LATE BREAKING BULLETIN: Stacey is now the family
all-around champion’s cowgirl! She branded a calf all by herself. I mean
she did every thing! Congratulations Stace, I’m sure your title will be
secure for sometime to come. The only possible contenders I can see who
might be warming up in the chute are Tessa, or Miss Ashley (gigi) Iverson
Wiscombe. In the meanwhile your coveted prize is in the mail!
PS Stacey later received a belt buckle with her name
and accomplishments on it through the liberality of Boyd. We’re just
proud of ya Stace!
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