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A-Z
Twenty year Reunion 1998
Can
you believe twenty years have gone by since we started our little reunion!
I well remember that day we were all at Boyd's talking over something,
when Duard said he thought it was peculiar that we didn't have a family
reunion ... so that very hour we settled on a date. We wanted to get it
near Dad's birthday, which is June fourth, so what three day holiday comes
near that date? And as they say, the rest is history. I have missed only
one reunion, which was the second in 1980, when I was unavoidably detained
in California by the birth of a grandson, who this year turned eighteen.
I
know that there are some who have attended every reunion, but I'm not sure
just who all they are. I think Garn is one of them, and I'll name the rest
of them when I find out; and make sure they get their 20 year pin! You
know, it will be kind of like the gallon pin you get, after you have let
them suck out a bucket of your blood! I think they deserve it! How about
it Echo Piney Chieftains, are you going to back me on this? All qualified
persons please notify our head Chief-ette of your worthiness to receive
this wonderful award. Do so by snail mail, e-mail, or pony express. In
lieu of any of these, you may also send smoke signals from the top of
Diamond Butte, which is official Echo Piney headquarters. Special
consideration will be given to requests that have genuine teepee, or
windmill postmarks. Hurry, hurry, all dedicated qualifiers, don't miss out
on this once in a twenty year opportunity, head your request toward Mesa
AZ. today!
This year I am going to try to name every one that was there so you will
all know your presence was noted and appreciated.
Lee
Alan gets the" Echo Piney I was there in spirit award" this year, because
we know he always is! In that family Lee should also get honorable
mention, as he sent messages and flowers for our honored guest, Aunt Rae,
our Mom's only living brother or sister. Aunt Rae had such a swell time
that she told me yesterday on the phone that she would surely be back next
year if she hadn't "stuck her spoon in the wall". Not being too much of a
medieval scholar, after she explained that one to me, I assured her that
we were already setting a place for her! Also for Florence and Lonnie,
Gari Rae, Carl, and anyone else from down that way who would like to come.
Duard was there, also Tris, Bonnie, Erica, Jacob and Casey. Holly" and
Jason were there. Rodney, Tiah, and Radlee were also there. Tris made
wonderful Dutch oven potatoes for us, and by now he knows that that is his
job, every year! ! I heard that two of Ramona's daughters, and three
grandchildren were in a auto accident. We all feel very fortunate that
they were not badly hurt, and since the car rolled over a few times, it is
really fortunate! Drive carefully girls! Duard and Glenn have had three
grand children married in the last few months, which are Amie, Tracey and
Justin. Congratulations! Rod had to buy his way out of bondage at the
auction, because he wouldn't climb the flag pole it was now time to sing a
song, or pay the piper! He paid! I think it was a Shanghai job by Tris,
Cyle, and Paul. Those guys just do stuff like that.
Craig and Tracey were there with their daughters Wynter, Ashley, and
Misty, also Wynter's friend Amy was along. Carla was there! Craig roped
some lizards for Misty to take back to
California
with her. How do you rope a lizard? I'll explain that later. On the second
day of the reunion Craig's family, all went to
Zion,
and had some great adventures there going on a trail ride with the horses
and mules. Does that strike you kind of funny that when you come all the
way to the ranch from California, you have to go to Zion to ride a horse.
That's what called high-tech cattle ranching. I'll bet if those A-Z cows
saw a horse it would startle them into a wild stampede. They only
understand Harley and Logan chasing them on a trail bike, or Cyle on foot,
loping across the flat, with Mitch astride his shoulders! Those two things
they understand! Horses? Nope! Oh well progress knows no bounds! Craig
said they had a good time, and I hope they can come back next time.
Harley WAS there, with Lorene and Logan, and also Ashley (Gigi),(and her
friend Nicki. Paul and Anita were there with their two little ones Taylor
and Hec(little H.P.) I don't know what that kid's name is, and that's a
fact, but he sure is cute no matter what it is.
Taylor
was also there on clean-up day, and did she have a good time. Stacey roped
a lizard for her, with a grass rope (I don't know how they do that, but
Craig also knows how, so it must be a "California kid" thing) Any way Tay
had the rope around the lizard's neck teaching it to swim in the rain
barrel, when suddenly she let out a real, " honest to goodness" cougar
squall, and came rushing in the door screaming, "Mitch killed my pet!!"
Alas, Alas could this be so! Stacey quickly grabbed the wounded reptile,
and told Tay, Mitch didn't mean to, and I'll heal him for you! And sure
enough she did! Hey, she aint a nurse for nothing!! Peace and tranquility
then again reined supreme!
Anita had a hard time at the auction, nothing seemed to work for her,
finally to vent her frustration she took refuge out on the patio, but soon
returned to announce to one and all, "You guys never will let me have
anything"!! Now I don't know why she included us all in that sweeping
observation, as she knows very well it is all Boyd's fault!! Hang in there
Anita, one of these days you'll figure out how he does it, then you can
get him! I have faith in you! I'd tell you about all the fun Paul had
re-threading the flag pole, but I don't think he wants to talk about it.
He tried to get Rod to climb the pole, but Rod said he would rather sing
at the program, so who did that leave to climb the pole! Anyway with the
encouragement and advice from those who Florence declared to be the,
"tail-gate engineers", it was a piece of cake. Ahem! Excellent job, Paul,
and you know it is your lifetime job to put up the flag!!
Garn and Barb were there 100%. That means that we got to see the new baby
girl Jena, and her big brother, Alec, who is certainly a fine young man.
New baby is cute and Alec is bright, is he ever. He had long philosophical
discussions with his Uncle Boyd. Alec just instinctually knew which one to
choose to delve into philosophy with. Or maybe his Papa Garn had already
clued him into the fact that Boyd has his Ph.D. in Philosophy from their
alma mater, Dick's Cafe. I think he really liked his Uncle Boyd, and I
know Uncle Boyd reciprocated the feeling in kind. Oh yes, Hal and Terrie
were along with Alec and Jena. Cyle, Stacey and Mitch were also there.
Mitch liked roping lizards and chasing cows. I got to watch the cow chase
on clean up day, when Mitch and his dad indulged themselves in the sport,
it's kinda like running the bulls in Spain, or Mesquite, only lots more
fun! It is more adventurous too, as this chase involved jumping brush,
cactus, ravines, snakes, and a whole bunch of black dragons. Now
admittedly, those black dragons were not very big, but what they lacked in
size they made up for in volume, there were a hoards of them! Just ask
Mitch. He saw them! Someone claimed they were gong to turn into
butterflies, but me and Mitch didn't buy that for a second! Who had more
fun Mitch or his Dad? Wellllllllll ..
Boyd was there along with Bob, Nicky, and Bret. Miss Bret, looking just as
cute as she could be, was all togged out in her finery that her Papa Boyd
had gotten for her. It included fancy boots, hand-tooled belt, custom-made
hat band, adorned with rattlin' rattles, eagle feathers, and a genuine
Arizona Strip Indian arrowhead! Way to go Bret, I thought you looked
swell! By the way, Bret, the picture of your Papa Boyd, done by Barb, and
owned by me, which hung in the dance hall, is now yours free and clear. I
bequeath it to you, along with all copyrights, museum hanging rights, and
any other rights you can think of Now and forever!!
Mary and Shawn were there, also Leberdie, Lyle, and baby Chance. Was fun
seeing all those cute cute babies, of which Chance was one. There sure is
a crop of those little ones now. Wasn't long ago that at the reunion there
were mostly teen-agers, and not many wee ones, but now it is just the
opposite. As they say time changes everything. Aunt Rae and Florence
remarked on how well behaved they thought the children were .... way to go
kids! Aunt Rae, Florence, and Lonnie stayed with Mary while in St. George,
and said they enjoyed their stay. All of us were happy they came, and hope
they liked it enough to return again. Mary's granddaughter Jenica just
returned from Japan where she went as an exchange student for a couple of
weeks. Heard she had a wonderful time, also hear she is to be editor of
her high school paper next year. She is the first one at that school to
make editor without being a senior. "Congrats", to her!!
Max
and Nita were there, also 100%. Tina and Kevin, with their three boys,
Seth, Reese, and Ellis were there from Mesa. Mike and Debbie with their
girls Karissa and Sierra, from Vegas. Also there from Cedar City were
Chris and Brad with their children Evan, Mason, and Emily. Chris is
expecting twins before too long, all the more fun for next reunion! I hear
that Seth got to go on a cow chase with his cousins, I hope it was· as
adventurous and fun filled as the time I got to go . What did you think
Seth, give me some feedback!
The
Bundy girls were there. Barbara and Madge. Also Madge's spouse Virgil. It
was really nice to have them come, we enjoyed their company very much, and
hope they had a good enough time to return again.
We
made $1,359.00 on quilt and auction, and now have $2,524.00 in our account
to do bigger and better things next year.
Our
officers have decreed that two families will be in charge of reunion next
year. They drew names out of a hat, and the lucky two for 1999 are Harley
and Lee. We know they will do a terrific job, and we are all looking
forward to it.
There were 69 people there on Saturday for family dinner. Out of that
number 59 of them were, "Levi's Original Genes"! Get it? That was Max's
family tee-shirt logo a couple of years ago. Nifty!!
I
don't know what happened to the A-Z Open golf tournament this year. It
certainly wasn't rained out, and wasn't to windy. In fact, the weather was
just lovely. Maybe that was the problem, conditions have to be a little
more adverse to stir up much interest. But then again maybe it was just to
entertaining watching Paul put the flag up, and they just couldn't tear
themselves away. Whatever I'm sure it will probably be on the agenda next
time. Maybe we ought to put in a putting green for us amateurs, and have a
putting contest. We could all ante up a five-dollar entry fee, with the
winner taking half and the other half going to the reunion fund! What do
ya think, guys??
Well group that about does for this time. Looking forward to seeing you
all next year at
the
Ol A-Z………….. |