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Carla threatened to quit writing the reunion
report letter and told Hal he had to do it. Now Hal was just not
fast enough on the draw and Carla, after recovering from her Sally
Ann alter ego wrote the following. I don't know if this had any
thing to do with the fine piece of work that Hal produced or not.
After you finish with Carla's report, check out
Hal's for his
perspective..
REUNION #25, in the year of our Lord
2003
By Carla Hawkinson
I left for the
ranch mid-morning May the 24th to attend our 25th
reunion. I was alone just me and my old Jimmy. None of my offspring
ever seem to be so inclined to make the trip any more. Oh well maybe
some day.
My energy level
was running about on empty this year so I didn’t make my usual beef
and noodles and carrot cake. I don’t think they were missed,
anyway-- because as Boyd used to tell me all that stuff does is make
you fat! This was the first time in 20 years that I also neglected
to do the jellybean count jar. Now that was missed by Karrisa and
Teton, and they asked me about it, for which I only had lame
excuses. I promised them I would certainly try hard to correct my
dereliction of duty by next year!
Family dinner
went about as usual, and then there was resting and visiting and
that sort of thing. I had taken my Saturday paper along with me,
which has the hardest of the week crossword puzzle in it, and got
Hal to be my helper so we could whip it in a hurry. Shawn is my
usual helper but guess he found better use for his time that day.
(Like that would really be hard to do eh?) Any way the Maxwells were
pretty late in showing up, but was nice seeing them for the short
time that I did. Tessa and her man were there with new baby girl
Madison-- whom I understand, is called Maddy. Shawn, JaNay, and
Jodie were also there. After dinner they left and I never saw hide
nor hair of them since. I heard they might have camped down below
the pond but don’t know that for sure. I thought JaNay and Jodie had
a thing prepared for the program, but guess I was mistaken on that
one, as I sure didn’t see them there.
Cyle had an
auction for the kids which they always have a lot of fun at, then
later in the evening there was a program where all the kids got up
and did their thing what ever they felt inspired to do. Some sang,
some danced and one (Mitch I think) played Radlee’s keyboard. Alec
and Miss Parkinson (Pamela’s daughter, I can’t remember her first
name) both recited poems, Tiah and Radlee both played the keyboard
and a swell time was had by all. My personal favorite was the
concluding act when Garn got out his banjo and the whole gathering
sang, “She’ll be Coming around the Mountain.”
Now it’s
getting dark and seems I’m the only one sleeping in the house, as
all the rest had trailers, tents. Cabins and all sorts of things
like that. After Rodney had turned off the house light my little
lantern and me went to bed. And speaking of lanterns, did you all
know that Paul sneaked into Maxie’s, “Gut Shot Coyote Trading Post,”
and stole his last lantern? It may have been his only lantern for
all I know. I do know that it created quite a stir—with threats of
bounty hunters, excessive rent charges, and someone even asked me if
I had a rope. Well I did-- but it was a kinda skinny, so I just
ignored the inquiry.
But come to
think of it wasn’t it this same culprit that almost got hung once
before for some unspeakable infraction that was in the A-Z Masters
golf rule book. No maybe that wasn’t his crime, come to think again,
it may have been the rule book that Kevin was reading him his last
rites out of while Boyd led him to the appointed place. Anyway
neither Boyd or Kevin (both for different reasons) weren’t here this
year. So they must have settled on a lesser punishment, but I
wasn’t privy to just what that was!
I had gone to
bed in the house when Maxie came over and asked if I would care to
join them in a midnight barbeque snack which I declined as my
Iverson stomach does not take too well to late night eating. As I
lay there in bed I could hear the little kids playing outside it
filled my heart with nostalgia for the time long ago but in the very
same place I was a little kid and was out there playing—probably
pretty much the same games like run, holler, laugh, scream and
have a swell time. I thought I know Dad and Mom are pleased about
that.
I made a 25
year reunion quilt which was pretty cute if I do say so my self—but
I just displayed it then sent it to my youngest granddaughter Misty.
Having done that I’ve made everyone of my grandkids a quilt at one
time or another. So now my duty on quilt making is done.
I come home
from ranch on Sunday afternoon. they tell me next year it is my
families turn to do it so guess I’ll try the best I can…..the end
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