Final thoughts on the cousins reunion

On the long drive home from Alabama, my thoughts often went back to the several days spent with my cousins.  We do know how to have a good time!

What was the one thing that stands out the most?  That's a tough one.  There were so many spontaneous one-liners or touching moments.

It is amusing to see how genes are passed down through the generations, not only in physical appearance, but personality traits too.

Our Aunt Hazel died this past year, after being bedridden for several years.  The last two years, Bruce, Debbie, and Richard rented a van to make it possible for her to come up from Pensacola to the reunion.  Last year she even sat up in a wheel chair long enough to eat with the rest of us.  This year, Debbie brought a framed picture of her, the last picture taken of her and Debbie together, put it on the table and said her mother was there with us in spirit.  Although she was just days away from dying when that picture was taken, she still had a smile on her face.

I really enjoy target shooting anytime, but especially with Kenny.  You just never know what he is going to say, just before you pull the trigger, to throw you off target.   We have the perfect set up for a safe back drop to shoot.  It is a huge tree stump that fell years ago that still has mud and debris on the bottom that will slow down our ammo.  There is nothing but woods all around, but still it's nice to know we can have fun without worrying about how far a bullet can travel.

Some of the time I spent sitting in my favorite umbrella chair with an extension for your legs, just staring up at the clouds and the pine trees blowing in the breeze, something I rarely have time for back home.  It was during that time that I thought of my dad and his brothers and sister and my grandparents who lived and farmed on that very land so many years ago.  When I was a small child walking that land with family, it never occurred to me that one day, we would all gather there on an annual basis to be together and have fun for a couple of days.  If I am to be totally honest, I look forward to this trip, back in the woods, miles from civilization, more than I would an expensive luxury vacation to "where ever."