Off to Minnesota

Has it really been ten days since I posted last? I guess nothing significant has happened. I've been mostly sitting here knitting, with windows open and fans on. I closed the windows and turned on the A/C Saturday when Alyssa and Stephen were on their way to bring me a hide-a-bed sofa and to take Lexi's bed and a few other things. I'll leave the A/C on until I leave tomorrow for Minnesota.

My sister Pauline and brother-in-law Mac will arrive this evening, and we will leave tomorrow for a family reunion in Minnesota. No idea how long we'll be gone. These reunions (Mother's side) have happened every four years since 1958.(Once they had one after three years; that's how they got to be in uneven-numbered years.) I've gone several times, but also missed several. Eight years ago I drove up by myself, mostly staying off the Interstates. It was a lovely drive. I stayed home four years ago, and would have this time also if Pauline and Mac hadn't invited me to ride with them. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Mom was number six of twelve children; only the two youngest are still with us. Number nine, Nina, whom we all have wonderful memories of, died a couple of months ago. Florence and Richard are something like 87 and 84. Then we start with the cousins, who range in age from 82 down to 46. I recognize the cousins, but when we get to the next generation - forget it.


A cousin on Daddy's side is going to try to get some of those cousins together while my sisters and I are up there. (My other sister, her daughter, and her two grandsons will be there, too.) Daddy and his six siblings have all been dead for several years. Since those seven were all within nine years and three months for each other, rather than the 25-year span in Mother's family, we cousins are not spread out so much in age - 73 down to about 55. There aren't quite as many of us either - 22 Rosses, 31 Liens.

I have a few more things to do today - finish packing (both my suitcase and my knitting bag - I should be able to get a lot done, sitting in the back seat), get all the trash out of the house (don't want any of it starting to smell bad while I'm gone), run the dish washer after I have my lunch (don't want it to start smelling either). Alyssa should be here sometime to get a few more things, including her cat and Lexi's turtle. Last week, Lexi went to Panama City, FL with her dad and a couple of his friends. She came back with a little turtle. She (and it) spent Saturday night here, and we left it here when we went to church yesterday. After church, we met Alyssa, Stephen, Devon, and Stephen's parents in Metropolis for lunch at a Chinese buffet (Yum! I love the way they do vegetables.) Lexi went home with Alyssa, so her turtle is still here. I didn't know where she had put it, so it took a few minutes for me to find it - I guess Ginger (cat) had knocked it off the shelf onto some stuffed animals that were sitting on the floor. The cage had not opened, so the turtle is still OK.