Family Reunion

Today was the "family reunion." This is my maternal grandfather's side of the family.

When we arrived, it looked like few would attend, but by the time we left at 1:30 p.m., there was about 60 people there.

Most of them are related on Aunt Ruth's side. Aunt Ruth is my great-aunt, my grandfather's sister.

My grandfather died in 1976 at the age of 56 (the same age as my mother, his daughter, actually). He had a heart attack. He worked for Kroger and was about 2 months short of drawing some particular kind of benefit, even though he'd been there for 30 years; at any rate, my grandmother received nothing from the grocery chain and we all stopped shopping there. My grandmother brought up her last two boys on Social Security.

Aunt Ruth used to own a hotel and diner in Elliston called the Blue Jay. We used to pile in the car and go up there for Sunday breakfasts. I loved the blueberry pancakes.

So I went to see Aunt Ruth, who is 90. She lives about 100 miles away and I don't see her often. I talk to her on the phone about twice a year. I have a fondness for her, I think because of the pancakes...

Anyway, I know few of the cousins that I see at these reunions. Never have I "hit it off" with one of them, a fact that leaves me scratching my head. Shouldn't at least one of them become my bosom buddy? But I guess not. We're quite varied in age, for one thing, as well as geographical location.

My grandfather has one other sibling still living: Uncle Max. I didn't even know Uncle Max existed until a few years ago when he came to one of the reunions. Apparently he and my grandfather had a falling-out and I never met him until 40 years later. He seems like a very nice man.

There were many siblings in my grandfather's family - Roy, Ruby, Clara, Charlie ... possibly others. I am thinking there were eight of them so I am leaving someone out if that is the case.

My grandfather has six children; my mother was the eldest. My mother had two children; I am the eldest.

I have no children. The line stops here. Well, not really, because my brother has two kids.

I am rambling so I will stop now.