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Tomorrow, Friday, my oldest daughter, Motherhubbard, her 4 children, and my one other grandson go to my Dad's family reunion. We are all very excited about the 4 hour trip to the Arkansas Delta region. My grandchildren will see cotton fields for the first time and know what it's like to fight mosquitoes. We are looking forward to seeing my brothers, their cousins, and my only living Aunt and my four remaining Uncles.
Since there are no motels in the town where I grew up, we will spend Friday
night in the next town west of my hometown in a Holiday Inn with an indoor pool. Mosquitoes do not allow for an outdoor pool in the delta. We are hopeful that the swim will wear the kids out so they will rest well and we will be able to get some sleep, too. We will breakfast in the resturant then head east for 27 miles to my hometown.
I'm afraid that the children will get a little bored, but that's part of it. We'll meet at the American Legion Hut at 11:00 am to have a pot luck lunch then we will all just sit/stand around and talk and visit and take pictures just like the ones we took last year. So many will not be there, but the ones who are will have a grand old time. They'll hug everyone, even the ones they don't know and ask who you belong to (father, mother, grandparents, etc.). It'll be so damn hot we won't be able to stand it inside or out. There is air conditioning but with the kids and smokers running in and out it just won't cool the place. Someone will lead us in about the silliest song ever made up to the tune of My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean about our family. I hate that song but we always sing it with great gusto and laughter.
Someone will put a cigar box out to collect money for the cemetery where my Papa, Grandma, Dad, Great Grandparents, and several aunts, uncle, cousins of varying degree are buried. It's an old cemetery called Lower Cane Island that sits out in the middle of a cotton field. After everyone begins to leave, my Aunt and Uncles, some cousins, Motherhubbard and I will clean the Legion Hut and leave it the way we found it. I'll gather large pine cones from the 3 large pine trees that are in the yard of the Hut ( I gather some every year and never do anything with them) and we'll head off to visit all the graves in the area of all the relatives who weren't able to attend. But first, we'll drive through the very small town I grew up in so my grandchildren can see how damn lucky they are to live in THIS beautiful area! I look forward to seeing everyone and visiting the small town where I grew up, but it’s such an ugly place. No trees to speak of, no wild life, no rocks, (honest, they have to ship rocks in) just cotton, sand, mosquitoes, and heat. It’s no wonder most everyone moved away from there. Even before I go to visit, I look forward to coming home. This trip will really make my family appreciate our decision to move to the Ozarks.
Have a great weekend and stay cool.