>>> I Am Grateful <<<

Hi. The last couple days I've just not been at all into the computer. Had a sore neck and headache so the light of the monitor hurt. Feeling much better today.

Today I had planned to write the Wordzzle, then wasn't able to do so. I had to find my license plate off my utility trailer, so was tied up in searching for that, and never did find it so can't insure the trailer until I do find it. Also I got company so couldn't just say "I gotta write. Just sit there and shut up while I do this." Dan called when he was off work cuz I had asked him for help. I got an entertainment center (nice one) off Freecycle and today was the last day she'd hold it for me, so needed his help to get it. Wanted to take the trailer, and ended up just going in the truck. Once it was home and unloaded we put it off to the side and covered it with a plastic tarp so I can clear a place in the house for it to go, then we'll move it in. There was a message on my machine from Mom about going out this evening. I'd forgotten, so good thing she called, I called her back. Then Dan & I went back into town in his little car to pick up water, I bring drinking water home by the big jug, and a few other things I needed (cat food, bird food, some me food). Getting in the door when we returned, the phone was ringing, Mom again. She & my sister Marcy were coming earlier than planned... YIKES, I still needed to shower and all that stuff. I got changed 3 times before I decided what to wear, how fancy should one dress for ones second cousin's 50th Anniversary?

I was actually ready, just putting water outside for Reba, when Mom & Marcy arrived to pick me up. About a 20 minute drive and we were at the hall where the 'party' was being held. We had a really nice time. There is a special story behind the connection with this family. At one point, they asked people to get up and tell a story about Bob & Mary, so I got up, took the mic from their son Travis, and told this story I'm about to tell you. (Geee, maybe I should check and see Raven's words for the Wordzzle and see if I can fit them into this story while still keeping it truth.... nope, not one will work here... sigh.)

I really don't remember what year it was, though it could be as much as 30 years ago, give or take a little bit. I was working at the Glass Plant and started dating a fellow that also worked there, Marcell. Well, he had a really good friend, Bart, and I met him & his girlfriend Nadine (became his wife). They were nice people, as were Bart's parents. They always went out to Sweet Cane Lake every summer and camped for the entire summer. One weekend, Marcell decided it would be fun to go out and visit them, I agreed, so we packed a tent, blankets & such onto his motorcycle and off we went.

That night we sat around the camp fire with Bart's family & I got talking to his dad, Bob. He said something about originally coming from Saskatchewan. I told him my dad was originally from Saskatchewan too, so he asked where. I rarely told people the name of the place as the town was very small and long since disappeared, so I usually say "near Biggar" or something like that... though for some reason I said "a little town no one has heard of called Valley Centre". Well, Bob brightens right up and says "I'm from Valley Centre. Ask your dad if he ever knew..." and he gave me a man's name, I'm not sure, but it was either his father or grandfather as it turned out later, though he didn't say so then. Next time I was visiting my parents I asked Dad, "Did you know... ". "Well of course I knew... Ask him if he knew...." another person from that area. It went back and forth like this a few times as information was gathered and excitement on both sides grew. It turned out that Bob's mother Jayne was my dad's first cousin!! They had lost contact many years (maybe 30 or more) past and had no idea where each other was, though had thought of each other over the years. Thanks to that night, JJ & Jayne were reunited, and though they are both gone now, they were very happy in their later years to be back in contact again.

I know Dad would have loved to be there tonight (he may have been, actually, in spirit). He loved meeting family, and tonight we did just that, Mom, Marcy & I. Thanks to me getting up and telling the story, several people came up to us later to talk.... all second cousins in one direction or another, lol.

Joe & Beth, my great grandparents, had several children: Albert, Olive, Iris, Joe Jr, Maybell; I think almost covers it. Olive was my grandmother, my father's mother. Joe Jr was Bob's grandfather, his mother's father. Tonight I met Bob's brother Joe and sister Reva. Joe Jr was also grandfather to another fellow I met tonight named Joe (Bob's first cousin). One of Iris's daughters was Betty and one of her daughters was Mary, tonight I met Mary for the first time. I remember Dad talked many times about his cousin Betty, and I even remember meeting her a time or two, though with us in BC and them in Saskatchewan, we didn't visit often. I do believe Dad & Mom were in contact with her throught their life times, though, through letters. A girl Dad went to school with, and he only went to grade 4, was his life long friend and still exchanges letters with Mom to this day.

Yup, it was fun & exciting this evening to again see Bob, Mary & their 'kids', see grand kids, and even a great grand baby boy, and to meet all these other relatives I had never known or known about even... and to know it all is thanks to that one night long ago, around the camp fire at Sweet Cane Lake.

- I am grateful for the wonderful evening I had tonight
- I am grateful I dated Marcell long enough to meet Bart & his family
- I am grateful for that night around the camp fire at Sweet Cane Lake
- I am grateful I played a part in getting Dad & his cousin back together after all those years
- I am grateful that our families are still in contact, knowing Dad & Jayne would be happy about that
- I am grateful we were invited and able to go to the Anniversary party
- I am grateful for the great food we ate
- I am grateful seeing for again seeing Bart, Travis, and their sister Janet
- I am grateful I got up and spoke, telling the story
- I am grateful to have met so many relatives we didn't know we had
- I am grateful I got names & contact info for my new/old second cousins and such
- I am grateful for time with Mom & Marcy on the drive to and from
- I am grateful for my 'new' entertainment center
- I am grateful the new entertainment center will help me organize my living room
- I am grateful to Dan for helping me bring the entertainment center home... it's extremely heavy
- I am grateful it fit into the back of my truck without having to take the canopy off
- I am grateful it was a sunshiny day today
- I am grateful for Freecycle
- I am grateful for the awesome book I'm reading
- I am grateful for your visit to my blog
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