July 3 & 4 Matney (Bess' side) and Greenleaf (Al's side) cousins reunion

    Both days we spent time having lunch, visiting and exchanging pictures and memories.  Sunday afternoon Tom played and sang for an hour or so.  Both evenings we ate dinner at restaurants.  21 years ago one side had a reunion in a park.  It was 98 degrees with 95% humidity and lots of bugs.  Those of us who hadn't lived with humidity for years were miserable.  Linda and I decided we weren't doing that this time.  It wasn't as hot this week, but humid and there was some rain Sat nite and Sunday.  These plans were perfect.
    We all had so many laughs and tears and decided we will do this again in a year or two.  It had been 21 years since I had seen a lot of these kids and since our wedding 41 years ago for at least one.  Both sides of our family were so very close when we were young and there were some of us that were more like brothers and sisters instead of cousins.  There are so few aunts and uncles left and we enjoyed stories about them.  Imagine them talking about my dad's jokes and stories he always told!  They all loved him dearly then and now.

On Linda's 60th birthday

opening her Middle Sister wine.  Label has 3 women stick figures,

with the middle woman having red hair

Ev, Linda, Brenda, Bess