It’s over – Our family reunion was yesterday. It was bittersweet. It was my last time hosting. The tradition gets handed down and the younger folks need to pick up the responsibility. Family is important. For many of my relatives, it’s the only time I get to see them.
Damn birds – The robins have a nest with eggs in the area where the seating was set up. If only they had waited another week it would have been easier for us all. Mama Robin was MIA all afternoon, (It was too peopley for her! My kinda bird!) After everyone left, she was back on that nest doing her thing.
Speaking of wildlife – There must have been a wildlife party in my yard the night before. It was full of deer poop. I had to clean some up so people wouldn’t walk in it (which wasn’t on my “to do” list!). The good thing is that it doesn’t smell.
My way of relaxing – After all the commotion and work of putting together a reunion, today is a day of rest. I got TWO mochas and may go to DSW to fondle (but hopefully not purchase) shoes. It’s my version of Xanax! We are catching our breath before we get a houseguest in the middle of the week.
Gratitude – I’m feeling very thankful. My family isn’t rowdy. No fights. No need to call the police. There was no bad news. We are all (somewhat) healthy and hanging in. Peace, love, acceptance. There is not much more we can ask for. (Okay, maybe winning the lottery but statistics say that doesn’t ensure happiness but dang I’d love to give it a try.)
So how was your week?
Deer poop? Really. They thought you didn’t have enough on your to-do-list. 🙂 I’m glad it went well and everyone had a good visit. Yes, downtown is needed before the next guest. Enjoy the 4th with maybe some take out.
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I’m pretty sure the deer were partying here the night before!
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Pingback: Random 5 for July 2, 2023 – All reunion-related random thoughts – Site Title
Hi, Kate – I’m so glad that your reunion went well (and that mama robin is back in her nest). Definitely bittersweet that this was your last time hosting. I love your family tradition of letting the younger gernerations take the reins.
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Our family has a party group. Unfortunately, I’m not one of them but I do enjoy The occasional outing. It’s more fun at someone else’s house though.
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So glad the reunion went well and mama robin is back in her nest. Sounds like a lovely time with your family!!
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It was. Aside from running around and not having time to talk to everyone, it was good!
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It’ll be calmer next year when someone else is hosting!!
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We have some great hosts in the family so I’m looking forward to it. Having hosted I try to be a thoughtful guest. I really should write a post on that.
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Yes, definitely! That’s a good topic 🙂
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Two mochas! 😆 It sounds like you deserved the extra pampering. I’m glad the reunion went well and that everyone had a good time. It is nice when people get along and no fights break out. That can’t be undervalued! – Marty
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I never did get shoe shopping but I took the day off from any real work!
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The reunion sounded lovely. I understand why it’d be bittersweet. Good to hear you had a wonderful time while they were all there, despite the pre-dear-poop clean-up.
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We’ve never had so much deer poop!
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Good luck with that houseguest-rumor had it that she steals the bathroom soap!
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I heard that too. I bought some disgusting stuff for her.
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Glad to hear everything went well, and it was a day filled with good company and new memories.
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Yes it was!
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Glad it all went well, Gracie must be pleased to have everyone gone. I’m still hoping for the lottery one day. It will probably be when I’m 89 and saying “What’s the point, now!?” but oh well. Rest up! you deserve it.
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Lottery — me too. If we do win it then, at least we don’t have to worry about running out of money before we die!
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True.
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Thanks for writing about the reunion with your usual good humor. I’m glad everything went well.
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It was bittersweet. I love hosting my family but my body gets tired. It was great to see everyone in person. I track some on Facebook but not everyone is on.
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What was the total head count, not including birds and deer?
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19. One family couldn’t make it or it would have been closer to 25. It’s not an overwhelming group but there is still a lot of work. We cleared out an area in the walkout basement just in case the weather turned rainy. Lots of planning and contingency planning but everything went perfect as planned.
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I am so happy everything went well, and I presume the cats survived, too.
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They always do! The last car isn’t out of the driveway and they are out whining for dinner! How do they know?
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“No fights, peace, love, and acceptance.” That sounds perfect. I’m glad your reunion was a success and that no one was seriously ill or worse.
I could use some more family time. One of my daughters, her husband, daughter and son-in-law have been away for 2 wks. on a cruise from Boston to Montreal with the son-in-law’s family. The only trouble with expanding the family is that you have to share with the in-laws. Oh well. They should be back tonight.
You must be enjoying watching the mother robin and her eggs. Yesterday I ran into a site with a webcam with mother and father storks and three big babies in a nest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen storks that weren’t cartoons.
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I can’t see into the nest. All I see it a head and a tail. So cute! Looking forward to having little chirpy birds! We are getting a big dose of family. My family at the reunion, this week my stepdaughter is coming east and next week the other stepdaughter will visit. Lots of mochas.
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Glad all went well except for the deer poop. 🙂
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And the robin’s nest. Don’t forget about terrifying the robin from sitting on her eggs.
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Sounds like a wonderful get together, despite the injection of wildlife. It does seem sad to pass it down to the next generation – after my grandmother died, my mom said “and now I am the matriarch of the family.”
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I remember my mother-in-law saying after her last aunt died “we are the old ones now.”
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I am reading a book now where the 20 something young woman refers to her mother and her mother’s friends as “olds” – they are only in their early 50s. That’s ridiculous!
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Someone who worked for me was explaining her mother was getting surgery. I asked how old she was and the employee said, “She’s really old. She must be 50!” At the time, I was in my middle 50s. So way old.
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Nice. I’d have had to bite my tongue. I’ve never heard of older people referred to as “olds” either. My journalism stylebook in college said in writing or speaking “only refer to someone as ‘elderly’ if they are 80 and above.”
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One of my mahjong players is well into her 80s. You wouldn’t know it and I’d never call her elderly. I use it when it gives me a discount! 🙂
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My friend Ann Marie turned 80 in December – gray hair – yes, but she looks and acts a good 20 years younger. I do that too. 🙂
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Glad everything went well and you had a good reunion. Looking forward to chick picks soon!
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Thanks!
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Peace, love and acceptance – what more could you ask for a family reunion? Well, maybe no deer poop. Happy shoe shopping!
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I was so exhausted I didn’t go shoe shopping. I did have 2 mochas though! 🙂
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I can understand how this last time hosting would be wonderful and bittersweet. You’ve done your bit for family now let someone else do the heavy lifting. Take it easy, hope you found some shoes.
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Passed on the shoes (but just for today!). Enjoying the happiness from yesterday and trying to get some energy back!
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Good to hear the reunion went well. Nice that the birds and deer and weather cooperated. Now people and cats that live at your house can relax and enjoy the day.
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Yes, we are enjoying nothingness! I just love nothingness.
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I’m so happy that everything went well (although Sasha and Mama Robin might disagree). I hope the younger generation takes up the mantle and continues the tradition. Those types of family get togethers are too precious to let wither.
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Me too. Time will tell. Mama Robin is a happy bird today. She is cooing to her eggs in the nest. She read that if she sings classical tunes while they are in vitro, they will turn out brilliant. 🙂
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So glad Mama Robin didn’t abandon her nest. That’s so upsetting. And you deserved THREE mochas for hosting so I admire your restraint.
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The robin nest was a worry on the day. Robin eggs have a 57% chance of survival and I didn’t want this nest to get abandoned on my watch but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. It was smack in front of the sliding doors where people came and went. We saw Mrs. Robin all afternoon. She was chirping at us and frolicking in the bird bath so I knew she stayed in the area. All’s well that end’s well.
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Good to hear the reunion went well… I just knew it would. So funny about the Mom Robin. Too peopley for her… Hahahah! For sure it didn’t turn out like a scene from The Birds. I would have never thought you would be dealing with deer poop!
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We occasionally see deer poop in the yard but only one blob at a time and rarely. They must have come through in a herd and all took a dump! It’s not smelly but still gets on shoes so you don’t want people dragging it inside or in their car.
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I was thinking of you earlier this morning and wondering how the reunion went. I’m glad to hear that it was a good time together and that everyone was in good spirits. Your family is quite lucky to have members who are willing to keep the tradition going. My grandparents took us to family reunions when we were young ‘uns, but nobody picked up the ball when the family members that organized it became too old to do so. Now the ‘families’ stick with their immediate family, but extended family (like cousins) has no contact with each other.
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That happened in my family too. I went to BIG reunions when I was a kid but I haven’t seen my cousins in decades. This reunion is limited to my brothers and me and their offspring.
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Glad the reunion went well and you and your family enjoyed some quality time together. Here’s hoping today is full of joyful memories mixed with some lovely chillaxin’ time for all your efforts.
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I was happy with everything (although I forgot to put out the barbeque sauce!). Weather cooperated and people were in good moods. You can’t ask for more then that (except for no nests and less deer poop!).
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I like to think of those two things as live entertainment and fertilizer. 😉
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And something that made this year stand out!
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Do most attendees live in the area? Or do they travel “over the river and through the woods” to attend?
Glad it went well with no need to call the police or for the cats to have a cat-niption!
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The longest distance is less than an hour. We have one in Wisconsin but that family rarely makes it.
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Oh goodie…..the reunion was a success even if Mom Robin had to patiently wait to return to her nest. Future reunions will be fun with others doing the prep and hosting I’m sure!
Hugs, Pam
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Hopefully! I didn’t mind hosting when I was younger but now I run out of energy! The food was spectacular. Probably one of our best reunions food-wise. Everyone brings something and it was creative this year.
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I’m glad the day went well, and also that the younger gang gets to pick up the reunion duty now. It’ll be easier and maybe more fun just to attend and not have to fuss for days and recover. Sasha votes for this as well.
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We have a walk out basement with a patio and we set up a canopy on the grass. It worked out well except for the carrying stuff up and down. My Fitbit was ecstatic to see almost 15K steps! I wish I could better socialize Sasha but at this point she is who she is. Jake was like that until he old. I think it was too much work to hide.
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Gotta keep that Fitbit happy. Though mine has been sitting on my desk for quite awhile now. It will have to manage without me for now.
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I know! Every week it sends me a sad message about you.
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