before the reunions began.
On the 16th, we gathered together in a nearby park for an extended family Hall reunion. This is Gary's dad's siblings and families. This is the first one organized in over 30 years as far as anyone could remember. We have had a few deaths of siblings in the past year and we decided at one of the funerals that we should get together for a reunion. We said we would help. It turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a good turn out. We ate, talked, and we shot rockets, a big hit with the great grandchildren generation (and some of the not so young generation--think Gary and his cousins). One of Gary's cousins reported on some family history projects which started a disagreement between the three remaining siblings about an old family story about Grandpa Jick Hall (Gary's grandpa). It was interesting to watch and I am sure would happen in many families. As childhood stories are told and retold to different chidlren, things are remembered differently over the years. I guess that is why we all should be writing journals. I didn't brng my camera so I took lots on Gary's mom's camera.
From start to finish the reunion took 4 hours on a Saturday. Most people live within 2 hours or so which makes a Saturday doable...unlike the following weekend............when the Gibersons gathered.
First we had a mini-Giberson reunion when on the 16th, my brother, Rick, and sister-in-law and their children stopped over for the night as they were on the way to a reunion for her side of the family. They attended that reunion for four days, drove to the Grand Canyon over night last Thursday and then made it to the Giberson reunion in Mesa on Friday for three days and then back to Dallas. That is a lot of driving and "reunioning" for 11 days.
As part of the Giberson reunion included a Pinewood Derby, Saturday evening became pinewood derby construction zone. We worked on ours and they built their six as well. It was quite a production. I made my first very own Pinewood Derby car. I know that it is a weird thing to want to do but I always had wanted to make one. Probably some repressed envy from when my brothers made theirs years ago................. Using a pocket knife (the old fashion way), I carved the hood and made a replica of our old green station wagon packed for a trip. Pictures will be posted later.
One more item off the bucket list---pinewood derby car check. :)
Monday through Wednesday was spent finishing preparing for the Giberson Reunion. We hold a reunion every three years a tradition which started sometimes in the early '90s as our families grew larger and the spaces between us was greater. This year it was held in Mesa, AZ where my sister Valerie and yes, it was hot. Read more in the reunion posts.
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