Family Reunion

By the time you read this, you will know that I have been gone for a few days to visit family in Ohio; more precisely, to attend a Meister Reunion in Mansfield with Diane and my sister and brother-in-law.  It’s been about ten years since we attended one of these annual affairs.  In the interval, my oldest uncle and an aunt have passed away.  My grandparents had 11 children, Al, Liz, Jacob, Ruth, Viola, Walt, Barb, Dick, Don, Jim and Bobby (not in that order though).  Those folks produced 31 of us cousins.  Only Barb and Jim survive as aunt and uncle (plus a couple of spouses).  I am excited about seeing my cousins, especially the group of boys who were born in a two-year span; seven of us.  There are pictures of us from the 1950’s at Grandma’s for Christmas and on the swing set in someone’s backyard.  I suspect we were a handful whenever we were together.  One of my favorite cousins from “the group” died before he had chance to live a full life.  He was a baker who worked for Dunkin Donuts.  He was removing a tray from one of the racks when he apparently lost his balance and fell through a plate glass window.  Two others of the cousins have passed as well.  I have lost track of how many children the cousins have brought into the world, but it’s a bunch.  Hopefully Diane and will get the information we need to complete a genealogy for my cousins that traces our ancestors back to Switzerland and Yugoslavia/Germany. 

Families are interesting: sometimes loving and caring, sometimes not so much; sometimes close knit and sometimes not so much.  In any case the members are still family and connected in ways that are not always clear.  Reunions are a way of reminding us of our connections and mutual heritage.

Of course, while we are there, we will visit the German meat market, the German bakery and some friends that I haven’t seen for a very long time.  I can smell the smoked garlic sausage already and taste the poppy seed strudel.  Most of the German places my father used to take me on our Saturday morning grocery shopping trips are no longer there.  Modern supermarkets have become the norm, but a few survive and try to support them when I can.  I will buy some Jones potato chips while I’m there as well.  They are a local company that has purchased some other chip makers, but the originals are the best…at least that’s what my memory tells me!

Have a great week! See you Sunday!

Until then – peace.