Reunion wrap up

I'll make it short and sweet because that's what I do - once an event is over most of the time I don't really dwell on it unless I want to.

So the reunion banquet Saturday started at 5:30 - some of us laid by the pool a couple of hours in the day and then drifted off to get ready. The banquet hall was right next to the bar (clearly our home away from home for the weekend) so nobody had any separation issues, and of course that is where people congregated instead of actually going into the hall.. Two free kegs of beer and Chris pays for one in the bar. Anyway, earlier Saturday morning Benny and Tom and I had breakfast at a restaurant in Ontario and about mid day Tom was started to get sick. He ended up spending the rest of the day and night throwing up in his room, thereby missing the entire gig. Which I think he was fine with, except for all the vomitting. Oh and the people that kept coming in to his room to get beer from their cooler and to look at Benny's new stereo*. That probably sucked.

We had a really good turn out and people appeared to be enjoying themselves immensely. The food was good, the beer flowed, people chatted. We took some pictures (well, I didn't) and when the boys were gathering around Mom to take a group shot, Mom shoved Benny's chair out from under him and he fell, dumping an entire beer all over himself. She alleges she didn't mean to, and of course everyone blamed Chris at first, but it was a bummer for Benny (KIND of funny, in the way that kind of thing is, but still).

There really wasn't much of the anticipated drama from some members of my immediate family, so for once nothing happened that people will be talking about for years to come. I think it's good that everyone behaved themselves. You know, considering I'm the youngest at 43. For Pete's sake.

We had the hall until 10:30 and then a large group of us went next door to the bar and kept it busy until closing time (12:30). It helped having my cousin Dan, the Malheur County judge, in attendance as he made it crystal clear to the bartender that tonight he would not be closing early as he had in previous nights. After the bar closed, Dan, Benny and I went out to one of the picnic tables in the pool area (there was a cooler of beer out there as this was where Chris and others were smoking cigars) and continued talking. Benny left around 1:15, but Dan and I kept at it until around 2:15 when my bladder couldn't take it anymore. Long night but great conversation.

I like the connection that I have with family that is out that way. We have a long history in eastern Oregon and I was never really given the full scoop on it like I was Saturday night. I think it's important to know that stuff, or you can't pass it on. They're passing it on all over the place out there in the ranch country, but those of us on this side of the mountains have bigger mouths, so it's better that we know.

Sunday morning came quickly and we all had breakfast before the drive back. Matt and Crystal came with me and Tom, who was still sick and fighting the vomit urge the entire drive. I made excellent time and was happy to get home to the kits, who really didn't tear the place apart too badly. That's a plus.

I'm off the next couple of days - Jill, Chris, Cody and Lindsay have a beach house in Cannon Beach until Friday, and I might pop down there for the day tomorrow, if I get enough done around here today. It'll be nice to drive with the radio turned up high again.
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*This is a term used in conjunction with herbal refreshment. Back in the day, whenever Tom would take somebody out of the bar to his truck to, uh, smoke, we'd always say they were going out to look at Tom's new stereo. Get it?