Reuniting

I'm not sure how I am going to report this whole reunion thing, but it's probably more entertaining if I just give you my thoughts about it up to now.

So Thursday morning I picked up Tom and Cody (Chris's son) at around 6am and hit the road east. We decided to take the route through Burns since Cody has never been out that way and because I knew that by the time I got done with this whole weekend I would just be wanting to get the holy hell out of dodge, and the I-84 route is more direct. So we went over the mountain and through central to eastern Oregon. We actually made pretty good time until we got to Burns, which is about 2 hours east of Bend.

Just outside of Madras is the Crooked River Gorge, and they have built a new bridge over it, keeping the old one still intact but just not used. They have a nice rest stop there and I thought I was going to die if I didn't use the restroom, so we stopped and then walked around a little bit and took some pictures. So the deal is that in 1961 some broad threw her kids over the side of that bridge. I think she recently was up for parole, but look at that drop. She was denied.

We stopped in Burns and had lunch, then popped over to the Harney County Museum. My grandfather Grover Jameson was a big part of putting it together, and it is pretty big. Lots of stuff to see. If you ever find yourself out that way... I mean, it IS worth it. Driving in to Burns is like driving back in time.

After lunch we continued on our journey and stopped in Juntura, where my mom grew up. Cody and Tom took some pictures of my grandfather Martin Joyce's house and we spent about 20 minutes there (there really isn't much to see). Onward.

The drive from Juntura to Ontario takes you through yet another change in Oregon's varied landscape - you follow the Malheur River through crazy looking hills and it's neato and all that, but by this time I was getting a little punchy. Plus it's Mountain Time, so we lost an hour. We rolled into Vale about 4:15 and then into Ontario about 15 minutes later. My brother Pat was standing in the motor lobby when we pulled in - he flew into Boise from Cleveland earlier and had just arrived himself. We checked in and threw our bags in the rooms, then met at the bar for a beer.

Barbie came in just a little bit later - she brought my mom, Matt (my nephew) and his girlfriend Crystal with her. Maura and her kids were in another car behind Barbie about a half an hour later. My brother Joey and his wife Karen showed up around 7 or so, and we all sat in the bar and bs'd and drank beer until around midnight or so. You know, because I drink so much lately. Oddly enough it hasn't been that difficult for me to get back on the horse...

Yesterday, Friday, we had part one of the event - a barbecue at Helen Stanton's house (mom's first cousin). We set up earlier in the day, hot, sweaty, etc., and I intended to get a little rest before showering, but Chris and Jill had just arrived and wanted a beer, so I met them up at Tom's room. Benny arrived pretty much right away as well, and then Barry showed up not long after that. After a while we had about 14 people in Tom and Benny's room, drinking all their beer and hanging out.

Helen's gig started at 5:30 and I had to bring Barry, Benny, Tom and 10 bags of ice. I did my part. Whoever was on Mom detail forgot to get her, and by the time I pulled up to Helen's they all realized Mom wasn't with anyone so I had to go back and get her. Which actually was pretty funny. If you know anything at all about my family dynamic, it's flipping hysterical.

The barbecue was fun and afterward we all went back to our hotel and the bar there, and closed it down (it closes at 12, so it's not like anyone was pulling any all-nighters). Seriously I barely have a voice left and though I would normally blame it on the jagerbombs, I have so far only had four. Which should be surprising to most of you.

Today is the day of the event itself. I intend to go chill at the pool with Jill and Maura and then the games begin around 5:30. Certain pressures are starting to build, and I honestly believe there might be some sort of fiasco, but it wouldn't be a Jameson gig without it. We just have to remember this isn't a Jameson gig, but a Joyce gig. Maybe tonight I'll actually talk to some of them.