The Family Reunion Et Al

Well... lots to talk about as we try to get back 

into some kind of normal routine. 

Here was Lilly Ann on Thursday, as Chris and I did chores. 

Yes, indeedy, she has caught ANOTHER starling. 
What a dog!

Cracks me up. 

The weather was good and these two were enjoying a comfortable nosh in the afternoon. 

Friday morning brought this: 
The Plane That Went Nowhere

Notice the prop under the wing? 

We were to take off at 11:30.... and we actually flew on a completely different plant at 
5:30, yes, that's right... 5:30!  I was at the airport from 10 AM to 5:30, folks, trying to get 
to the family reunion.  

Part of the brake system was not working... so I guess it's good they were thorough. 
They finally brought a second plane in from somewhere else to ferry those of us who 
were left at the airport to their destinations.  The frequent fliers all jumped up and got on other flights. 
I had not flown in ten years.  I was pulled out of line and checked by some means... wiped on my hands, I guess to see if there were bomb-making materials on them. 

As if that didn't scare me enough, by the time we got into the air, it was getting dark, so I landed at the 
gigantomous Bush Intercontinental Airport in the dark. 
Thank God I had been able to charge my dying phone in KC... because I was able to 
connect with Keith and find him. 

I was so tired, we went straight to the hotel and I didn't even get to see the relatives... and poor Keith had waited all afternoon at the airport for me.  I ate a Banquet pot pie for dinner, cooked in the microwave in our room. 

That's a TRAIN coming towards us!  For crying out loud, Dorothy, you're not in 
Tonganoxie any more! 

Saturday, we met the family at the Rice University/Old Dominion Baseball game. Keith's nephew, PJ, plays for the ODU Monarchs.  The Rice campus was gorgeous... go Owls.... but we got lost in the middle of Houston due to some bad directions (Dan!) ... and trust me folks, I'm askeered of the big city traffic now. 
Keith kept a cool head and a keen eye, I don't know how he did it.  Thanks to some nice folks walking along a street with their baby and dog, we got turned around.  Thanks also to Loretta Goodin, my sister in law's cousin, who lives there, who was on the phone to help us out. 

This is Ralph and Trudy Yoder, Keith's parents, playing with baby Carson, born just before Christmas, and his dad, Jesse.  

This will also crack everyone up... the first game went to a tie of 2 to 2.  
They played 8 innings of  overtime!!!!!

Rice won. 

Then, the boys took a break and changed uniforms, and they played a second game (which was really like a third) because rain was expected on Sunday, and they wanted to get the games in.  
The kids took all the little kids "home" to where they were staying with their cousins.  Keith and I finally boogied at the fifth inning of the "second" game so we didn't have to drive clear across Houston in the dark. 

We met everyone else at his brother's house (Dan) at about 8:00 for barbecue and talk and pictures. 

Okay, maybe some of the pictures are a little blurry. 

However, there are some very good ones on our big camera, which I will download tomorrow. 
You see, Keith DROVE home from Houston, and very unexpectedly got here at 6 PM tonight... he is wiped out and in bed already... but happy.  I will download the pictures from the big camera and show you a bunch of happy Yoder descendents tomorrow. 

Here's one of them though, who missed the group shot: 

Hudson Dane Yoder and Brynn Allison Lamb partied too heartily and were down with the count when we took the group shot. 

The tiny cousins had a blast with each other, though. 

And "Papaw 'Oder" got to play a lot with his big grandson, Jace, who took his 
first airplane ride in stride.
(We all got sunburned at the game!)  

These are not Texas elephants.  My dear cousin Mary Frances aka Fuh Fuh, picked me up at the airport... and we sat in her living room to visit for a few minutes. 

I looked at her shelves idly... and sprang out of my seat... 

These were elephants my dad brought home from World War II.  At one time, 
my mom sold a whole bunch of stuff of hers and my dad's to my Aunt Mary,
Fuh Fuh's mom.  These elephants, long lost to me, were among them. 
Mary thought they were a resin of some kind, but they were carved, though I have forgotten the whole story. 
Dad was in the South Pacific... and I think they were bought in the Phillipines, but of course, the 
Person Who Would Remember, my sister Kathleen, is gone now. 
There was a third elephant... a black teak one... and a small brass one. 
I think those two are gone for ever. 

My cousin gave these to me.  Keith has not noticed them yet, though they are in a place of honor in the living room tonight.  They will be packed away gently and go to the new house with us, where they will be on display.  If you biggify that picture, you will see their life-like eyes. 

Precious to me, and I am so grateful to my cousin. 

I came home to the little Houdinis gamboling in the pasture... the ducks sunning themselves, chickens running around everywhere... it was so good to be back!  
I am so happy in my own back yard, is that so bad? 
Even though that back yard is going to be a new one... I will still be happy with my "things" and my pictures and my memories.  And a few chickens.