72 degrees this morning. Forecast for 100 degrees
Courter /Wherry Family Reunion is starting. We (Aliene, Angela, Kali, Katherine) came yesterday, Jerry and Margaret came in right after we got here.
Some rain early, but became very nice.
Went swimming last night, hope i didn’t get “swimmers ear”, I feel a little like it this morning in one ear. Nothing more annoying or hard to to get rid of. I haven’t had it for a long time, hopefully it is something temporary this morning.
For the first time in a long time, I ate “tacos” last night. They were a actually very good and a promotional .50 each! I resisted temptation and only ate four of them!
To me, in addition to a chance to catch up and visit, family reunions are somewhat like check points for me, as far as where I am in life. Children grow so fast, and even a year can make a major difference in a child, and a lot can happen for an adult also, although the changes may be less. I remember family reunions as a really high and memorable point, since we didn’t travel that much and it was something much different, plus it included people I have literally known my entire life.
I remember the first time I heard my family referred to as “itinerant” . I was shocked and almost ashamed for some reason. It seemed to have a bad connotation. (This was part of some kind of a study, I don’t even recall exactly how it came up). Of course, I realize we didn’t move all that much compered to some families, but we weren’t in one place all our life like many families in the small towns we lived in. I think we actually lived in four different places when I was growing up, however one of my younger sisters did go to a different high school each year. Maybe “searching” is a better term, as my Dad searched for the perfect job or community and actually didn’t find it until he retired. He wasn’t this ways until we moved from the farm, and I think he got tired of dealing with some of the people he had to deal with. Right or wrong, that was the way he felt.
I think that is one thing that bothers us about moving from Lakeland. We felt like we had truly found a “home”, both work, family, social and community. It was really the most difficult move I have made (psychologically, not physically), since I moved when I was in the 7th grade, my first major move that I can remember. I guess I invested more in Lakeland, primarily because of the residents and the investment they made in their community. That is also why the current deterioration of Lakeland into just an “anytown” bothers me.
Went to a city “music in the part” event last night, it reminded me of events like this when I was a child. The music continued, but kids played in the playground equipment, the wind blew soft, adults talked, listened to the music, danced and just enjoyed the beautiful weather. To me, that is something a city can do, enhance the community and make it more like a community. (Probably the Chamber of Commence and other organizations have something to to with this also.) They also have built an amazing water park for the community.
To me that is what a City should be, to improve life for the residents of the City and to solve public problems, not bark pandering comments aimed at the lowest forms of human emotions. What a shame for a fine community like Lakeland.
The summer is going fast, probably the fastest of any summer since the last year has included major changes in my life and the moving (and the waiting to see what happens before the move) has made the summer seem timeless. Another checkpoint I am rapidly approaching is my birthday. It will take me some time to learn to say my real age without thinking “am I really that old”? I don’t feel that old. Nothing wrong with being old (unless you are applying for a job when it suddenly disqualifies you for no other reason), just one of the stages of life.
I am fortunate I have attained the age I did and I appreciate every day of healthy life!
Looking forward to enjoying the family reunion. We are the early arrivals, people will continue to arrive (and depart) throughout the reunion, just like life. We come early and stay late, we are normally among the first to arrive and the last to depart. It is an enjoyable highpoint of my year.
That’s it for now, Friday, July 11, 2014.
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