Family Reunion

Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I complain bitterly about missing my family, now that I live in the (mostly) Frozen North. So, it was with no small joy that I met up with them at our first ever family reunion in Cherokee, North Carolina. It was a great time, with lots of laughter, s’mores, good beer (from Wisconsin), and one intense Bingo game. I even gave a fireside knitting lesson. My only complaint was that it was way too short. Plans are already in the works for another one next year.

This get together was orchestrated by my brother and sister-in-law, amazingly, while he was doing a tour of duty in Iraq and she was the sole care-taker of their three kids, one of them a newborn, Carmen. We were based in a campground in Cherokee, which allowed everyone to have their choice of abodes: primitive (only me and Chris took the tent option), camping trailer, or a cabin on the river. We had a host of activities available, including tubing down the river (this is a must if you are under the age of 16), horseback riding, hiking or lounging by the pool. Chris and I went hiking along with my Aunt Fran, my sister, Rosie and my sister-in-law, Terry. We attempted to hike Cold Mountain (of the book and movie fame), but fell short of the peak by a mile or two as the sun was setting and decided to turn around while we still had light. Here are some pictures of the reunion in no particular order. Mouse over for a description of each picture.