My Dad's Side....
On Thursday, Jeremy and I went to visit my Grandpa in the home. He had a stroke in April (I think) and has been receiving care in the home since then. He was overwhelmed by the people visiting - two of my brothers had already been by. He knew who I was, but didn't know my name. He was my Grandpa without the ability to get full sentences out all the time. I think he knows what he wants to say most of the time, but has a hard time getting it from his brain to his mouth. That's okay, I could tell he was happy and that was important.
In the late morning, we took all the little rascals to the splash park near our picnic pavilion. It is a real fun place. It is just a large cement pad with various water features - buckets that drop water on you, giant squirt guns you can aim, posts that spray water at you, and more. Some kids loved it, others were unsure of it and went for the swings. It was hot! I think the bank temperature display said 110F by afternoon. Sunny and hot, whew! After lunch (hot dogs and sandwiches), little kids went down for a nap, and older kids and some of us adults went swimming in either the hotel pool (near sleeping kids) or an outdoor pool near my aunt's house.
Thursday night was the official gathering time. A photographer came to take a family picture. I think there were 42 of us attending (3 were missing due to the upcoming birth of a baby). The picture hopefully turned out okay - it was so, so hot. I don't know how to describe it. We were all tucked in beside each other to fit in one picture, the humidity had moved in, it was still about 100F, and the wind was not present. The photo was finished and the feasting and fun began. This was one night where food was catered - bbq chicken, mac and cheese, potato salad, cole slaw, and delicious cake. After dinner, kids played in a baby pool (naked!), older kids played at the playground, and we old kids, played sand volleyball and sat and talked. It was a good night.
To be continued....
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