I had never been to Texas save the airport in Dallas. That doesn't count. I consider airports like Switzerland......neutral territory. You can't say you have been somewhere until you have walked down the street and smelled the city......or feedlot....or sea air....depending on where you go. Texas is big country so this is a long post.
I was voted the "Unofficial Secretary of the Board of Trustees" for the reunion this year. I have been working on a news letter and decided to use some of that for my post.
Another awesome B-L family reunion has come and gone. This years’ gathering was held at the home of D, J, and D. B. in Canyon, TX. The festivities were held from June 30Th to July 4Th, though most of the people headed home on the 3rd. Here is a little history.....
When L B passed away in 1995(?) and everyone got together to remember his life, the subject of getting together under better circumstances came up. So the following year (1996?) the first reunion was held. Since no one was seriously injured that first go round, they thought it would be fun to do it again...and again…and again...and so on. So here we are in 2011 trying to get a little organized and keep the tradition alive. The following is a synopsis of the weekend.
People began arriving in Texas on Thursday June 30Th. The horseshoe pits were put together and the old rivalries surfaced. The crew stayed up late throwing shoes and enjoying each-others company…..and a few choice beverages. My crew drove all night to get down there. We were making good time until Dad got picked up while trying to pass someone who apparently did not know what cruise control was. Luckily the officer was feeling generous and only gave him a warning.
Friday July 1st brought the early arrival of more kin and the mission to find them a bed to flop into was priority. Once everyone was some-what rested the baking began. D, M, L, H, and I spent the day baking. Aside from the first batch of rolls that some-one, names are not important…… D and H…..forgot to put yeast in the dough, everything turned out fabulous. To their credit, the rolls were still delicious and were all eaten by the end of lunch.
Something happens when these women get together and the flour flies. It’s a thing of beauty. Big golden rolls, sweet monkey bread, and cinnamon rolls that almost make you cry. These however were eaten so quickly their efforts were almost futile........... delicious, but futile.
As the day progressed the murder marbles were dug out, the ladder golf balls were thrown, the dice were rolled, and the shoes were tossed. Occasionally we lost a few who could not resist the temptations of the beautiful surroundings and adventured into the canyon. They always managed to find their way back about “bean time”, led home by the grumblings in their bellies.
Saturday July 2nd started off with a bang, somewhat literally, as the bread dough burst out of the bowl. More baking ensued and a breakfast of French toast was prepared. Peter,Carter some other cousins, and I got lost going to the Amarillo Zoo. It was OK though, it provided ample napping time for the little ones and they were ready to run around and see the animals at the zoo. J said they were doing some renovations and updating the facilities to make the zoo a better attraction. They still have some work ahead of them but it was a very nice zoo. It is a perfect size for little kids. Not so big that they get tired before they see everything.
Back at the house the festivities were in full swing. The kitchen was brimming with bodies making salads for the big meal of the day. Outside the sun was sweltering, but the shoes were still flying. People were pairing off and practicing for the annual horseshoe tournament. In all, there were around 14 teams. R made 3 wooden horseshoes for the prizes.
There was a light rain shower in the middle of the tournament, but that did not hinder the play. Dad and M took first place for the second year in a row, winning the highly coveted, largest wooden horseshoe, which my Dad proceeded to wear around his neck the rest of the day. Second place went to S and L and winning third place by a coin toss were R and T. In the evening before the steak dinner we gathered in the yard for a family picture. We ate a wonderful steak dinner with a vast array of salads. The festivities went on well into the night with ladder golf, marbles, and beverages.
Sunday over mugs of coffee we held our annual "Board of Trustees" meeting. The board consists of anyone who shows up and states their ideas or opinions. Plans hashed out and meeting adjourned we all got ready for church and finished packing things up. after church we loaded up the car and went to lunch.
If you win I believe you get a t-shirt, the glory of saying you did it, and get to skip out on the $180+ bill. I believe Adam beat it.......if you search for video the guy next to him looks like he is not going to make it much longer without hurling. Anyway we wanted to eat lunch there. No there would be no 72oz steak for any of us. The food was pretty tasty, the atmosphere was.....rustic.
As we were getting ready to leave a young man stepped up to the challenge. I took his picture and wished him luck.
I checked the website and I do not think he was successful. It is a lot of food!
Carter did an awesome job for such a long road trip. We rolled into home about 1 am and flopped into our beds shortly after. Carter thankfully slept the rest of the night. It was another great reunion spent with some of the best people I know. Thank you to everyone for coming. Thank you also to D, J, and D for the use of your beautiful home and your gracious hospitality.
There was a light rain shower in the middle of the tournament, but that did not hinder the play. Dad and M took first place for the second year in a row, winning the highly coveted, largest wooden horseshoe, which my Dad proceeded to wear around his neck the rest of the day. Second place went to S and L and winning third place by a coin toss were R and T. In the evening before the steak dinner we gathered in the yard for a family picture. We ate a wonderful steak dinner with a vast array of salads. The festivities went on well into the night with ladder golf, marbles, and beverages.
Sunday over mugs of coffee we held our annual "Board of Trustees" meeting. The board consists of anyone who shows up and states their ideas or opinions. Plans hashed out and meeting adjourned we all got ready for church and finished packing things up. after church we loaded up the car and went to lunch.
There is a certain beauty to Texas.
If you win I believe you get a t-shirt, the glory of saying you did it, and get to skip out on the $180+ bill. I believe Adam beat it.......if you search for video the guy next to him looks like he is not going to make it much longer without hurling. Anyway we wanted to eat lunch there. No there would be no 72oz steak for any of us. The food was pretty tasty, the atmosphere was.....rustic.
As we were getting ready to leave a young man stepped up to the challenge. I took his picture and wished him luck.
I checked the website and I do not think he was successful. It is a lot of food!
Carter did an awesome job for such a long road trip. We rolled into home about 1 am and flopped into our beds shortly after. Carter thankfully slept the rest of the night. It was another great reunion spent with some of the best people I know. Thank you to everyone for coming. Thank you also to D, J, and D for the use of your beautiful home and your gracious hospitality.
