For the last couple of days I have been absorbed by meeting relatives. This is all a reunion for the Rindahl-Hayward clan. Ted Rindahl and Blanche Hayward got all of this started in the mid 1930s. Ted and Blanche had six children (surviving infancy) who are all with us. Five made it to the reunion (thank you Covid kept one away). And among the 20 odd children of those six children there were cousins from each of them. My Mom was the first, the oldest of the six children and I am her first born making me the oldest of the_cousins. As a result I met a few of them for the first time this weekend. Others, mostly of the older ones, we caught up in sporadic bits and pieces. When you have sixty or so people gathering time to really catch up with (in my case) cousins.
Billings? you might ask. Why Billings? Over the years reunions have taken place in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, and other places in between. Mostly to celebrate the 70th birthday year for each of the original six kids. This year it was getting together to just get together. Three women had the idea and inspiration. They sent out alerts to all of us. They set up three big meals for all of us to meet each other. And we have until it is too late.
It seems that tonight I will be getting a copy of a photo. It comes from an old friend of my, Mom. In the photo she is bottle feeding an infant, me. This print is now 63 years old. Childhood and relatives – those people remember each other through all the years.
I do not know when we will all gather again. But you know where I will be when it happens.
— MichaelRpdx :: rm :: 2022-06-19