Family Visitors from Oregon!

 We are so excited to have Uncle Earl and Aunt Donna here, along with My brother Mervin and sis-in-law, Ila. I can't remember when Earl and Donna were here last. Maybe Grandma's funeral back in 2007.

  Their visit of course brings reflection, because it has been so long since I have spent time with them. I have so many, many fond memories. Most make me laugh :)
    I remember that when we were in Oregon, without fail, whenever we got in the car to leave Earl's house with Donna in the car she would always squeal, "Don't back in the pond!, Don't back in the pond!"

  The time we flew in, we thought about staying longer. Some one said, we'd have to call the airport and Earl says, "I'll call the airport for you." He walked to the door and stuck his head and yelled, "Airport!"

  The boys would come in the house and turn on the music, Grandma Kropf would always crank it down,whenever she got the chance.Somewhere there is a recording on Tape of an evening at Earl's that the boys recorded. You can hear Grandpa Kropf's deep singing Bass voice. and who knows what else!

  We had way too much fun.......Tebo used to call my parents Grandpa and Grandma even though they were his aunt and uncle....... Ernie and Darwin dyed Donna's poodle pink.......The nights of singing with Earl until midnight. While he played guitar and we begged for all our favorite songs.
 Oh, and I will never forget.One morning Grandma wanted to fry some eggs so she sent one of the boys to the chicken coop for eggs. The eggs were delivered promptly to the kitchen and Grandma set to work but Oh no! uh-oh. There was a chick in that egg, next one produced the same result.....Enter Aunt Donna into the kitchen, and she's like, "What!? those boys brought you eggs with chicks in?, I can get you better eggs then that!"
   So off she goes to the coop herself and comes back with more eggs. "There," she says, handing them to Grandma, "These will be better."
  Grandma gives it another go and breaks open the egg for the frying pan. Opps! more baby chicks!
Awww! Donna, I hope you forgive me!...But those things are what great memories are made of.

  Fast forward 30 years later...everyone is getting old, or older. Grandpa & Grandma Kropf are gone, Tebo is gone. Mom has dementia, In a sense she's gone too. The Mom that used to put up with all our shenanigans with a hearty laugh. Today I can almost not remember that Mom. She is just a shell of what she used to be. She seems so bewildered sometimes. Like she doesn't quite know what is going on around her.

  I think she did know Earl and Donna today. But she has emotions she doesn't know what to do with. She cries easily. Instead of being overjoyed when she sees them she wants to cry, why? I don't know. Does she know she isn't right anymore and it makes her cry? Does she have brain fog and things are so unclear to her. I don't know.

  When Tebo died, she was so determined to go out to Oregon for his funeral. I believe she would have went if it killed her. She wanted to drive straight through by car. I knew she couldn't do that even back then. So they finally went on the train. I am still amazed she was able to even get on the train. But she had heart ties there that couldn't be denied.
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Today she is here with me while Pop is working at the dump. She was just sitting so I asked her what she wants to do. She looked a little surprised and shook her head, like she was fine just doin' nothin'. I gave her our wedding picture album that I had gotten out for LaDawn to see. It was sooo interesting. She would look at the pictures and put her finger on every picture of me. Very heartwarming!

  Then because everyone is here to attend the funeral of Curtis Kauffman, I pointed him out to her. She brought the book very close to her face to see him and then started to cry. She cried then over pictures of Grandma and Grandpa Kropf and a picture of Verna Kauffman. I wonder if she knows they are gone and misses them or if she wonders why they never come around anymore. Once more......I wish she could talk.

 Uncle Earl with Mom

 Something is really funny here! Aunt Donna & my sis-in-laws Ila and Donna

 Uncle Earl

Pop and Galen