When Kids Fly

Today was the last of the " whole lotta legs" aspect of the family reunion. We went to bed last night with 72 legs in the house (20 people and 8 dogs) and we ended the day with 54 legs (15 people and six dogs). As of tomorrow evening, we will be working our way down further but it will be another week until we are entirely back to our normal leg count of 12. The leg count idea was Gabriella's pre-reunion offering and we loved it and ran with it for the entire affair.

The week started out with the back end of the floods, rolled right into a Class 8 windstorm and, then, progressed to a 54-hour power outage with no running water to be had. But through all of that, the importance of family love and fun and friendship remained front and center and top of mind. The week ended today with brilliant sunshine and near tropical breezes. The boats and the tubing and the water skiing and the KID TOSSES were non-stop (please note.....the kids beg to be tossed.......this is not punishment).

More air for my great-nephew Marshall in LARGE.

This has been a week that has meant so much to me and, while I am surely tired, it has been a delight to have my family with me for such a long time.

I am tired of saying it but I am also a guilt ridden Italian so I must say it again. I feel awful that I have been the beneficiary of so many wonderful comments and have only been able to give very few in return. And I have missed dearly your images and your words. But, this week has been planned for nearly two years and a man has to keep his priorities intact.