Room with a view

My nephew took this photo in Vegas I think. I like it.

Yesterday I stopped in my insurance agent's office to pay my insurance. The lady who has been there for a long time was busy so I went to the other lady. I usually always deal with the first lady. This gal was nice, we chatted. I am very chatty at times. After a while the first lady (no longer busy) came over to chat. We got on the subject of Boxers. They were both big dog lovers and the first lady had owned a boxer for years. It was uncanny but they knew somebody who had a boxer dog stolen about a year ago.

The first lady went back to her desk to call them and to pull up the pictures I had of Slade on-line. While she was dialing I sighed and told her I was going to a family reunion this week-end. She said, "So is my husband!" I said I was traveling to West Virginia. She said "So is my husband" and then her brain put two and two together. My last name happens to be the same as her husband's mother's maiden name. It dawned on her and her jaw dropped open.

When she said that, I wondered "Who?" She said his mother's name and I realized that was my Aunt. Oh, my. Of course she had passed - clear back in 1982. When we would visit my dad's relatives, we would go to the aunt that my mom was the closest to. That aunt would call all the relatives and if they wanted to visit, they would come to her house. I don't recall seeing this aunt ever. I guess she was not as close to my dad and mom as the others were. So, I did not know her children (some of my first cousins). She lived two blocks over and we would drive by her house and my mom would say "Your Aunt ___ lives there." I was young and never thought much about why we didn't see them. Something about the husband not liking drinkers and my dad was a big drinker. That probably had a lot to do with it.

She called her husband and we had a good laugh. I said I guess I'd see him Sunday. Then came to find out her son is on the same fire department as my brother. She knew many people that I knew and we talked for another hour. I have known this lady for over 10 years. Granted I only go in to pay my bill once in a blue moon but we always chat and laugh and have a good time.

Small world. The folks she knew who had the boxer stolen were not at home. I told her to give them my number. Yes, I have bonded with the boxer. But, if I had a dog stolen I would want to know what happened to him. I guess the folks had moved and had another boxer. Must not have been theirs because I have not heard from them. I just always wondered where he came from and what happened. I guess it will remain a mystery to me.

I'll be taking the dogs to the boarder in a couple of hours. People should start arriving at my house shortly after that. A huge group of my family stay in the same motel and we will party on the patio tonight and swim. Then tomorrow is the reunion at the shelter house. Most of us stay an extra night because we stay to clean up. Then it is back on the road home on Monday.

I have heard that a few of the folks who went last year are not coming this year, (we have four from our group not showing but two new ones coming) but I have also heard there are other new ones coming this year (such as my insurance agent's husband and his siblings). My agent can't make it. This is our 2nd one. We had 125 last year.

I am usually so busy helping with the auction, the 50/50 drawing, placing food on the tables (the food, my God - the food!) that I don't get a lot of time to actually meet people and find out what line they are from. I am going to put forth an extra effort this time. More pictures, more pictures!