A magical vacation I couldn't have planned

I finished a vacation on Wednesday two weeks ago, and I was exhausted. It was the most exhilarating week I'd experienced in some time - some of it unplanned.

On Wednesday the week before, we started preparing for the family reunion at my place on Saturday, Aug. 1. We called it a mini-reunion, but it wasn't.

Since Mom and Dad's marriage in Billings, Mont. in 1937, there have been 114 members born into the family. The reunion required some work.

Meanwhile, I got a phone call from Norman Cochran, a tuba player in the Air Force Band of the Pacific Northwest, in which I played baritone horn in the 1960s. He and his wife would be in Seattle from Aug. 1-4. Pat and I agreed to drive there on the 2nd.

The first reunion event was a spaghetti feed at brother David's house in Sunnyside on Wednesday evening. Brother Richard, his wife, his daughter and two grandchildren had arrived from Florida.

Thursday Pat made 192 polvorones. I started making tortillas for Saturday's breakfast, and we did some yard work. Friday we did more of the same, then about 35 of us appeared at David's for a 6 p.m. barbecue.

About the same number came to our place at 7:30 p.m. for movie night. We enjoyed McFarland, USA, which reminded us of growing up.

At David's, I got a call from Tim Mensinger, who had played French horn in the same band. In less than a minute, another voice came on. It was Charlie Williams, who had played clarinet.

Tim and Norm said they'd be coming to my place on Sunday. Great! After four days of reunion in 100-degree weather, I'd be glad to stay home.

We reminisced. I asked if they knew anything about Jim Moody of Maine. He had moved to Seattle, they said, and Charlie has his phone number.

I had participated in Jim's wedding back then, and we were close friends. I had searched for him repeatedly on the Internet, but he was out west while I was looking east.

Regarding the reunion, I told the cooks to be at my house at 7 a.m. on Saturday to start preparing the 9 a.m. breakfast. Sisters Fran and Jen arrived at 6 a.m. After one look at my tortillas, they started making new ones.

Richard arrived just after our sisters. We started peeling potatoes for about 40 people, just like the old basic training days - Army for him.

Rich's daughter Dana arrived and my daughter Jenny woke up at about 6:30. Their job was to learn the art of tortillas for future reunions.

We sat down to a breakfast of tamales, eggs with chorizo, fried spuds, refried beans, tortillas and Kool-Aide. It was back to the 50s and 60s, but the meal was lacking its usual kick. Someone forgot the hot sauce and pickled jalapeños.

We cleaned up and did a little more prepping for the evening session. Then we all went to Grandview for niece Terry Beth's wedding. While the rest of the 70 or so of us in attendance remained for the reception, Pat and I went back home to finish preparations.

At 4:00, our guitar entertainer, Alberto Moran of Mattawa, showed an hour early. At 4:30 Pat headed for Yakima to get some lemonade mix and the nearly $600 family order from Miner's. She was supposed to return with the food at 6 p.m. but made it by 5:30.

We dined, the remaining six of mom and dad's children shared memories of growing up in Yakima Valley fields. Then all except my generation played Family Trivia. The questions were about us and our parents.

Finally, we viewed a video prepared by son Teddy in Alaska that included every single member born or married into the family. Set to music of old Mexico, it included mom and dad's story. After all the laughter, we finished the reunion in tears.