What A Great Reunion!

Stanley and Geneva would be very pleased.  Before I say anything more, I just want to thank all of you for coming and just being you.  It turned out to be one of the best get-togethers every and best Labor Day Weekends ever.   I also want to plead if anyone else has pictures besides Chris and Mom, please share them.  And if you have a little tidbit to share about the get-together, we'd love to have you write a little piece on here, or at the very least leave a note as a comment to this post (just click on "comment" at the bottom and if you don't have an account, choose "anonymous" and leave your initials at the bottom of your comment.)  Karen, I think everyone deserves to hear the skinny-dipping story.
Between the great cooks, great story tellers and great softball players, we have the best family ever.  I really don't have a lot to say except to thank everyone again and ask for pictures.  There are a few people missing from the ones I've been given and too bad we didn't get around to taking a family shot.  I was going to list everyone who came but the pictures tell that story better than a list, although, like I said, the Michigan Basfords are missing from these pics, as are Em and PJ off the top of my head.  So again, if anyone has a little story to tell about the get-together, please share it.  I'll help in any way you need.

Memorial Day

Everyone knows you can't rely on my memory but wasn't it Memorial Weekend that we had the Basford Family get-togethers at Manson Park?  (maybe it was July 4th)  Anyway, not that it's the first time but sitting here this morning is the first time in quite a while that I've been struck by how much I miss them still.
Imagine how different but still great it would be to do that again with hopefully all hands on deck.  We have adults in the family now, some with their own kids, who don't remember those.  That's a shame.  No disrespect to my Uncle Wayne's family gatherings -- they're great -- but nothing compares to those days of yore.  Is there any way we could try to do that again, with lots of advance notice, even if it was just once?  This Memorial Day is probably too soon but I would like to stoke this idea while it's fresh, or definitely next year.  Below is a picture of Stanley Jr taken at one of these.

Notice the farm that no longer exists

And just briefly, while I'm on the topic of Memorial Day, let's not forget those loved ones who are no longer with us and try to take a little time out of our busy lives to not only remember them but to ensure that their graves are maintained.
This is a link to a great piece that Aaron wrote on this topic a couple of years ago.  I think it worthy of a reread.
Lastly, since I'm writing this on Mother's Day, maybe it work spark someone to write a short piece about their mother...there are certainly many to choose from in this family.

The Basford Family Picnics

When you're a kid summer is the best time of the year. With no school you have all day to play, getting dirty and in trouble are the staples of an active kids life. But for a Basford kid there was that one special summer day, the family picnic. Every year the Basford clan would meet at Manson Park. The Partriarch and Matriarch of the family being Gram and Gramp, then the 5 "kids", and finally most of the 20 grandchildren. I always looked forward to that day. When I was much younger it was great because Uncle J would come out from NY and that meant getting to see Cousins M and T, the one day of the year that I knew I'd get to hang out with them. It also meant that Uncle B would be up from Saco. Of course Aunt J and Aunt P would be there too bringing the cousins in tow. Looking back that was the biggest deal, having everyone all in one place for most of a day. It didn't seem like that at the time, as a kid there were more important things on my mind.

First and foremost was the family softball game. I can remember being so excited about it, pestering Dad about when we would play, it seemed to take forever to eat and get the "grown ups" ready to play. Everyone played too, well except for maybe Gram, I don't remember her ever playing. I remember her sitting and watching. Looking back she must have so proud, her entire family playing together, laughing, competing...........Uncle J would always, more than likely several times, hold the bat by the barrel and try to hit the ball. I laughed every time too, funny what we remember isn't it. It was at one of these games when Gramp gave me the first piece of baseball advise. I was like 9 or 10 I think and of course I wanted to do everything. I was especially excited because Gramp was on my team and the gown ups let me pitch. We took the field first, my memory tells me that I struck out the side but that maybe skewed a little. When we came in to hit I wanted to bat first (of course). Gramp told me that you never have your pitcher hit lead off, it's just not done. So one of the other kids hit first. Of course I see this now for what it was, not baseball advise so much as a creative way for a Grandparent to keep a grandchild from being selfish. Well played Gramp.......as always.

At some point tennis would be played. I can remember Uncle J playing against Gramp and Dad playing against Uncle B.

Of course no Basford family gathering would be complete with out food, lots and lots of food. Burgers and dogs were the center piece of course, but there was Aunt J's coleslaw too, the adults raved about it.

Then came that fateful summer, it had to happen eventually, though as a kid I couldn't fathom it. One the saddest moments I can remember, the first summer with no family picnic. What do you mean there's not going to be a picnic????? There's always a picnic......there was always the softball game......How could this be happening????

We don't have the picnics at Manson Park anymore, but usually there's a cook out at Mom and Dad's where most of everyone makes it. Those are great times, getting caught up with everyone you don't see that often. Plenty of laughter, lots of singing, if Dad has his way, and loads of Sox talk........but it's not the same, there's no softball, and this year, for the first time in all of our memories neither the Matriarch nor the Patriarch will be there, sitting quietly, taking everything in.

We all love and miss you Gramp........