Yesterday I made mention of being At Wichita Bluff Nature Area Summit Learning Sad News About Aunt Ruth regarding the passing of my Aunt Ruth. I made mention of the fact that Aunt Ruth and Uncle Hank, and their three kids spent many years in Australia. I also made mention of the fact that I did not remember when last I saw Aunt Ruth, Uncle Hank and their kids.
I think the year was 1995. My dad had retired. That summer they took their long planned cross country roadtrip in their RV. Including visiting Sugarcreek, Ohio, where Hank and Ruth located after Australia.
That is what we are seeing in the above photo documentation. That is my dad in the center. To dad's left, that is Aunt Ruth, next to Uncle Hank. I also recognize Australian cousin Carol, to the right of dad, and Aunt Judy, with Judy's first husband, Uncle Mel, between Judy and Carol. I think Carol's big brother, Danny is in the back between Ruth and Hank. I do not see the third Aussie cousin, Steve. That is Aunt Jane on the far right, holding a baby. I see Aunt Jane's first husband, Uncle Mooch, to the left of Mooch's brother Mel. I do not know where my mom is hiding in this photo.
And then we go back 34 years, to 1967, to Lynden, Washington to see some of the same people.
That'd be, from the left, Uncle Hank, Aunt Ruth, Grandma Slotemaker, dad, mom, Aunt Judy, Uncle Mel and Aunt Arlene. I think Uncle Mooch may have been out of the country via the Air Force at this point in time and had not yet met his first wife, Aunt Jane.
Another photo from Sugarcreek, Ohio. My dad and his siblings, Uncle Mel, Aunt Ruth, Aunt Arlene and Uncle Mooch. Only Uncle Mooch remains vertical.
If I remember right it was during this mom and dad roadtrip that we somehow coordinated them showing up in Las Vegas whilst I was there over Thanksgiving weekend in the year, I think, 1995.
I was staying at what was then called Treasure Island, took mom and dad out for lunch at the Luxor. Talked them into going on the Luxor simulator rides, which mom surprisingly enjoyed.
This time in Vegas was when the Infamous BIG BOX Incident took place. At lunch, at Luxor, mom casually mentions they have a box of Christmas presents they want me to take north with me to deliver. I can't do that, says I. I'm on a plane. You don't take big boxes on a plane.
But, mom would not take no for an answer.
I waved mom and dad goodbye and schlepped the BIG BOX to my room.
One of my travel companions had a fit upon seeing the BIG BOX. She insisted there was no way we could take that on the place.
What happened next I have never understood. She tells me she'll take care of it, gets a handcart to wheel the BIG BOX down to a Treasure Island service desk.
They said, no problem, we can ship that for you, just write down your address, so, I do so, writing down the Mount Vernon address on Pawnee Lane. They did not weigh the box, did not ask for money. And a week later the box showed up at my front door, delivered by UPS.
That this happened perplexes me to this day. Just realized, we are coming up on Thanksgiving weekend of 2024. The BIG BOX Incident happened almost three decades ago, yet remains a vivid memory...
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