| I certainly have loved this vacation and have few regrets (in my life in general!), but the regret of this trip was that it prevented me from attending the Horan family reunion. Being one of the Horans is an interesting legacy. My Dad was one of 22 children. No, that is not a misprint … Grammie and Grampie Horan had 22 children. Now as happens, when they all started to get married and have families of their own (that’s where I enter the picture!) the extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins became huge! When I was growing up in Newfoundland only Uncle Keith and his family were not living there, and so the annual family reunion in August, at Uncle Pat’s house in Topsail, was an event that brought us all together and created cherished memories. As with so much that happens in childhood, I took those times for granted and can’t remember ever considering that it might change. But things do change, and as the family expanded and my generation began to marry and have children of our own, many of us relocated and built lives away from the island. More than a year ago now I was curious about all those folks I hadn’t seen in years. There were still the occasional visits with some, in smaller groups and as circumstances presented, but many of us had lost touch. In an effort to “find” everyone I started a Facebook group for the descendents of my grandparents, Thomas and Ellen Horan. The group grew and we became acquainted once again, online. Last summer on our trip to Newfoundland I was able to reconnect with many folks and I think many of us cousins adopted a renewed commitment to maintaining those family relationships that our parents fostered with their siblings. Unfortunately after our planning had begun for this trip, a plan for a family reunion was set in motion. These musings are relevant for me today as the reunion weekend has just ended and wonderful pictures are being sent! I’m sitting in the backwaters of South Dakota pouring over the shots. I’m feeling so grateful for them and incredibly envious all at the same time. I understand talks are in the works to do it again and next time I won’t miss it! Driving through South Dakota it is clear without checking the map that we are directly south of the Canadian prairies. The geography (heck even some of the names – Badlands National Park!) is very similar, the winds that sweep across the open land to rock the trailer alarmingly familiar! Even the damage left from the late spring flooding of the Souris River is depressingly familiar. Unbelievable still to witness what for us was, at the time, just a story on the news. The highway billboards her are larger, but other than that the landscape very familiar. Makes me wonder yet again why the American perception of Canada is sometimes so skewed?? If they took a good look around their own country they’d get a pretty good idea. This part of the US is just like Canada... just not as pretty!!  |
| Badlands State Park |
At lunch today we pulled into a picnic area next to a camper with Ontario plates. They were from Brampton and he was a teacher in Mississauga! They had left on July 1st to drive through Canada to Victoria, then down to Seattle and back through the US… sound familiar? It sure did to me! We compared notes and spent our break in pleasant conversation and commiserating about motorcycles… hey, they brought it up! Continuing along our way we soon saw herds of buffalo along the Interstate… and to think we went looking for these guys?!!! We arrived at our destination, Sioux Falls SD, late in the afternoon. We just made it before the severe thunderstorms started. If you’re reading this we’re fine, but I have to say, the way the trailer is rocking at the moment and the entire countryside alive with lightning I have my doubts!
If we do indeed weather this prairie storm it’s on to the Windy City tomorrow.
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