From Neil

Dear Family,

As another year comes to an end I must say that, in spite of all that is going on in this old world of our, I'm indeed grateful for my many blessings.  We had a great many events leading up to Christmas and many following.  With the exceptions of a few of our family members who were many miles away from us, our family spent two nights at the Aspen Grove Lodge again this year.  This year, however, we had what one would call deluxe accommodations.  The layout was similar to what we used to have at Snowshoe Lodge where we could be all together under the same roof.  It was nice and like I told our family members, they are a bunch of hams.  Reed and Kerry always bring up several games, which they did again this year.  One was called "You Can't Trust a Pirate"  They were not satisfied with just playing the game...they had to make like pirates.  I think that was Melissa's idea.  They had us all in stitches.  Of course there were other games that were just as much fun.  Neil J brought his Wii.  Before the day was over they had all mastered the ski jump.  From time to time they also found time to play in the snow.  All in all we had great time.  It was a little hairy coming home in the snow storm but with common sense and careful driving everyone got home O.K.   The next day Reed called to say that Nathan and Nicole's daughter arrived about 1:30 that morning.  She is Katie Linn and weighed 8 lbs 3.5 oz. and was 21 inches long.  Good sized baby.  Mother, father and child are doing well.

 
 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their gifts of goodies and especially the gift of Love.

 
 

Do take care.  Love,

 Neil

 
 

 
 

Story Time: Lost

 
 

During the days that followed I would guess that LaVora and I had time to explore the area within limits, while Mother was cooking and Dad was at work.  On this one day I remember LaVora and I were out walking.  LaVora had a ring that she was kind enough to let me wear.  I'm not sure where she got the ring, probably in a box of Cracker Jacks.  There used to be prizes in Cracker Jacks.  At any rate as we walked, we were going along the shore of what seemed to me at the time to be a big lake.  I think LaVora's timing was a little off...just a little...for as we walked along the lake shore she decided that she wanted me to return the ring.  I must have thought the ring was pretty nice and wanted to wear it a little longer.  LaVora, however thought I had worn it long enough and insisted, probably physically that I return it.  The result was that I threw the ring as far as I could out into that big lake.  This did not make LaVora any too happy, as she immediately thumped me, turned and left for camp.  Now, since I had been deprived of the ring and had been disciplined by my big sister, my protector, I was crying, feeling bad, and was left alone on the shore or dam of the big lake.

 
 

I guess after a while, maybe a few seconds, crying, and for obvious reasons not wanting to get too close to LaVora, I went on what I thought was my way back to camp.  Only problem was, I went the wrong way.  I soon found myself surrounded by big tall pine trees.  I'm not sure how long I wandered, but it must have been for quite a while.  As I recall the sun began to set, for I got back to where I could see the sun shining on one of the streams we had crossed when we came into the area.  Needless to say I was pretty scared and was crying in earnest by this time.

 
 

In the mean time LaVora had returned to camp.  I guess, from what Mother said, she said nothing and was just playing around camp doing her own thing without a small brother in tow.  Mother said she asked LaVora "Where is Neil?" To which LaVora said, "I don't know. Didn't he come back to camp?" Well, needless to say this started a small boy search.  That was one time that I really brought the wheels of progress to a halt.  I guess it was not long before all the work on the dam had stopped and everyone was looking for Neil.

 
 

As I mentioned, I was crying and still walking away from camp when I heard Mother call me.  Of course being a very lonely little boy and wanting in the worst way my Mother, I answered her.  I'm sure my crying alone would have led them to me.  I can remember to this day these two men coming around in front of me.  One of them picked me up.  It was then that Mother cam on the scene.  The man who was holding me handed me to Mother.  I can never remember it feeling so good to be in my Mother's arms.

 
 

The rest of the summer there was rather uneventful except for one or two other items that are still a part of my memory.

 
 

I can remember this one day they were setting off a charge of dynamite.  It runs in my mind that we had been told to stay back beyond a certain place.  Uncle Lee and I were standing beyond that location and I can still see this other man standing up several feet in front of us.  When the blast went off it blew rocks into the air striking the man in front of us on the head.  There were some small pieces of rocks that rolled up almost to our feet.