This past week my brother came to visit when he was in town for a conference. I worked during the day while he was at the conference. The two evenings he was here, he had already gone to dinner with colleagues, and when he arrived at my home we relaxed and visited. It was good to catch up with him since he lives three states away.

Then Friday night I made the 2 ½ hour drive “home” and had dinner with some of my cousins. One of my sisters coordinates this frequently, and I am usually unable to attend. So, it was nice to sit next to a cousin I do not see very much and just catch up on our lives. Since the last time I attended one of these gatherings, we have lost two of my cousins, so it was good to be there.

The next morning my sisters and I had brunch. One of my sisters had brought two tin picnic baskets of my mom’s. They were full of newspaper clippings and articles dating back to the early 1900s. We enjoyed sorting through them and speculating if they were worth anything. Some were, but most weren’t. But the history that was documented in these articles was certainly noteworthy.

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