I would like to have one more dinner with Papa & Mama Couch, my great grandparents. We have had a family reunion for as long as I could remember, and always thought it was for my great granddaddy's family Marion (Mern) Washington & Effie Hubbard Couch. They had 13 children, 12 lived. So with so many people there, I was satisfied knowing that. But now to find out it was a reunion for his father, John Andrew & Marietta {9 (& later Hattie {2) Couch, and their 11children. NOW we're cooking with gas! When you're younger, you can't conceive who belongs to who, you just play. And since then have found out it was started in 1853-4 time period. I just wish when I stayed under the adults feet, and they would tell me to go play, that I could have remembered more! I played asleep so many times so I could hear what was said. But I get my nosiness the old fashion way, from my grandma Othella. She knew every thing about everyone from here to yon. I just wish my step uncle would not have thrown out her obituary collection. If I had only known....... We also used to have Easter dinner and an Easter egg hunt at Mama & Papa Couch's house (Mern & Effie). This one was just their grandchildren and great grandchildren. I don't know why I didn't notice there weren't so many people. But we had some of the best 'cousin' times there at Papa Couchs. They always had a hog in the pen, pecans on the ground, and we just loved to run around in the pecan orchard. We would chase the cow, and probably would have played with the hog if they would have let us get dirty. One of my favorite great uncles, is Luke. He had been in Korea, and would tell us stories (I think were more like fabrications) but we didn't know the difference. He would always help me find a prize egg when I was smaller. And he is the one who named me "Butterball" cause I was so fat when I was a toddler. And I sorta resemble that remark now. I used his uniform for a project in school, and I don't remember what happened to it. But he had about 6 different kinds of medals on it, but I didn't know what they were for. We lived next to Papa and Mama Couch for a year or so when I was little (1968-70). It was in a small 4 room house with no running water. We had to go out to the outhouse, which was the scarist place in the world!!! Especially at night when you couldn't see the bugs. We did have a 'slop jar', but I didn't like it either. it was always cold as an Alaskan's igloo. My dad met my mom when stationed in Alaska in the Air Force. She was born in Iowa, but grew up in Nebraska. He always called her "A flat footed yankee". I didn't know he was serious, until the Dr told me I was flat footed. I thought it was a term of endearment. And I know Nebraska is not yankee, but her family was originally from PA-CT- area� Anyway, Mama Couch would watch us when Mom went to work. She always had biscuits, and didn�t mind if we �rambled� around, long as we �didn�t migrate it�. Her words for take it home. She had the neatest stuff. Mama Couch would just fuss at Papa for leaving his stuff on the table or in the bathroom floor. We would always take her to the cemeteries to clean the graves. We have a couple of pictures of us with her at Papa�s grave. She still talked to him as if he was still alive. When I started researching, and finding Papa�s 1st cousins, They always said, �Oh yeah, Uncle Mern would come to eat with us on Tuesday�, or �Cousin Mern would eat with use every Friday on his way home from work�. You would have thought Papa was 500 lbs, from as Much as he ate around town. But he looked like a stick man. He said it was because he worked hard all day long. I wish that was true, cause I work all the time too, but am not a stick lady!!!! Will type up more and post it later. dianne __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree

I call family reunion "Making Memories". That is what we do with our grandchildren just try to make wonderful memories. ellen -----