Family reunion and history stuff

So, we went up to the Bill family reunion today. This is the family on my maternal grandfather's side, and it's held on the "family farm" in Enfield, New Hampshire. These are always a bit weird for me, since I really know no one there besides my granparents and immediate family. My mom and aunt and uncle know some of the people, since they made visits to the NH relatives when they were kids, but we never did; being a further generation removed will do that to you.

But, I think I figured out a bit more of the family history on this trip. They always have random stories and family artifacts posted on a central board, and thi year they had the marriage certificate for my grandfather's grandparent's (my great-great-grandparents), who were married in NH in 1887

I've also put together the line of family back to them (I think), which goes Salome and Peter (g-g-grandparents), Lizafore (here's a silly part - that sounds like a woman's name right, I always assumed it was. However, if that's how we descend in the Bill family, the name would be wrong, so it's gotta be a guy's name. Unless there's an interesting family story there.) was their child, and the parent (father?) of my grandfather, who had my mom, who had me! Salome and Peter were both listed as being born in New Hampshire, but all of THEIR parents were listed as being born in Quebec Province - one city I recognized was Three Rivers. I've always been curious when the family came from Canada to New Hampshire, and now I have a bit more of an idea. Neat.

And I just realized, while I was writing this that my mom's generation is the last of our branch of the family to carry the bill last name. She has a sister and a brother, but my uncle never had children, and she and my aun both took their husband's names. I know that it doesn't much matter in the real world, but it's kind of sad too.

So, grandparents are funny creatures.

My dad is head over heels in love with being a grandfather. He's absolutely nuts about Widget. He has been since she was born. As part of that, he's renting a cottage in New Hampshire for a week at the end of the summer, and he's invited Wiley, Widget and I to join him and my mom for the week. None of my other three siblings were invited, so far as I know (to be fair, one is just starting med school in YC, and another will be just starting his student teaching gig in Syracuse).

So, we're chit-chating about our plans for the trip today, talking about possible activities and whatnot. And he says, all casual like, "I was thinking, I don't know f you remember this place, we used to drive by it all the time (family vacations in NH were a common occurance when I was a kid), but I was thinking it would be fun to take Hannah. It's Storyland."

...

I just looked at him. "Yeah, Dad. That place we BEGGED you to stop at EVERY SINGLE YEAR? The one you NEVER took us too? No, I can't exactly say that I REMEMBER it, since we never GOT TO GO."

Sheesh. We decided that his penance is going to be taking Widget by himself, so that Wiley and I get at least one day alone together to go off and do something fun.