Another summer is on the shelf and school is starting soon. What a beautiful performance old man Sun put on for us.

As I sit writing this column — listening to one of my favorite Sinatra discs and thinking back over the last few months — I am peopled out. Oh, not for one moment would I change any day of it. The family had its 52nd reunion on the acres, with one family spending five weeks in the RV arriving early from California.

I thought my four sons would finally be here together for the first time in 30 years, but no such luck. Our oldest Gary, who was flying his plane from Oklahoma, suddenly had to land in Twin Falls, Idaho. There was a raging thunder and lightning storm going on and, not wanting to press on to Seattle about an hour away by air, he decided to find the nearest airport. Gary already had close to five hours of flight time in by then. The landing was somewhat testy, but no injuries.

Our grandson, Brandon, and son’s best pal, Glen, were also aboard. The two ran for cover when safely on the ground. Gary went back for something, hearing a loud boom, not realizing the plane had been hit by lightning. He then also ran for cover.

Gary was fortunate, or perhaps blessed, because he was not touching the plane at the time. These are members of the same family that just went through those tornadoes I wrote about. So, it ended with the three hiring a car to drive back home to Oklahoma, leaving the plane to be fixed. Two new motors had to be ordered and other parts repaired.

We all missed them at the reunion. The important thing is: all were safe.Many of the older folks of our clan have passed through “life’s door” to the other side.

During the reunion, the laughter and calling out to one another was like music to my ears and put a glow in my heart, with the new generations having a ball playing together. One of our little three-year-olds, Jack, headed for the crowded wading pool, pulled his shorts down and took a piddle in front of everyone before his parents could get to him. He had been told to be sure he potties before he goes in the pool. Not quite the way his parents intended, though. The other parents ran to keep britches on the rest of the kids who thought it a great idea. That had everyone laughing. A new story for my family journals.

Since I am the eldest of this family, I reign supreme.  And on these occasions I hear, “Grandma, tell me a story about when you were a kid. What was it like?” Now I’m in my glory. I have lived long enough to collect many tales to pass on, as my faithful readers know. In telling my tales I try to slip in a little wisdom, provoke a thought and encourage them to have fun now because life can get pretty serious at times. I wish Don could have been here to enjoy his growing family. Who knows, maybe in spirit he was.

With school starting, please remember our Kingston Food Bank is still looking for a spot and needs help in feeding families down on their luck.

— Jacque Thornton is a longtime columnist for the Kingston Community News. Contact her at jacquejt@centurytel.net