[speaker001:] Okay?
[speaker002:] Yes.
[speaker001:] Well, this is a very timely topic inasmuch as we're going to a family reunion this weekend.
[speaker002:] Oh are you really?
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Where is it going to be?
[speaker001:] Down at Lake Texoma lodge.
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] Yes, this is one that's, uh, the Baker family reunion
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and this has been going on at least, uh, I would say, at least twenty-five years or thirty,
[speaker002:] Oh, that's
[speaker001:] something like that.
[speaker002:] marvelous.
[speaker001:] Maybe longer than that, I'm going to get back into the fifties sometime.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] First time, I, I married into the family, and the first time I went was about fifty-seven, I think.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] But, uh, this one has been well organized and in fact it used to be at Lake Brownwood, and now it's Lake Texoma, because that's more central location
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] for people from Oklahoma and Texas to come to.
[speaker002:] I'm sure location's really important as far as figuring out where one ought to be.
[speaker001:] Very important, because, uh, you'll start losing people if it's too far to go.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh. We have factions, when it's one part, we, I have one reunion on my mother's side, and we found that if it's in a certain part of Texas, some people come, and if it's elsewhere, other people come
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] we never get them at both of them
[speaker001:] Never get them at both places,
[speaker002:] it seems like, so I think we need to find a new place [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] Right. Well, listen, they've, uh, they've had this one, well it just, of course, over the years it has, uh, built up as far as the organization is concerned
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] but now they, uh, have a golf tournament on the Saturday.
[speaker002:] Um.
[speaker001:] And then they have generally a show or an auction or something on Saturday night to help raise funds to cover the costs of such.
[speaker002:] Oh, that's a neat idea.
[speaker001:] Yeah, and, uh, everyone, uh, they get the community building there at Lake Texoma lodge, and everyone brings in food
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and then for the Saturday night dinner they bring in like Kentucky Fried Chicken from Durant, and uh
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] it really, uh, has worked out.
[speaker002:] How many people, Jim, are involved?
[speaker001:] Uh, generally, uh, I think it's been as high as about a hundred and twenty people.
[speaker002:] Wow.
[speaker001:] I think normal's about sixty or seventy.
[speaker002:] Yeah, well, I guess, um, ours probably isn't that big. Our family is dwindling, for one thing.
[speaker001:] Oh [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] And I often feel funny because I'm in a branch that's all but died
[speaker001:] Oh.
[speaker002:] I just have one aunt and my family. So sometimes when these other families get together, they're really pulling in aunts and uncles and
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] grandkids, and we're kind of off on the sidelines. But it does remind us that we have family and roots.
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] So we keep going even though we're not a real big part of it.
[speaker001:] Yeah, well, our family start-, reunion started out my wife and I were the kids, the newlyweds, so to speak
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and now we go, our children go, and our grandchildren are going now.
[speaker002:] Oh that's great.
[speaker001:] So it's, uh, wound up that, uh, we're the old folks now.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh, uh-huh.
[speaker001:] But, um, they have various organized, they have generally a volleyball net set up and horseshoes, uh, to pitch, and they organize a baseball game for the kids
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and several people bring boats, and there's a place they, they take the kids up to the lodge and go swimming up there in the afternoon, so it
[speaker002:] So there's lots to do.
[speaker001:] it's a full day. Some of the people
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] come down on Friday afternoon and spend the whole weekend, and some just come in for Saturday
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] so, it, uh, has worked out quite well, and it's a chance to see some of the relatives you don't see all year long
[speaker002:] Uh-huh
[speaker001:] except that once a year.
[speaker002:] that's true. Well, that's neat. I think, think they're really fun. We go to mine regularly, and then we go to my husband's occasionally down in Temple, and he has a large family, so it's, it's fun when we go to that one.
[speaker001:] Yeah, my side of the family is from back in Ohio and West Virginia, and I think we've been to one in thirty-five years [LAUGHTER] or something like that, so,
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] That's just too far away.
[speaker002:] Yeah, yeah that, that is a problem with the distance. The people that we have that don't come are out El Paso way
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] and it's just too much for all of them,
[speaker001:] It's an,
[speaker002:] all of that group to travel.
[speaker001:] all day drive just to get to this area.
[speaker002:] Right. But then we have the same attitude when it's out,
[speaker001:] [Sneezing].
[speaker002:] there, although this year we're going out. They're going to have it at Fort Davis
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] and we thought that would be fun to kind of tie it in as a vacation time
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] as well as reunion.
[speaker001:] Yeah, we have, each year, of course, they elect officers of the family reunion
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and a number of years ago, back in the early eighties, my wife was president. We discovered how much work it is just to organize and get it together.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] And it takes a lot of planning,
[speaker002:] And choose,
[speaker001:] and assembling of stuff.
[speaker002:] some place that everybody's going to like
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] as far as food and all that [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] That's correct.
[speaker002:] That's a heavy burden.
[speaker001:] Yes, it is, I tell you.
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] I don't really care for her to be president again.
[speaker002:] No [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] But that is, uh, it's, it's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] We've enjoyed it, and
[speaker002:] Well, I think,
[speaker001:] the grandkids really enjoy it because it's the only time of the year they see all their cousins from Oklahoma.
[speaker002:] Yeah, and it's, it's good for kids to know that they have other family.
[speaker001:] Yeah, and this year they're all excited. The show this weekend, this weekend's going to be a rock and roll show
[speaker002:] Oh, boy.
[speaker001:] my two grandsons and one of their cousins are, are going to dress up and lip sing to a rock song
[speaker002:] Oh, what fun.
[speaker001:] you know, in jeans and t-shirts and such.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] So, it's, uh, it's going to be exciting for them, and for us too.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh. Probably lots of laughs.
[speaker001:] Oh, yes,
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] there have been some really wild shows put on there. They, uh, really get, uh, into it.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh. Well, it sounds like you really have a good structure and have it going along. Ours, ours is still kind of loosely organized, and
[speaker001:] Yeah, well,
[speaker002:] the same people usually get stuck with doing it. And,
[speaker001:] Oh, that generally happens.
[speaker002:] they do it as a labor of love.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] So, the officer idea is a good idea.
[speaker001:] Yeah, well we've, uh, had various things over the years, uh, to raise funds for it
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and again, it's not, it's not cheap to rent the lodge up there
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] or the meeting room down in the cabins and such, but, uh
[speaker002:] Uh-huh [throat clearing].
[speaker001:] they've come up with, they've tried passing the hat, and they've had auctions and various things to raise funds, and, uh
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] some people do and some people don't [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah, and it's not fair that everybody not contribute,
[speaker001:] [Cough] Excuse me. But, um, anyway, that's the family reunion story.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] Okay.
[speaker002:] Well, thanks a lot I enjoyed talking to you. Bye.
[speaker001:] Been nice talking to you. Bye.