I had a big surprise yesterday. I was sitting out on my patio in the morning when the phone rang. It was my cousin, Bonnie, from Billings, Montana. I said "where are you?" She replied that they were about 20 miles out of Flagstaff, heading for Prescott. She said "why don't you drive up and have lunch with us at the Palace Saloon."
Now that's a little over a hundred miles from where I live now but, since they had come from Montana, I said "fine" and we agreed to meet at noon.
When I got there she was standing out front with a young woman I didn't recognize but was quickly introduced to Linda, her sister, another cousin of mine.
Then the doors to a car parked right in front opened and more people emerged. This is Linda's husband, D.J.
Here is Bonnie and her husband, LaVerne.
But the biggest surprise was yet to come. One more woman stepped out of the car and I asked Bonnie in wonder, "Is that your mother?"
It was. Lil was married to my mother's brother. I asked Bonnie how old she was and was told she is 91. Now I ask you . . is this the face of a 91 year old woman?
It certainly doesn't look like it to me. She is full of pep and ready to go.
The group had been through Wyoming and Colorado, taking in the sights, and were on their way to the Grand Canyon and then Monument Valley before going on to Bryce Canyon in Utah and then back to Montana.
They are great adventurers, those Montanans, and it was wonderful to see them all again, especially my ever-young Aunt Lil.
Oh, and Bonnie brought me some of those famous chocolate frosted chocolate cookies that I remembered from my mother's oven when I was a wee tot.
Oh, yes, I was. Once upon a time.
