Nearly every year, since 1989, the Ruemke clan has trekked to the Gull Lake cabin of our Minnesota relatives to join them for the Family Reunion. I believe I have only missed 4 years since we began, due to pregnancy or other commitments.
My Aunt Beth and her family have a wonderful cabin where we go to enjoy each other, laugh, eat, play games, slap mosquitoes, sit by the fire, water ski, tube, read, shop in Nisswa, fish, listen to loons and just be for 1-2 weeks.
Every year, I look forward to this time with the Minnesota family and all who gather. It is a happy time where adults and children play and we all reconnect. It is hard to believe that we have been going for so many years. Every year holds something special. This was the first year that I was there at the same time as the Krcmas and 4 of their truly darling children (my cousin once removed, Jean's family). It was a treat to be there together. Lydia had such a wonderful time playing with all of her cousins, and Ryan liked the dogs. Ted, Cindy and Conner drove up and we hadn't seen them in so long that I didn't recognize Conner. Kathy, Angela , her boyfriend Chad, Haley, and Kayla, Wendy and Michael (David for a day), Nancy, Jon, Heidi, Nicholas, cousin Jeff, Austin, and of course my Mom and Dad, and Grandma Beth. I hope that I haven't forgotten anyone. That is 29 people. People sleep everywhere, but there are luckily a lot of beds and sometimes tents, camper trailers and this year the Krcmas were sleeping on their boat. I must add a huge thank you to the family for hosting us and even giving me a bed every year, although I could sleep on a couch. Imagine 20 of your relatives invading yearly!
We have had some special times up there. There was the year the Russians came and made Bullhead head soup, as well as soup from the mushrooms picked from the yard, weddings, water ski adventures and the year David worked on his kneeboard flip like a mad man, rock climbing Dad always working on some boat or the other, many baths in the lake, trips to the MN State Fair, seeing the Northern Lights, and Blizzards at Dairy Queen.
Babies arrive, loved ones die, children grow up, we grow old, and we go to the cabin in MN in the summer.
2 comments:
I am related to the Ruemkes of New Ulm Minnesota, Lena Ruemke is my relative. Also, I have Uelsmans and Hillemanns. My lawyers bookcase is full of our family genealogy, books, publications, newspaper articles, etc. Could you be a relative? Thank you for your help. By the way, I fish, camp, do crafts, sewing, and small scale gold mining.
Hi Ellen,
I don't know how to reach you. Could you please email me at jillruemke@sbcglobal.net if you look at this again.
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