Cousins from far and wide

Hello siblings, son, spouse, nephews and nieces,

I was visited recently (April 3rd) by our cousins, Shirley Reslink Wright Earls, and her brother, Paul Reslink. Sherm got to meet them, also. They are niece and nephew of Myron Elwood "Mike" Kenyon, who was our grandmother Agnes Kenyon Clarke Bond's first cousin. Someone else can do the (genealogical) math. and tell us what level of cousins we are to them. In any case, we enjoyed a meal at the Collegiate, where they wanted to see the montage of pictures of "Mike" and where I reminded John Ninos to find and hang the little plaque that always hung at the end of the counter, declaring that the last seat was "Mike's spot". Sherm had to wander on, but I took our cousins to the Alfred Rural Cemetery to see "Mike's" grave and his wife, who they called "Aunt Trude" as well as those of their grandparents. They didn't stay long, but we enjoyed talking about connections and so on. I just wanted you to know, and you can also connect with Shirley on Facebook, as she is among my Facebook friends now.

I've also been contacted by our father's cousin's son, Douglas Grotjahn, about coming to Alfred June 7 to 14, in honor of his mother's (Eleanor Grotjahn) birthday. Doug will come with Eleanor and his sister, Bonnie is also coming from England, where she is involved with a Quaker meeting near Bath. No specific celebrations have been mentioned, but Eleanor would like to have me take her kids to the cemetery and see the old homesteads and so on. She will bring the old family daguerreotypes she possesses and any other things that will fit in her suitcase. She already has given me a trunk with some fabrics in it, and a sword which belonged to our great-great grandfather Samuel Newberry Stillman, a straight-back chair he sat in as a child, and his pocket-knife. I would love to have some of the other cousins come and meet her and her "kids", as we may not get another chance, at least with her.

Please let me know if you'd be able to come and spend some time at Alfred during the time they'll be here, and share any other thoughts you may have.