Wednesday, February 8, 2012

My Uncle Ken - NaBloPoMo 7

Prompt for Day 7 was to tell you about my favorite extended family member - I can fit lots of extended family members into this category, but am going with my longest running favorite, my Uncle Ken.  My dad's sister Sylvia is married to Ken.  I was the flower girl in their wedding when I was about five.  I thought Ken hung the moon and would spend all the time I could on his lap, petting his 1970s sideburns.  I planned to marry him when I grew up - to which my aunt would often ask "then what happens to me?"  I couldn't quite figure that out at the time, since I certainly didn't want her to go away either.  When I got a little older, I thought he looked just like Burt Reynolds. 

Ken and Sylvia didn't have kids until I was in junior high or high school, so I enjoyed many summer visits to their farm.  Ken would haul me along out into the field to feed the cattle or whatever - either in the back of the pick up or standing on the hitch of his tractor.  I remember one time his pick up had stalled out in the field, so he and I went in the tractor to tow it back, and I got to sit in the pick up and steer.  I was terrified and exhilarated at this responsibility!  I remember another time asking him what the difference between a steer and a bull was...he turned so red!  I'm not sure he ever answered me.

Ken is a small town guy, who worked hard at both a job with the phone company and cattle farming.  He loves to hunt and fish, and now spends his retirement time doing mostly that.  I still adore him.  When I took my current job, it was in his hometown and I lived with Ken and Sylvia for the first six weeks, while we found a house and such for Sean and the kids to join me. 

And just as I know he's my favorite uncle, I also know I'm his (their) favorite niece. 

4 comments:

  1. Uncle Ken sounds wonderful! It's so cool that he let you steer the pick up!
    It must have been fun for them to have this spunky little kid around. I wonder? Does that spunky little kid still go hang with them? Or it is the responsible adult who hangs out with them?

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    1. While I am a generally very well behaved responsible adult, one of the reasons my aunt and uncle and I all get along so well is that we remain mouthy and outspoken when we are together! When I am in trusted company, or if I am elsewhere and just don't care who knows how I feel which is often, I pretty much speak what's on my mind.

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  2. It is so sweet to have visitors to the mountain, because they are always in awe. You got something the other guy don't got, you share, man.

    I loved hearing about Ken, and how you rejoined them while house-hunting. So essential that they had your back.

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  3. So sweet. My mom was one of ten children, but I was never close with her family (lots of in-fighting, backstabbing and generally toxic stuff) and after her death, I have cut ties completely with most of them. (There are a few cousins who have friended me on Facebook, but that's as far as those relationships have gone.) My dad was an only child, so no aunts or uncles on that side. I think that's part of why I value my relationship with my own nieces and nephews so much.

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