Skip to main content

Family Stories

In this episode - Family Stories . . .

When you travel, you will frequently meet new people, and the conversation may lead to the question, "Where are you from?”

“Cuba,” - then I wait for their expected response.

“Havana?” They ask.

“Nope, Havana is about 19 miles from Cuba on the Illinois River.”

“Cuba, Illinois.” Hah, ha!

People furrow their brows, squint their eyes, then smile as they finally get the joke. This always elicits a chuckle and sets a friendly, humorous tone for the conversation.

What reminded me of this, you ask?

When handed the microphone, this was my running joke at the annual Ball Family Reunion on Saturday, August 12, 2023, hosted by my aunt Deanna Ball in Fairview, Illinois. I’ll admit this was probably the first reunion I’ve attended in about 50 years. Followers of my blog may know that my father's side of the family had nine children: Lawrence and Helen Ball's kids, who lived in rural Canton, Illinois. As each sibling married, they had, on average, four children. Do the math: husband, wife, four kids, times nine! When we get together, we are quite a crowd.

Many of my father's siblings have since passed away. However, their children, some of whom I had never met (see photo), have started their own families with many children and grandchildren. According to Deanna, as of this writing, there are now 190 direct descendants from Lawerence and Helen Ball.

Not surprisingly, many attendees had known me since I was a baby. My mother and I immigrated to the United States in 1959. I was excited to hear their stories; they are a valuable part of the recesses of my memory. As I write my memoirs, I realize how much was left unsaid or forgotten from those early days.

I recognized many familiar faces as we approached the park's tree-shaded pavilion. We exchanged warm hugs and kisses, and as I looked each person in the eye, clasping their hands - unexpectedly, tears welled up in my eyes. It was a glorious feeling of warmth and family.

Allow me to share a story when I met Charles's first wife (Dad’s oldest brother), who traveled from Wisconsin to the reunion.

Barbara - “I remember the day when you first arrived at Grandma's house with your Mom.”

“Charles drove with Grandpa to pick you up from Midway Airport in Chicago. There were no Interstates back then, and the trip was long. Charles had spent time in France, and he could speak some French. Everyone feared no one could communicate with your mother.

We all waited for you at the house, and when you finally arrived, it was dark and very late. You were so cute, the curly-haired French boy that did not speak English; everyone smothered you and your mother with hugs.”

Patrick - “How long did we stay at Grandma’s house, do you know?”

“Doc returned about four weeks after you.”

There was tons of food and dessert at the potluck family gathering, but fortunately, no Jello salad. Who remembers orange Jello with suspended carrot shreds?

Deanna had organized a trivia game about our Grandparents’ families. I was clueless until everyone shared their stories. However, when the microphone was passed, they were asked to speak in front of the group - complete silence!

Anyway, attending family reunions and upholding traditions is a delightful experience. If you have a Facebook page, encourage everyone to post and identify people in their photos - I’m terrible at remembering names.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode. 

Labels:

Comments

Roberta Sherman White said…
I was at Casey’s in Cuba and think I saw you ride a bike and realized it was you …. The 8th a Tuesday around 11 am .
August 20, 2023 at 11:05 AM
Patrick B. Ball said…
During our visit, I biked over 28 miles. 🚴‍♀️🌳🌞 This trip was all about the Family reunion.
August 21, 2023 at 5:47 AM
Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Believing Is Seeing

🎄 In this episode, Believing Is Seeing . . . It's December, we bustle, we wrap, and we dash. We sort life into boxes— myths  here,  to-dos  in a stash. We whisper of Santa (adult code: “Not Real”), but hold on one minute—let’s rethink this whole deal. For the stories we cherish, the movies we stream, hold more truth in their sparkle than we grown-ups may deem. So hop in this sleigh and hold on real tight— We’re chasing down Santa by the glow of his light! Scott Calvin once landed in the North Pole’s cold air, with elves, cocoa, and snow everywhere. He squinted and frowned—“This just  cannot  be so!” (Like thinking tangled lights will detangle if we  blow .) Then Judy the Elf gave a cocoa so steaming,  and said something simple . . . yet surprisingly gleaming: Seeing’s not believing—no, that’s not the key. "Believing is seeing!"   Just trust, and  you’ll  see!” Kids don’t need a map or a satellite screen to know Santa’s workshop is her...
1 comment
Read more

Night Before Christmas

I n this episode, Night Before Christmas . . .  (In the spirit of Edgar Albert Guest) I’ve wrestled with the tangled lights the way I always do— With just enough patience left to see the project through. I climb the ladder carefully; the years have taught me how. To take my time with every step and keep a steady brow. We hang the faded ornaments I’ve known since I was small, the chipped, the cracked, the tilted ones—I love them best of all. Santa’s lost a bit of paint, the stars’ leaning right, but oh, it casts a holy glow across the room tonight. The kitchen hums with activity, with laughter, and with cheer, as voices drift like echoes from a long-forgotten year. The floor is strewn with paper scraps, the clock is ticking slow, As Christmas finds its own sweet pace and sets our house aglow. The hallway grows a little still; the lights are dimmed, and low, Small shoes are lined in messy pairs to wait for morning’s snow. The fire's warm, the room is full, the world is deep and wide,...
2 comments
Read more

Stamps and Snow

In this episode, Stamps and Snow . . .   You don’t usually walk into the local Post Office expecting a time warp . . . but here we are. All we wanted were stamps for this year's Christmas cards— yes, the old-fashioned paper ones that require licking, sticking, and hoping the Postal Service is feeling ambitious this week. But holiday errands have a talent for slowing you down, almost like the universe whispering, “Relax. You’re not getting out of this line any faster anyway.” So we waited. And while we waited, we talked (Are you surprised?). Because the Post Office is one of the few places where people still look up from their phones long enough to talk . . . Maybe it's because they're holding packages. It’s the modern town square: part civic duty, part free entertainment, part sociology experiment. The discussion began with holiday specials streaming on Netflix, Paramount+, and other services during this time of year. One gentleman who has lived in Vista since 1958 told us,...
3 comments
Read more

Un-Work the Old-Fashioned Way

🎩   In this special episode. How to Un-Work the Old-Fashioned Way It’s 2026! Yes— this is the year! A different kind of start—you feel it right here? No lists! No demands! No fix-all-your-flaws! No “New You by Tuesday!” No rules! No laws! Those resolutions? Bah! Dusty and dry! We’ve tried fixing everything —so let’s ask why. Why rush and correct and improve and compare, When noticing quietly gets you right there ? So here’s a new project—no charts, no clocks, No boxes to check in your mental inbox. It’s bigger than busy and smaller than grand, It’s called Un-Working —now give me your hand! Un-Working’s not quitting or hiding away, It’s setting things down that shout “Hurry! Hey!” The hustle! The bustle! The faster-than-fast! The gotta-win-now or you’re stuck in the past! That’s the work of Un-Working— plop! —set it free! The titles! The labels! The “Look-At-Me!” The crown that kept sliding and pinching your head— You never looked comfy . . . let’s try this instead: Pick up a tel...
Post a Comment
Read more