REUNION

Quite often the phrase "Family Union" is greeted with anything other than enthusiasm. That doesn't seem to be the case for the Jorgenson family. Every two years relatives young and old gather from all over the country to a place that has lately been southeastern Minnesota. Once there the greetings, good food and games begin.

Who would believe a parade where virtually no one is watching? Each branch of the clan has their own flag and t-shirt and marches together so unless you are elderly or injured you are in the parade.

Then there is the horseshoe tournament, cribbage tournament and hole-in-one golf contest. I almost forgot the "hunt for the golden lutefisk" contest for the kids. Speaking of kids - they are running around exploring, playing games with their new friends while mom and dad are either participating in the various games or sitting under a tree catching up with their siblings or extended family they haven't seen for a while.

At meals we are doing something a little different. You know how you usually sit in the same groups all the time at meals. Now we draw numbers when we come into the dining hall. That way everyone mixes up and we get to talk with family we haven't talked to yet. It is a great idea. It just helps with mixing a bit. There are also discussion starters on the table like "what is your favorite movie".

Brother Don, cousin Enid and I as part of our "program" dressed in lab coats and invited family mnembers to get in on the ground floor of a great new product. It is called "Lute" and is an extract of lutefisk. Eric S - an in-law, who just happens to be shall we say "shiny on the top" (bald) volunteered (his wife Kai volunteered him) to be the focal point of our presentation. He was brought forward. Then lute was rubbed all over his head. Then a buttered piece of lefse was added to accelerate the process. Usually Lute takes a few weeks but we only had the weekend. Then a shower cap was added to hold everything in. Kai pledged that she would see to it that Eric would even sleep with it on. Well they next morning there were tufts of hair growing out the sides of his cap. The next night at the big reveal Eric had a whole head of hair. In fact he looked a lot like Elvis Presley. After the big reveal shares in our new company sold like hotcakes.

All the new babies in the clan were presented with homemade step stoles made by Tony D. My dad started that program of making and presenting those stools. My kids still have theirs. Ainsley, our new granddaughter, received hers.

The men 21 and older I believe were "invited" to be in the "Who's Belly Is That" contest. A number was maked on our belly's and then in small groups we were ushered in with our heads and upper bodies covered. Then the audience was able to look those belly's over and make their choices.

Elections for new officers were held. It is amazing how quickly those go. New family members were voted in by our panel of family elders. Do the new family members have good teeth? Have they eaten lutefisk? Can they say "uffdah" like they mean it? Those kind of important things are asked then there is a vote. Every time the proposed new member seems to get it.