77th SCOVILLE FAMILY REUNION

 

  This years Scoville Family Reunion was held in Texas at Canyon Lake.  We had a really good time.  I am so glad we went.  It was made better by the fact that Kyle and Dena came with us.  I didn't know if they were coming until the last minute and was glad they decided to.  Travis however, decided to stay home.  He said he had some college homework to catch up on that needed to be turned in the following Monday.  I'm not sure he would have enjoyed it that much anyways.  So in the end, Me, Jacob, Meagan, Kyle and Dena went.  We were going to leave Thursday afternoon but because we just moved our horses to a new place and I am not sure I trust that guy we decided to wait until Friday afternoon to give them another day to get settled.

   This is family on my father's side.  I went to these family reunions as a child but haven't been in years due to things like teenage disinterest (normal), husbands that don't want to go (stupid me for letting that happen), college (worth it), or the 'evil stepmother' (can't say enough bad about that so I won't).  Well, I am no longer married, done with college and grown up enough to appreciate the importance of going.  My dad died last year (sadly) so I no longer have to deal with the 'evil stepmother' (yea!),  so I am free to go after many many years and I am so excited to get to be a part of these people that I have such fond memories of.  They are truly nice people with overall good values.
     The reunion started with the 11 kids born to George and Mary Scoville, who raised sheep, lived in Missouri, rode in covered wagons and were married in the 1870's.

The kids grew up, married and started their own lives but they wanted to start having family reunions.   The first one was held in Missouri in 1935 and they have continued every since, always on the last weekend in July although they are now held in different places depending on who that years president is.  They can be held anywhere from Texas to Utah to Hawaii, Indiana, Colorado or Missouri.
My connection is through my great grandmother, Grace Scoville who was one of the 11 kids;

Bad Pic I know, but best I could do

She is of course no longer  alive.  Actually I believe there is only one surviving member of the 11 kids at this point and while the reunions have reached as much as 250 in attendance in the past, lack of interest by the younger generation threatens an end to these reunions all together with only 40 in attendance at this years.
     Lucky for me this years reunion was at Canyon Lake because it's only four hours away.  Anyway, we all left the house at 2:30PM on a very hot Friday afternoon with the temps holding in the high 90's for weeks.  Me, Jacob and Meagan in the van and Kyle and Dena in their car.  The drive was uneventful.  We listened to music and talked but mostly we listened to "The Shack" on audiobook.  We didn't finish it.  Meagan and I enjoyed it but Jacob, not so much.  He slept most of the way.
 We arrived at the cabins at 6:30PM.  Kyle and Dena got there just ahead of us and already had us checked in.

Here is where we stayed:

Our particular section was towards the back called, appropriately The Outback:

As we pulled around the front of the pavillion we knew we were in the right place because of the 'welcome' sign out front:

We then made our way to our cabin, #22:

  After we settled in we went over to the pavilion where everyone was gathered and eating.  We were a little shy at first but were met with big hugs inside the pavilion so we started catching up with  friends and family;

and had a big Texas style Briskit dinner:

Then we went outside and enjoyed a dip in the pool and visiting with relatives:

And then it's time for a good nights rest.

Saturday morning begins, as it does every year with a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, bisquits and gravy, and bacon prepared by the men :

(Thanks Guys!)

Today we have some free time before the Saturday evening business meeting and dinner and there are several things locally to do, the hard part is deciding which ones to choose:

 Most people have decided to go float down the local Guadalupe River at a popular spot called "The Rockin R":

which seems quite appealing to me considering how freakin hot it is.

  

 But we decided we wanted to go to the Natural Bridge Caverns.  We took way too many pictures inside the Caverns so I won't bore you with all of those but here are a few of our visit:

On our way!

Arriving for Check In

Tickets bought...

Waiting in line...  A long time....  In the 100 degrees heat...ugh...

And now, a word from our tour guide...

Descending into the Caverns...

The Caver's Creed....

Pics from inside the Cavern...

More...

more....

more.....

still more......

Just a little more....

Okay, that's enough.

The caverns go down 180 feet.  Contrary to what I had been told, they were not cold, it was kind of hot and stuffy.  Not too bad but, enough to effect one of the members of our crew, our cousin, Molly.  At almost the end of the tour she suddenly, and I do mean suddenly, became dizzy and light headed.  Pale and sweaty and was unable to finish the tour.  The tour guides...

 had to come and bring her out on a golf cart.  They then brought her into a small room and let her lay down.  She continued to feel bad and we had been unable to get a hold of her mother who was floating the river that day.  After about 30 minutes they decided to call EMS:

Who came with a stretcher:

They took her vital signs and decided she needed to go to the ER to be evaluated.  BUT!   before she got loaded completely she started feeling better....

About the same time as she was loading, her mother called back.  She and I both agreed she didn't need to go to the hospital.  But, the EMS people didn't feel the same.  They had her and they wanted to keep her.  Her mother had to put on heavy pressure before they'd let her go but, finally they did.