25-26 June 2004

Trip to USA: Kentucky

Friday and Saturday / 25-26 June 2004 Reunion Days The reason for my coming home this year was to attend a family reunion. The Dittmeier family has been known for its many and regular gatherings over the years, but as the ten children of Adam and Minnie Dittmeier died (my father's generation), it was left to their children, a large number of first cousins, to carry on the tradition. We have been blessed with a couple of the cousins who have made great efforts to keep us coming together, especially Judy Hart English at whose house we usually meet. (And this year it was Judy who also helped me financially to get back for this reunion since I had missed most of the others.) Friday -- This year it was decided to have two events. On Friday evening, a gathering was held at the house of Bob and Martha Hart for all the adults. The thinking was that the daytime reunion on Saturday has a lot of children running around and sometimes the cousins don't have much opportunity to actually talk to each other so another opportunity would be welcome. The theory proved correct! Most of the children of Charlie Dittmeier (my father) did not make it to the Harts' because of the death of my sister's father-in-law, but those of us who did attend, truly enjoyed the evening. Saturday -- Once again the home of Bob and Judy English was the venue for the reunion. They have been most generous in offering a gathering place over the years. This year the weather was perfect, and everyone had a grand time. Most of the adults, when not chasing children, sat in grass in the sun. Others sat on a more shaded patio. And the kids busied themselves with a scavenger hunt Judy had organized. Two of the more adventuresome teenage girls modeled two Khmer classical dance outfits I had brought with me. Thank you, Judy and Bob English!