Cousins...lots of cousins.

My mother was one of six children, five girls and one boy. I don't really know the age order for sure because they all lied about their ages. In truth, most of them were only a year or so apart, except for Ilene who was "the baby". The oldest aunt was Maude (named for my grandmother). Then there was Ruth, Margaret, Betty, Ilene and Uncle Eddie (named for my grandfather). I think Eddie was somewhere between my mom and Margaret. All of the family settle in Napa, Ca. That means we were one "big happy family" living in close proximity and in each others' business constantly.

At this time in 2014, Margaret is the last surviving sister. She is 91. I attribute her longevity to the fact that she married a Mormon and eschewed the family habits of smoking and drinking a long time ago. Margaret married Chester Adkinson (Uncle Chet) and they had Chester, Margaret (known as Peggy), Donna and Debbie. Uncle Chet was full blooded Cherokee and a member of the Mormon church.

Maude married Henry or Uncle Hank Ribardiere and had two children, Henry (known to the family as Heiny), and Alice.

Alice and Ralph

Although they were my first cousins,  their children were more my age. Henry had two, Peter and John Henry. Alice had two, Lisa and Terrie. Peter and I are the same age and I think we even share the same birthday. Ruth Gerlach had four children but that is a really interesting situation. Ruth was married to a man named Harvey and they had two girls named Sue and Sharon. Harvey was killed in a plane crash and Ruth married his brother Jesse who had a son named Charles from a previous marriage They had John together.

Ruth and Harvey

Uncle Jesse - that man could build or fix anything!

Eddie Daley married Sandy and they had Tommy and Sandy. Sandy lives in Santa Rosa today.
I was the late comer to the family so I was the baby cousin until Tamie came along.
Ilene had married Henry Hanson and together they had Henry (called Butch) and Jim. They divorced, Butch went with Henry and Jim went to Granny Maude. Irene later married Robert Jones (Uncle Shorty) and together they had Tamie, 3 years younger than me.

Ilene and Cousin John Gerlach's wife, Kathy

Sooooo.... as you can see there was lots and lots of cousins. We saw each other frequently - at least weekly and at every holiday occasion. Ruth and Jesse's house was the chosen spots for gathering as they had the most room and a pool. I swam in that pool every chance I got. Today, my cousin's grandchildren swim in the very same pool as my cousin's son Mark lives in the house.

Random Family Pictures

Having lots of family around was part of everyday. It was wonderful, it was awful, it was usual. I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience it. I wouldn't say I'm sorry my kids didn't have it. Just a different life.