Aunt Anna Lilac's 86th Birthday (twice)

From July 5 – July 12 our camp site was located at Colorado Crossroads Bed and Breakfast.

We have camped here each summer for the past 5 years. For those of you who don't remember or are new to my writings and ramblings, the B&B is owned by Shelley's Aunt Ann (Shelley's Dad's sister) and 3 of her children (obviously Shelley's cousins). Over the years I have taken and posted dozens of pix of the B&B, written about the B&B etc. If you want to know more, look back at last year's blog entries for July and you will find what you seek.

Anna Lilac, known to Shelley as Aunt Ann, celebrated her 86th birthday 2 times during the week. The first time was 2 days before her actual birthday at a family dinner on Wednesday July 8 when we had a gathering of 16 for dinner at the B&B. Those in attendance were Anna Lilac, Omar (son), Anne (d-i-l) Ray (b-i-l), Deann (niece), Deanna (daughter), Bill (s-i-l), Shelley (niece), Monte (nephew in law), Arthur (son), Honey (d-i-l), Cheryl (daughter), Cierra, Savannah, and Katie (grand daughters), and Kiersten (family friend) Hopefully I did not leave anyone out. Monte and I were not the only out of towners. Uncle Ray and his daughter Deann live in Oklahoma City, Cheryl and Kiersten live in the Seattle area, Arthur and Honey and their daughters Cierra and Savanna live in Canon City, CO. (the first n in Canon needs a ~ over it but I don't know how to do that - pronounced Canyon).

The second dinner was on July 10. When Aunt Ann was born, it was at midnight between July 10 and July 11 and the doctor told her mom that she could pick either date for the birth certificate and she picked July 10. Off we went to the Boathouse Cantina in Salida. The restaurant sits right on the Arkansas River and the kayakers that were practicing flipping upside down and getting back right side up kept us entertained. Many moons ago Omar was going to go kayaking until a pretty girl that he knew went and had all of her front teeth broken out and told him that it was like being in a washing machine full of rocks. Omar gave up any thoughts of running the river in a kayak and stuck to mountain climbing (he has climbed all 54 of the Rockies in Colorado that are over 14,000', many of them multiple times). Anyway, we had 10 in attendance for the dinner and had a very good time.

So to you Aunt Ann – Happy Birthday and many many more!!