Friday's FIVE!

Aunt Barbara is my Daddy's only sister ... and I remember the day we gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Pence's to wish them farewell - as they embarked on a new phase of their life... and moved west to California. I was only four years old - but I can remember being very sad. This weekend, my California Cousins....Mark and Bob and their wives.... Lynne and Diane came to Indiana for a Hoosier visit. This week's Friday FIVE! is a tribute to my California Cousins and five wonderful memories I've shared with them!!

1. Because they lived so far away, every year we would all gather at Grandma and Grandpa Pence's house before December 10th and fill a large plywood (what else?, we owned lumber

yards) box with Christmas gifts, stockings and suprises. Once the box was filled, Grandpa would nail it shut - and we would use crayons and markers and write all over the box before shipping it off to our Palo Alto, California family. I can remember looking forward to that special day. We would share a light meal together and it would be the 'kick off' for the holiday season!

2. I'm not sure how old I was - but Grandma and Grandma's house had to be fairly new... because the 'extra' bedroom wasn't in the basement yet and you could run complete circles around the basement staircase...There was always a wheel-chair at Grandma's house for my Great Aunt Vera - and I can remember sitting in that wheel chair while Bobby pushed me around and around and around that staircase in that wheel-chair. That day may have even been the farewell cook-out we had at Grandma and Grandpa's house when we all gathered to say goodbye to the Overmans. I don't remember for sure if it was the same day - but the memory I have was that I was having fun... and this was family. We were a part of each other... and these were my cousins and my brother - and this is the way family was supposed to be.

3. At 16 years old - I was given the amazing opportunity to go to California for a summer visit. I was able to spend time in Palo Alto with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Ovie and Bob. I spent most of that visit with Bob and his girlfriend at the time. We went to Balboa Park http://www.balboapark.org/ and to the Beach and Standford University - We had a GREAT time and i didn't want the time to end. I then flew to San Diego to spend the rest of my California visit with my older cousin Mark and his wife. They lived in a small beach cottage with a front yard garden and a picket fence. http://gothere.com/sandiego/OceanBeach/homes.htm They took me to Disney Land and Sea World and to see Cheech and Chong - They lived in "Ocean Beach" http://gothere.com/sandiego/OceanBeach/beach.htm and to this 16 year old Hoosier girl... it seemed like an oasis. I ate pita bread and bean sprouts with avocados and artichokes. I had the time of my life - and I've never forgotten the experience. http://www.oceanbeach.com/

4. In 1998 - Mom and Dad and Steve and I went to San Diego for annual National Lumber Convention. We went to dinner one evening with Mark and Lynne and Bob and his wife.

The next day, Bob and his wife took Steve and I hiking at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. http://www.torreypine.org/ It was a beautiful hike - with amazing views. We had a great time together - and I can remember I didn't want the day to end. Once again, I was reminded of the distance between my cousin and I. I will always wish we could spend more time together.

5. When Daddy died in 2002 - We were standing at the funeral home ... and a very familar face walked in. If I knew Mark was planning to attend, I don't remember it. I just remember seeing his wonderful familiar face...and how connected I felt to my Daddy when I saw him. Mark resembles my Dad... and it was very comforting to see him. It meant so much that he would make the trip to Indiana and represent the entire Overman family at Daddy's funeral. I will certainly never forget that!

It was wondeful to visit with my cousins... and to catch up with them for a brief visit.

I hope that someday soon... we can visit them in their California homes.