OK, Guys and Gals

When we went to Ila Pay's funeral, we learned that she had (even with her horrible illness) kept a family newsletter going for 33 years. She had only two children but she had countless siblings and her husband was one of four. Why could she succeed when I can't? Collectively, we have so much going on in our lives right now that the others should know about. I set up the Trauntvein blog so that you could all stay in touch; it didn't work either. The newsletter failed. The blog failed (though it is still there). I think, also, that Facebook is not working either. What to do? What to do? Should I start the newsletter again and just email it? Well, some of you do not read email. Some of you do not read the snail mailed copy. What to do? What to do? When I die, please do not mention that I tried to do a newsletter but that only half of you took it seriously. Is that failure? Please just don't mention it at all.

By-the-way, I am sending on to each of you all the emails that, individually, you send me about your various and sundry activities. At least you will know something about each other. Some of you will, likely, object to that. Oh, well.

I remember wondering why Grandma's Trauntvein, Smith and Pitts and Grandpa Pitts were so concerned about the families (theirs) staying close together. I think that they just were concerned, as I now am, that, as happens in some families, no one keeps in touch after the primary "In-Touch Keeper" dies. Not to hammer home a point, but Dad and I are getting along in years. While we enjoy mostly good health for people of our age, so did my predecessors. They were all there one day (expect for Grandma T, who stayed out long enough for us to say good-byes), and gone the next. Who will be the "In-Touch Keeper" when Dad and I are gone? (I even do it for my own family and I am, sadly, losing touch with Garth and Alyce's family. I try but I still did not know that Alyce had had another bout with cancer recently. Dad's family is better. All except for Uncle Don, they talk a couple of times a month.)

So, what to do? What to do?