The Gathering of the Lindner Clan

I spent this past weekend in Charleston, WV at a family reunion hosted by my cousins, Joe and June Ann Lindner. Joe is the Stammhalter or patriarch of the Lindner Family in the USA and he and June are dearly loved by all of us.

A few weeks ago, Cousin Rachel Markley, the daughter of my cousin Mary Lindner Bowman, called to see if I wanted to accompany her to visit her Uncle Joe. It seemed that several of her cousins wanted to visit their uncle and aunt in Charleston over the Labor Day weekend. Never one to miss a chance to see my brother-cousin, Joe, I immediately said I would love to go. The plan was for me to drive up to Harrisonburg and spend Friday night at Rachel's home and then drive on to Charleston Saturday morning. We would return Sunday afternoon and I would head home.

Then Ernesto intervened! I could see my trip go right down the drain with the possible flood waters of the tropical storm. Any hope of Friday travel was eliminated by the dire forecast of heavy and possible flooding rains over central Virginia. But not to worry! Saturday's forecast was better. Rachel suggested I drive up early Saturday morning and we would leave around 9 a.m. for WV.

It was still dark and a little rainy when I left Mechanicsville Saturday morning but the plan was a good one and it took only a couple hours of driving to arrive at Rachel's. I transfered my bags to her car and we were soon on the road to Charleston. The drive was through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and into the mountains of West Virginia. Always excellent highways and easy driving. We stopped a couple times along the way and reached Joe and June's place in the early afternoon.

Their daughter, Christi and friend Jane, had arrived several days earlier and were helping with the dinner preparations. Several of the nieces had asked for Sauerbraten and several other mouthwatering dishes that they remembered from their childhood so the smells from the Lindner kitchen were enticing.

Sad to say, Joe is the sole surviving sibling representing the Henry and Julie Lindner Family and thus the Uncle that all their nieces and nephews honor and care about. As for myself, I am the surviving sibling of the Fritz and Mary Lindner Family, so with June Ann, we three constituted the "older generation" at this family reunion in Charleston. Seems strange when I remember how many family reunions I attended in the past when members of my generation and the one before me were plentiful.

Anyway, we had a delightful visit with Joe and June and Cousins Christi, Rachel, Ruth (daughter of Josephine) and David, Julie (daughter of Josephine) and Susan (daughter of Annie) and Jane. Lots of pictures were taken and all the old stories told once again. Joe's wine was delicious; as was the Sauerbraten. Photograph albums were passed around and memories shared.

Sunday afternoon came too soon and we said our goodbyes with promises to get together again in 2007. Rachel and I arrived in Harrisonburg by 8 p.m. and I hopped in my car and drove home to Mechanicsville concluding a fine holiday weekend among people we care about.