Lake House Cruise

Chet Bueker cleverly bought
Two lakeside lots on a bluff
Over the new Canyon Lake in
The 1960s and urged my Dad
To do likewise, I was there.
But my father did not and
Chet and Nell built a beautiful
Vacation home overlooking
Canyon Lake where Jim and
Penny stayed summer weekends
And where family visited them.
These visits by my sibs to our
Sister Penny have gone on for
Many decades with board games
And a variety of fine restaurants
With hours of good conversation.
Memories of departed sibs are
There along with Penny and
Jim’s three sons and their families all
Because Chet saw his opportunity.
How often in life do we grasp
The nettle of opportunity to
Reap decades of family memories.
The Bueker-Mings group are just
One of the many Mings clan septa
That create a web of people who
Are only vaguely aware of the
Mings of southern Illinois.
Bueker-Mings, Winter-Mings and
Mings-Hill all create a jumble of
Cousins since my Dad has 11 sibs
And his Dad a similar number.
To remind the cousins of what they
Are part of I buy four cabins for a
One week cruise each summer
Since 2015 and share them with
Cousins who get to know more by
Sharing stories and gossip about
The Mings clan and Scots origin.
This summer will be Seattle to
Alaska and back, next year will be
Montreal to Boston though I may
Ask one of my cousins to take
Over the honor as I tire.
I may switch to I pay for half the cabin.
It is a tradition I would miss.
I will follow my heart which means
My love and I may be too busy.