Uncle Ken's retirement party

Went to  Ken's surprise retirement dinner last night, it was a lovely night of family and friends all joining together.
It would be nice to see pictures, wouldn't it?
However, since the batteries in the camera were 'exhausted' before Ken ever arrived,
and since the batteries I had brought just in case that happened Didn't Work,either!
I'm left sharing a nice picture of the table, at the place where we ate

(actually, Kyle and April took some pics with their cell phones, after my camera batteries tanked....I'm just...Ahem!....waiting for them to Send them to me,hint!)

Kevin and Brian both said some very nice things about, and to, their Dad.
One of the things they both mentioned was how much their Dad's example of how to Be a father, and a Christian, had affected Them.

And it occurred to me, sitting there later when we were laughing at old family favorites "one hen, two ducks.." and "in the little red schoolhouse"...etc.

That it went back to Grandad

and all the stories I had heard about how 'silly' he could be, and yet also all of his children have always talked about what a good father, and Christian, he was....and so many of the qualities that the 'boys' were mentioning about their father, were passed down from Grandad.

And that made me wonder what Grandad's father had been like? because, I'll be honest,when I look at This picture I have of my great-grandparents? the word 'goofy and silly' doesn't spring to mind, when you look at my great-grandfather,lol.

and yet.....he shaped what Grandad became, just as Grandad shaped the man Ken became, the man we were helping to celebrate welcoming the next phase of his life last evening :)

and so, come to think of it...it's kind of cool, to have that picture of the long table stretching out....kind of an analogy of the links to our past, and our future, all sitting together at that table last night.

Enjoy your retirement,Ken!