For those of you that are completely color blind, I thought I’d inform you that autumn is settling into the trees, and, in a blaze of glory, the leaves are preparing for their yearly departure. If you are her “friend” on Facebook, you likely saw the photos my Mom recently posted of the fall foliage that is spilling over the foothills south of Lignite. Some nice shootin'…as usual.

If you are not her “friend” on Facebook, or any other place, real or virtual, introduce yourself. Like her father, she can, and generally does, talk to most anyone, about most anything, at most any time. The Chrest girls all inherited this gift of gab to some degree, whereas their brother, my Uncle Tim, measures twice and talks once in a while. As any good carpenter should.

This past summer I happened to be home during my Aunt Susie’s birthday, and the Chrest gang decided to all converge in Minot for a birthday lunch. They are good at converging to celebrate one another, a very commendable quality that I have been quite fortunate to be a part of throughout my life.

My Mom asked me if I wanted to ride with Susie, Beth, and herself from Lignite to Minot, where we’d eventually meet with Mary, Tim, Holly, and Sally for lunch. Eventually. Eventually get to Minot…eventually meet for lunch…eventually meet for desert at DQ…eventually return to Lignite. So it goes.

We almost made it to Bowbells when we made a stop at the Twisted JZ, on the Durwood farm, for some smoothies and coffee. Photos were snapped, chit-chat was chatted, all hit the spot, and we eventually continued our journey to Minot.

I was dangerously close to approaching my daily word limits, and it wasn’t yet 9am, but, as I’ve known my entire life, I was in good hands, these women can carry a conversation. Carry it to places you have never imagined. Places that make you think, places that teach you something, and of course, places that make you laugh and smile. Good places.

A few stops had to be made prior to our eventual return trip, and at each of those stops my aunts and my Mom always ran into someone they knew and chatted for a bit. Sometimes they ran into people they didn’t know and chatted a bit. From Lignite to Minot and back, a master class in cordial conversation. I took notes, and I’ll try and be a better student. Maybe I’ll try to stop avoiding people I know when I’m at the store in Rapid City…maybe?

On our eventual return trip, we made a stop at St. Anthony’s Cemetery, just outside of Donnybrook. We stopped to pay our respects to Betty Schettler, Grandma Rose’s roommate during her time at the nursing home in Kenmare. Betty and Grandma became best of friends, making the most of their final years in their ever-contracting worlds of existence.

At our final stop, St. Joseph’s Cemetery, by Bowbells, we tidied up around the headstone of the ones that were responsible for all this.

Grandpa and Grandma would be happy to know that their family is carrying on as a family. Sharing in one another’s lives, celebrating all that is good, providing kindness, comfort, and care to those in need. Talking, as Grandpa talked, listening, as Grandma listened. Being good people through the many seasons of life.

Carry on.