Family visits......too long in between!

     We visited an Aunt and a Cousin and some of their family last night and even though we figured it had been like 37 years since seeing cousin Dorothy and having seen Aunt Lorry only once in the last about 30 years it some how didn't seem that long once we started talking.  Regardless it was very nice to see them and we plan on staying in the Tampa area for a week and have many more plans with them.  One of the reasons it can and doesn't seem that long has been social media, no doubt about it whether you like it or not it helps in keeping us informed.  Even living thousands of miles from most of our families we now at least feel closer and know more about what's happening and the growth of those families through pictures and postings.  Sure, in between those families pictures, post, and informative announcements we have to put up with some opinions we might not agree with some political positions we don't agree with and some jokes and games we done't care for that pop up now and again.  Sure you can block without unfriending folks, but them you also miss so many wonderful family information and the growth of all those little ones you wish you could see more often.  I for one feel close to family so far from us through all their postings good or bad in my opinion, I still like to see and keep up with there goings on.  So to get back on subject, our first nights visit was very good, some seafood at Rick's on the River (good stuff) and nice quick evening tour of some of Tampa and ending with some ice cream at a favorite spot of Kevin's (our chauffeur for the evening and cousin Dorothy's son-in-law who we met for the first time and liked immediately) and a trip back to the motor home at 11:00 pm.  We look forward to a few more days of these visits and more catching up.........sure it will cost us a bit on our weight loss programs but hey..........it's family!
     One last thing on family, don't wait so many years to visit you families, the years go by so fast and before you know it 30 plus years have gone by!  My opinion only now, but it seems the family unit continues to fall apart and is not as close knit as in years gone by.  That is why we feel so compelled to make our trips start with family reunion, and want to do our part to try and keep them going for all those that follow.  We are happy to have had a hand in getting the Anderson reunions rekindled 8 or 9 years ago and keep trying to keep the Ackelson reunion growing now and in the future, Beverly and I feel deeply about our families and keeping them close and would trade the first few weeks of each journey any other way!
     OK climbing down off the soap box, but looking forward to our next few days here in the Tampa area and getting reacquainted with our family here in Florida.  I still can't believe it's been so many years!