More Than 8 Cousins

The much awaited Family Reunion has come and gone and a wild success it was too. Given that in the states a reunion consists of my mother, brother, his lady, my sister, her husband and son and My Beloved and our girls, it was a bit intimidating to attend a gathering with 2 aunts, 3 uncles, 8 cousins and the respective spouses and children of said cousins. Not to mention my own brother & mother who were also there. Everyone found it most amusing that we all live in America, yet choose to meet in Holland. Fits in well with our family pattern which is to spread out and visit the world.


My Beloved, Mother & Cousin 

Oddly enough (or maybe that's normal, what do I know about family reunions?) , there was no strangeness at all. We swapped family stories, looked for family features- I have a cousin who is the spitting image of my father and of course had multiple wine and toasts. The ages ranged from 2 - the son of my one cousins, to 83 - my Mother and her twin sister who are the family matriarchs. The guests came from all over Holland, America and Brazil (a cousin and his family who are about to move back to Holland after 10 years abroad).  My uncle provided everyone with a copy of the Helfrich Family history which he'd just finished.  I have copies to take home to my girls - my uncle in Australia kindly translated it into English for the English speaking branches of the family.


The Family Book 
The weather surprised us all by cooperating and we had blue skies and sunshine, most unusual for Holland which is noted for chilly rain. The setting was the picture perfect garden of one of my cousins - grass so green it belonged on a golf course and brilliant flowers. One nice side effect of all the rain is the lovely flower gardens that are everywhere.

Zimmerman Family Group 

Good food, good conversation, good fun, what more can one ask for?


The Entire Clan!