The extended family on my side had a small farm in southern Illinois. I spent many weekends and summer visits there. A lot of the outbuildings and the apple orchard are gone, but it is still a very special place of memories for me. It was sold a few years ago and is no longer the "family farm," but I still wanted Kevin to see it.
The farm is on the outskirts of a little town called Oconee. One of the regular activities we did as kids was go to the little store (in the old Bank building) and get penny candy, or ice cream, or pick up a grocery item that was needed. The woman who ran it kept it open until her death a few years ago. We stopped by and talked to the postmaster in the Post Office next door about the store and got a picture of Camden on the front steps.
Finally we went to the family cemetary and placed some flowers on the grave of my Great Aunt Mirna and Great Uncle Bud. They are Grammy's older siblings and were surrogate grandparents for me as well. They were two of the the strongest, most faithful, and admired people in my childhood. It was glad to be able to remember and honor them with my family.
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