Nash Bash.......

We are smack-dab in the middle of our annual family reunion, lovingly referred to as the Nash Bash. My mother's maiden name was Nash, and she is the second eldest of six children. Most of them reproduced, so we are quite a clan of Nashkin. This year's extravaganza is being held at Hickory Knob State Park in McCormick, South Carolina.

Pay us a visit over at the family website. The place to go to see what's going on with everyone in the family (or at least those who will post updates and newsy stories) is the Nash Trash. The get-together every year doesn't cost anyone attending one penny. It's all paid for out of Nash Cash.

To replenish the Nash Cash fund every year, we hold an auction after our huge meal on Saturday. You never know what item is going to create the most frenzied bidding, or what two cousins or in-laws will get into a war over some memento or the other.

One year the bidding was fierce for a poster-sized print of my grandparents on their wedding day. Long after the other bidders had dropped out, my cousin's husband and I were still trying to outdo each other. Hubby sat beside me, saying, "Bid. Bid." If possible, he's even more competitive than I am. I finally won the poster for $205, and I considered it well worth it.

Today I donated the picture back, and it went for $60. Go figure. But I've had it for several years, and it's someone else's turn. And $200 was pretty cheap, considering all I've gotten from the Nash Bash all these years. This year it was two nights' lodging, a huge lunch, a cookout tonight, and two breakfasts.

During today's auction, I found out the answer to a mystery regarding this photo. I have previously posted the picture on my blog, and I wondered if my brother, who couldn't have been more than 7 or 8 years old, were actually "shooting a bird" as he appeared to be, or if it was just a fluky way his hand was captured in the photography.

He's the angelic-looking one on the far left of the middle row. Cousin Jimmy (second from right, middle row) cleared things up for us today. Seems that ALL the boys were supposed to surreptitiously make the obscene gesture with the middle finger, but everyone chickened out at the last minute. Except for Jack. The youngest one. Boy, was THAT a portent of future events.......




I brought my kayak along, and Sweet Girl tried it for the first time. I think she discovered it's more work than it appears, even just doing flatwater paddling.

My uncle, who is no longer married to my aunt and hasn't been for probably 30 years or more, but he still comes to the Nash Bash. He even wears the t-shirt. And my cousin's husband, who has been known to run up bids in the auction even for items he doesn't want.

My cousin Jimmy, Aunt Jo, and Uncle Shelby prior to the beginning of the auction. Shelby has been our official auctioneer for as many years as he's been in the family, and he does an excellent job.

Rhawnie and April. Rhawnie is the daughter of my first cousin. Which makes her my first cousin once removed, NOT my second cousin. Sorry, I'm picky about that.


My cousins Sharon and Keni. Who used to be Carol. She has a brother, Carl, who used to be Kenny. When you figure it out, let me know.

My niece Kim and her boyfriend Sam. They really ARE happy to be there, honest. No one made them. They chose to come. I promise they did not come to the Nash Bash under the duress that this picture implies.

And this dude (dudette?) wasn't even invited.