My brother-in-law Chuck was one of the few on my dear wife Karen’s side who did not make the Miner Family Reunion back in the summer of 2015.
The man works awfully hard.
This I know because he is up from Hot Springs, Ark., for his job as a quality and safety inspector in the metal industry to spend four months at a plant in Auburn, N.Y. Yes, that’s a mere 30 miles or so from the Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood. He’ll be here until the new year. My sister-in-law Lynne came up to join him for a couple of weeks, a visit his company encourages.
Lynne I’ve known since she came up to visit her sister, my dear wife, many years ago. And Lynne was at that awesome reunion with daughters, my nieces, Kimi and Stormy, in Estes Park, Colo.
Now I’ve met Chuck.
Before the tasting.
Karen and I decided to take them to Beak and Skiff on Apple Fest Weekend.
I really like my brother-in-law. I figured I would, having met and adoring Kimi and Stormy.
An Apple Complex.
We had a great time, tasting the hard apple cider and wine and vodka from the Beak and Skiff 1911 Distillery, and strolling the shops.
Lynne and Chuck shop
Then we ate, Apple Pie and Apple Crisp, sitting on an outdoor picnic table on a cloudy and cool Central New York fall afternoon.
After the southerners were a bit chilled, we decided to go north a bit and eat again, a full meal at Firekeepers, the restaurant off I81 on the Onondaga Nation.
Great day.
The next morning, we met up at the DoubleTree off Carrier Circle for a Sunday Brunch so my terrific daughter Elisabeth and fantastic significant George Three could meet Uncle Chuck for the first time, and kick off my dear wife Karen’s birthday week celebration.
Conversation flowed between plates of food from the buffet.
Good four-month stay I think this will be.
Do you have any relatives it has taken you a long time to meet for the first time? If you’ve tasted hard cider or apple wine, what do you think? What do you suggest for another outing after Lynne goes back to Hot Springs?
Mark Bialczak 
it sounds like a really nice first meeting. kind of like a great first date. i’ve had hard ciders before and like them, but don’t think i could drink a lot of them. i can imagine that they are cold, coming from the south and this is only the beginning as we know )
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Yes, Beth, the cold will be something for Chuck. Lynne had to go back home earlier this week, though, and is back to the relative warmth of Hot Springs.
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That sounds like a nice connection. I love Hot Springs, especially right before Thanksgiving. It’s gorgeous! But I bet he enjoyed it up north with you being the host, especially eating at an outdoor picnic table on a cool day. Most Chucks are good peoples. 😉 As far as cider, I can take it or leave it, but if it’s hard cider, even better. Last month, I got to sit for an hour and talk with my mom’s cousin and his wife (whom I’d only said hi to in passing a couple times in my life). Turns out he and his wife are so upbeat and fun! Wish we hadn’t waited so long…
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I’m glad to hear you got to meet your family line for the first time, Kerbey. Now make it more often? Yes, I think Chuck liked the cool snap. Now when the snow flies … We shall see!
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He can make a nice Christmas card with snow falling around him!
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Sounds like a great first meet Mark! I have, as I imagine we all do, relatives I will never meet. My grandfather had siblings he never met and I’m guessing they’ve had offspring I will never meet. I’ve always wanted to do that dna testing that tells you your ethnic roots. ❤
Diana xo
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Yeah, I don’t think we have to go too many family members back to locate the “never-have” blood lines, each and every one of us, Diana. That’s what the DNA industry out now is banking on!
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