It’s October 2002. A new family tradition has begun at Laurel Hill State Park. It’s our annual Gaffron family reunion and the weather couldn’t be better or the color more beautiful in the Laurel Highlands. We had a great turnout and hoped we could continue holding this event. We did and we’d hold it in the summer or in September. The location would change from Laurel Hill to Keystone. I didn’t attend for a few years and then the tradition would be reborn in 2021. We returned to Laurel Hill and that’s where this story takes place.
It’s Columbus Day weekend 2021 and it’s my first Gaffron Family Fall Picnic following the COVID 19 pandemic. We moved it to an indoor pavilion and this one had a fireplace and a couch as well as a big table for everyone to put their food on. For me, I was struggling as I just walked away from the church and I was glad to have the support of my cousins in my fashion journey. We had a great turnout that day and we celebrated my uncle’s 70th birthday, even singing Happy Birthday to him.
For me it was a great day and the start of a great weekend. My cousins loved seeing all my bags and I had their support. I even got some apps to look at that day.
2022’s Fall Family picnic fell on the same weekend as Annabelle’s 10th birthday party. While it was chilly and overcast at Twin Lakes, it was sunny and seasonal for the picnic at Laurel Hill. The Gaffron Family Fall picnic was one of the best events of the year for me and it did not disappoint. Katie and I were talking about my blog and I told her I wasn’t as active due to lack of technology and I was in the market for a laptop. I can’t say too much more but it was a great day. I brought cookies from Giant Eagle. Coming home, I took the scenic route through Stahlstown and Ligonier.
What was special about this year’s Family Fall Picnic was the pictures that my cousin took of all of us. Way back when, at our Mother’s Day picnics, we always had a cousin picture done. One year I had chicken pox so I was replaced with Oscar the Grouch. It had been a long time since our last Gaffron cousin picture, and this one came out perfect.
I embraced my style just as I did last year, rocking the cheetah sweater. One of these days I won’t have to look over my shoulder and speculate on what some people might think of my fashion sense. At least I’ll try not to but I’ll do it anyway. But, as Sara always tells me, “It’s just fashion.”
My cousin Katie sent us a link so we could look at all of the pictures and they were perfect. I was glad Jonathan did this for us so I have something to remember my uncle by. Uncle Bob passed away on December 9, which was Uncle Lenny’s birthday. It was quite sudden and I was in shock when Mom told me the news.
After the reunion ended, I took another scenic trip to Ligonier and this time, stopped for a few minutes to sit in the diamond and watch the world go by. I wrote my blog post and I witnessed a couple getting pictures taken. After a while, I made my way home.
Our next family reunion will be October 13, 2024, at Laurel Hill State Park. We will be using the same pavilion as well.
Stylish 🍒 
Wow, you must be really excited about the picnic! 🙂
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