Ginger arrived in Oregon City for a short stay with our family before my vacation started. She and I boarded a plane for "the mile-high city" of Denver, Colorado to visit our family for the first time. The ride was ok- I didn't get sick anyway. It was a first for me, it must have been my Irish good-luck charm (Ginger).

Once in Denver we went to pick up the car Ginger had reserved but, there was a bit of a mix-up. We ended up with a vehicle that had a GPS in it. It was fabulous though a bit un-nerving when it could even give us directions while driving through the cemetaries we visited. She had reserved us a hotel down on Grand Street in Downtown. We were both a bit amused to discover while checking in that there was a Lesbian convention in town...........and we were two woman sharing a room. LOL. It was even more amusing when I had to call the front desk and request that the headboard for Ginger's bed get re-attached to the wall. She is even still complaining that "Cousin Karen told the maintenance man that it was a down day for us". From the horrified look on his face he completely misunderstood what I meant. "Oh Monkey-Water."

Our first day there we went to cousin Kristian's house in Littleton and we also met cousin Julie and her daughter-in-law's mother, Linda. Julie is a descendant of Clara Lee's, the youngest of Mother Lee's children. We also got the chance to visit with my Grandma's (Ruth Jackson) cousin Dorothy. She had Kristen get clippings and pictures out of the basement so we could all see them. After a nice afternoon we all drove to "The White Fence Farm" and met Dorothy's children, Kay, Kathy, and Lee's children and grandchildren. It was really special and I've enclosed pictures of everyone in a link below.

On our second day there Kristin drove her Grandmother Dorothy, Ginger and I to Erie, Colorado to visit the pioneer cemetary. Unfortunately, Roger Lee's tombstone is missing. We discovered after hours of searching for information that in the early 1900's there was a flood which included the cemetary. When the town moved the graves and markers to higher ground Roger Lee's stone was put into a maintenance shop. They had been unsure where his body had been buried and didn't know where to place the marker. The family "gift" was in full evidence that day as Kristin pointed to a spot in the cemetary and said that she felt that Roger Lee was buried there and it was the same exact place that Ginger from a previous visit 7 years ago had picked. Also, during our visit to Erie we met a woman who is turning an old farmhouse into a museum She was very interested in displaying a Lee Exhibit in a wing of her museum.

The third day was a trip just north of Erie to meet cousin Bob Crow and his wife Pat. They prepared us a special chicken dinner. Bob shared many amusing tales of the Jackson cousins - though he told one story where they tried to drown him. He said they were just trying to teach him how to swim. He told us how he used to play the french horn and now he paints pictures for a hobby and Pat is an excellent cook. Oh, I do need to remember to send her that rhubarb crisp recipe. Pat just for you, I have included a photo of Jellybean the cat. I loved the "Two old Crows live here" sign out front of their home.

The fourth day was spent in my hotel room as I was not feeling very well. It was good to have a day to rest and look at my notes. I had to recuperate fast because I needed to drive later that day to "THE SPRINGS". For those of you not in the know "THE SPRINGS" refers to Colorado Springs not just any springs. I just want to know why that isn't in the tourist guide. LOL. I must point out that it takes a hour just to leave Denver and then you can go to your destinations. Cousin Dorothy had warned us about road rage on the parking lots. I didn't know that she meant the freeways! We were on our way to visit cousin Linda and Peggy at the Outback Restaurant. They are Clara Lee's decendents which make them distant cousins to Julie. The evening was full of laughter and hillarity which studies show makes you a healthier person. On the drive back on the freeway four lanes of traffic were being merged into one and had to exit the freeway. Ginger - the passenger - was giving excellent advice which I was ignoring. She said that I couldn't get outside the box and after inching along for an hour I found that she was right. The shoulder of the freeway was actually a lane. She was excitedly shouting "follow the natives - they know where they're going"!!!

On the fifth day, cousin Dorothy invited us over to her retirement home and she suprised us with a drive out to Golden Colorado. She was trying to show us all of the homesteads or areas where the Jackson family lived. It was very nice to see the home that James Jackson had built and the neighborhood where Dorothy had lived as a small child. She also took us out to several cemetarys and we saw where Kate Jackson Crow was buried. We searched in vain for one of my ancestor's burial sites, Cora and Wesley Childs, whose daughter married RJB Jackson. Dorothy bought us a taco dinner and we had a car picnic at one of the cemetarys. That's how you can tell the real history buffs, they are just as comfortable in the cemetary as in a restaurant.

On the sixth day we got a call from Dorothy and she offered to drive us around do some site-seeing. We saw where her son Lee and his wife Tracy lives, where Kristin works and other points of interest. We shared a lovely meal with her at the retirement center where she lives. Her table companions all had facinating stories to tell. One of the women used to work for the FBI and was even interviewed by Herbert Hoover himself. Later that evening Ginger and I went to the Celtic Tavern near Coors Field and LoDo (lower downtown for those non-locals). Ginger ordered the lamb shepherds pie and I had the Irish miner's cabbage and cornbeef in honor of our "Welsh" ancestors.

The seventh day was the trip home. Unfortunately it started out rather badly - we missed the plane to Portland. We waited an extra three hours for the next flight. It was not too bad because Ginger was in high spirits and kept me entertained. (See photo) We had a female captain which was a good thing because we flew through a storm and I needed someone I could trust. If needed she would ask for directions. LOL. The storm lasted for 40 minutes and it was a very bumpy flight. Ginger and I didn't have seats by each other, but she soon "convinced" someone to trade with her after she said how ill I would be without her. She told them that "only cousin Ginger" could calm me and keep me from being very ill.........I won't go into graphic detail because I haven't the stomach for it.

I want to thank everyone for making us feel like part of the family. Ginger and I had a wonderful time. I especially enjoyed seeing the family resemblance, strong personalities, the shared caustic wit and to find that I am not the only one with a weird sense of humor (you know who I'm talking about). Thank you all for the "union" I hope to see you again for a "re-union" when the Lee Exhibit takes place. Be sure and check out the photo link for pics from the trip. You may see yourself there.

~Kal