It's impossible to get them all in one photo!! Without full attendance, there were at least 40 of the Raney clan that gathered for the Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of catching up to do, when people are coming in from Chicago, Orlando, Pensacola, Ft. Worth, Crown Point (Indiana), St. Louis, Charleston and Seattle...
OK, ladies, for those of you who are badgering me to know if Mike has any unmarried brothers, here he is!! Rolly "aka Six Pack" is retiring from John Deere soon, with time to burn. Go get him gals!!
Things I didn't know about the famous American Gothic painting - 1) this is supposed to be a farmer and his unmarried daughter (I always thought it was his wife) 2) the farmer who posed for this painting was actually the artist's dentist (but he looked the part!) 3) the woman who posed for the daughter is actually the artist;s sister
Thanksgiving in Moline, IL - the heartland of America, where Mike's family hosted for the whole Raney clan (somewhere between 15 and 25 for each meal). Behind us is a huge cornfield - the corn in the midwest is unbelievably good and sweet.
We went back to Moline, Illinois (2 hours from Chicago) for Mike's Dad's funeral. His Dad was in very poor health, and is resting in a better place now. While it was an emotional weekend, it was also a rare opportunity for Mike and his 9 sibilings to get together. Ten fine people raised by mighty fine parents.
Here they are in birth order. From the top: Rosemary (Illinois), Mike (Washington), Cookie (Illinois), Rolly (Illinois), Dan (Illinois), Kathy (Arizona), Charlie (Florida), Mary Ann (Colorado), Tom (Texas) and Steve (Illinois).
