Family Reunion:
A large group of closely related, loosely related and questionably related people, annually camping out in a remotely located apple orchard, surrounded by forest.
The men are in charge of meals, which means that they are always 2 hours behind schedule. But when men cook, I smile and nod and never complain. EVER. It's a welcome break for me.
An undetermined but rather large number of children are running amok. There never was a clear count as they never stayed still long enough to take one. And there was no "group photo" attempted either. I think because the group dynamic is just too wayward for it. (Bunch of independent cusses present, who quite efficiently handed down their independent traits to the next generation and so on, and so forth)
Before I launch into some random observations made at the family reunion, I would like to make a few random stream of consciousness observations about camping in general that were jotted down this morning while WAITING for breakfast.... (see above)
Camping out:
I need a bath. A long hot bubble bath. And I need to see my therapist. Our leaky air mattress
Honorable mention goes to the unidentified, alarmingly large insect that I plucked from my belly button and threw to the nether regions of the tent in the middle of the night. (May all your buggie dreams be nightmares... Oh say, something involving armies of exterminators in white trucks with blue uniforms chasing your miserable thorax relentlessly.)
Okay.
Some reunion statistics:
Age range in group: 76 years to 10 months.
Serious disagreements: None.
Minor disagreements and general bossyness: Continuous.
(Everyone's an expert!)
Random things seen and heard during the reunion:
A VERY steamy kiss between G. & S. while WAITING for breakfast.(See above)
One naked baby stripped down and sponge bathed after diaper blowout.
A dog summarily chased out of the pasture by a horse, two mules and and a donkey.
(Dog barely escapes alive)
Tallest cake I have ever seen, all of one piece. 8 layers I think... about two feet tall covered with chocolate frosting and dotted with pieces of walnut, looking faintly reminiscent of the leaning tower of Pisa. Produced by bachelor D. as some sort of twisted joke.
"The dog just killed a mouse in the driveway!"
A lovely clover chain made by one 10 year old.
"Where's the hot chocolate mix?"
"Whose going to cut the watermelon?"
8 year old boy standing guard outside the bathhouse door while his 3 year old girl cousin "takes care of business." ( my favorite moment of the weekend )
"Mom!" - "Mom!" - "Mom!" - "Mom!" - "Mom!"
"Dad. Where's Mom?"
Jack Russell terrier held aloft by a ball that he will NOT let go of.
"Guess what everybody? D's cake fell over!" (my favorite quote of the weekend)
A good time was had by all.
(Oh and by the way.... every CRUMB of that cake was eaten up. . . Thank goodness it fell over on the kitchen counter!)
I have spent the last hour or so, catching up with diaries. The car is sitting out in the driveway, unpacked. We are too tired to deal with it. I am going to go get in the tub and soak off this grit.
Tomorrow I have an appointment with a really real therapist to discuss menopausal issues. Do you think I should mention my last Group Therapy session.... just to bring this person up to speed on what's been going on around here? Think that would be a wise strategy? I'm taking a poll.
Sigh.
It's good to be home.