Lakeside

Some disjointed thoughts and stories:

I drove up Saturday and arrived about 1 p.m. My middle brother and his family were there, and I got to give George his belated birthday present, a Spiderman swim mask and flippers. He promptly wore them around the house and declared the flippers difficult to walk in. Youngest brother and his family were picked up from the airport and delivered to the house in time for dinner. After dinner, we went for a long golf cart ride and visited the big park. On the way from where we parked the cart to the park, I was pleased and flattered when a little hand slipped into mine and I discovered Princess Mathgeek wanted her Aunt Jammies to keep her safe.

We stayed at the park until they kicked us out because it was past nine. None of us even realized it was so late as it stays light so long these days. Princess Mathgeek was playing in the sandbox and didn't want to put her shoes back on, so I made her a deal that if she wore her shoes for the walk back to the golf cart, she could take them off for the ride home. When we got to the house, I asked if she wanted to put her shoes on and walk in, or if she wanted me to carry her. She chose the latter, and I picked her up, then turned around to talk to Mom for a minute. After a few sentences, there was a big sigh and "We're not moving" from the princess, so I took her into the house.

On Sunday, my aunt and two of my cousins came for the afternoon. The morning was spent getting a whole lot of food ready, and amusing the kidlets. As the cousins and their families arrived, Dad ferried folks down to the park in two golf cart loads, and then went back to the house to commune with his inner curmudgeon. My cousin Mel's two and a half year old is in a toe-to-hip cast as a result of a trampoline accident at day care, and she is amazingly good and patient for an immobilized kidlet of that age. We had food, fun, water balloons, squirt gun fights, bubbles, drama, biting, golf cart rides and lots of talking.

Monday was a laid-back day, at least for me. I got to spend some time with everyone, and just enjoyed the perfect weather. My only regret is that I didn't get any shopping done while I was up there. On the evening golf cart ride, four and a half year old Alabaster said, out of the blue, "Auntie Jammies, I think you are very pretty." Made my day. :) I had to leave Tuesday morning, so Mom read and signed the papers I'd brought with me for her to sign and I took them back to the office. When I got there, I discovered one lone Cheerio stuck between the hospice release and the Motion for Summary Judgment. *grin*

I was supposed to drive back this afternoon and be there for the big fancy family dinner at Mon Ami winery. Unfortunately, I had a migraine last night and got about three hours worth of sleep. I decided I didn't want to drive two hours when I wasn't sure I would stay awake the whole time, so I am staying at home with my rotten tail-chewing dog. I put Tabasco sauce on the sock that I put over his tail, and he's gotten it off twice and engaged in some mild licking, but is mostly leaving it alone except when he's really really bored.

A note to Scott--I thought of you when I realized that the Pre-Historic Forest I've seen every year for the last five years has a mystery hill. Our mystery hill is clearly better than yours because yours doesn't have dinosaurs, so there. :p

Fortunately, Captain Crossword, Bookworm Mathgeek and the girls will be back in Ohio in three weeks, and I will see them then, no matter what I have to do to fit myself into their schedule for that weekend. I do feel old realizing that my baby brother has his 20th high school reunion this year. :o