Triumphant Return Pt. 2
Okay, so the details of my weekend.
The road trip of four adults in a Ford Focus actually wound up being pretty nice. Not too hot, and we just played music and yakked. My mother had to suffer through Dwight Yoakam, and really, I think I'm the only one who likes him, but it was fun. And the scenery was so Dwight Yoakam, I don't know why more people didn't get into it. Jack turned every Eagles song into "Desperado", and Journey's Greatest Hits made the trip as well. Good times.
Got to see just about every cousin whom I haven't seen in some time except Jimmy, the Marine Reserve, who is currently "finding himself". I thought the Marines would've found him pretty well, but whatever. I know how it is. Chris, who is the eldest of the grandkids, is still awesome, super sarcastic and brilliant. And Billy was Billy. Lovable and sweet.
Um, this isn't coming out as clearly as I'd like but I'm a little preoccupied. That, and my forearms are really sore. Like I've strained them from typing too much. Better call in sick to work. HA!
No, stuff did happen. Played lots of cards, which is what we do at Grandma's house. I managed not to lose too terribly at hearts. There was a period in my life where I would go for a high score (the reverse of what you're supposed to do), and then I just didn't play for a couple of years because I was so bad. But I've gotten better. I even managed to play gin with Chris even though I haven't played it since my older brother taught me about ten years ago. Talked to my two cousins who are college bound; Megan off to Mizzou to look after small children, which she is quite talented at, and Jesse who wants to go very badly to the Naval Academy and become a pilot, and I have every faith in his abilities. He's a sweet kid. Got to play with baby Riley, who looks like me and no one can figure that one out. She's happy, hits the ground running, starting to figure out the parameters of her world, how her body works, the struggle of only having two hands in a world with four stuffed bunnies, and such. She is entertained by cartwheels done by someone who hasn't turned one since she was in high school. Makes me sore just thinking about. Oh, the things I will do for family.
I also adore my cousins-in-law, Kelly (Mrs. Chris), and Thaedra (Mrs. Billy). They're very different but both quite awesome. I must figure out ways to get to the west country to visit them more often.
Yes, there were leper jokes during a hearts game. It started with my mom's scabbed finger and got a little out of control. Billy couldn't comment because Grandma was right next to him and he couldn't speak in a PG-13 rating. My brother also got a fantastic stinkeye out of my grandpa for giving him the queen during the game. So awesome. Jack is congratulating himself on that one. I, of course, was still a self-centered idiot, the way I always get around family, because I'm desperate to be as cool as they are and will never, ever come close. *faceplant*
Also, had some fantastic food. Every family needs a pro chef around. In our case, we have two, but Alan was working, where as Chris no longer does, except on occasion. He was actually pretty good about keeping Grandma out of the kitchen, because as a former executive chef of restaurants in hotels that serve eight billion people, he can easily handle dinner for thirty people. Grandma can do it too, I'm sure, but Chris is a little less nervewracking to watch.
I'm sure there was more to the trip, I just can't think of what it is at the moment. I'll post it later when I remember.
The road trip of four adults in a Ford Focus actually wound up being pretty nice. Not too hot, and we just played music and yakked. My mother had to suffer through Dwight Yoakam, and really, I think I'm the only one who likes him, but it was fun. And the scenery was so Dwight Yoakam, I don't know why more people didn't get into it. Jack turned every Eagles song into "Desperado", and Journey's Greatest Hits made the trip as well. Good times.
Got to see just about every cousin whom I haven't seen in some time except Jimmy, the Marine Reserve, who is currently "finding himself". I thought the Marines would've found him pretty well, but whatever. I know how it is. Chris, who is the eldest of the grandkids, is still awesome, super sarcastic and brilliant. And Billy was Billy. Lovable and sweet.
Um, this isn't coming out as clearly as I'd like but I'm a little preoccupied. That, and my forearms are really sore. Like I've strained them from typing too much. Better call in sick to work. HA!
No, stuff did happen. Played lots of cards, which is what we do at Grandma's house. I managed not to lose too terribly at hearts. There was a period in my life where I would go for a high score (the reverse of what you're supposed to do), and then I just didn't play for a couple of years because I was so bad. But I've gotten better. I even managed to play gin with Chris even though I haven't played it since my older brother taught me about ten years ago. Talked to my two cousins who are college bound; Megan off to Mizzou to look after small children, which she is quite talented at, and Jesse who wants to go very badly to the Naval Academy and become a pilot, and I have every faith in his abilities. He's a sweet kid. Got to play with baby Riley, who looks like me and no one can figure that one out. She's happy, hits the ground running, starting to figure out the parameters of her world, how her body works, the struggle of only having two hands in a world with four stuffed bunnies, and such. She is entertained by cartwheels done by someone who hasn't turned one since she was in high school. Makes me sore just thinking about. Oh, the things I will do for family.
I also adore my cousins-in-law, Kelly (Mrs. Chris), and Thaedra (Mrs. Billy). They're very different but both quite awesome. I must figure out ways to get to the west country to visit them more often.
Yes, there were leper jokes during a hearts game. It started with my mom's scabbed finger and got a little out of control. Billy couldn't comment because Grandma was right next to him and he couldn't speak in a PG-13 rating. My brother also got a fantastic stinkeye out of my grandpa for giving him the queen during the game. So awesome. Jack is congratulating himself on that one. I, of course, was still a self-centered idiot, the way I always get around family, because I'm desperate to be as cool as they are and will never, ever come close. *faceplant*
Also, had some fantastic food. Every family needs a pro chef around. In our case, we have two, but Alan was working, where as Chris no longer does, except on occasion. He was actually pretty good about keeping Grandma out of the kitchen, because as a former executive chef of restaurants in hotels that serve eight billion people, he can easily handle dinner for thirty people. Grandma can do it too, I'm sure, but Chris is a little less nervewracking to watch.
I'm sure there was more to the trip, I just can't think of what it is at the moment. I'll post it later when I remember.