Some things never change.

We were out on the boat all weekend and had dinner at two of the old time lake hang outs. Saturday night we were with a group of friends having dinner on the deck at Bayside. I excused myself to go to the bathroom. When I was walking back I found my self face to face with "Joey" (I was wearing 4 inch wedgies so this guy must have been no taller than 5' 8")-literally I almost ran right into him. I smiled and tried to scoot around him, but before I got away he grabbed my arm (and I'm not making this up) and said "How you doin?" Now if you are not a "Friends" fan you can just skip this part cuz you just have to be hearing "Joey" say it. In a rare moment of being quick (I usually get home and think of what great thing I should have said) I looked him up and down, winked and said (in true "Joey" fashion) "How you doin?" and quickly slipped away laughing. Then Sunday night we ended up at Fletcher's with the kids and I spent some time looking around. These are the places we hung out in high school (when we could sneak in) and college. I assumed the place would be overrun with college kids. Guess what...it was overrun with the exact same people that were there 20 years ago. The only youngsters there were either with their parents or part of the staff. We ran into several friends and even parents of friends. The same old place filled with the same old people. The only difference was the size of the bellys, the "character" around the smiles and perhaps the size of our boats. A bunch of 40 year old drunks flirting with other peoples wives. These places just may go out of business if this group ever grows up...what am I saying "if"? I don't think they will have to worry about that...long live the lake traditions.

What kind of parent are you?

We arrive at the drenched soccer fields to find the sprinklers on watering the field. As we move to avoid the water, the sprinklers start their rotation which follows us as if attracted to our beauty (or dry skin). Sorry thought I was in some sappy novel. With the soccer game under way and a Mac Guyver like grandpa covering the sprinkler heads with construction material to minimize the spray on the spectators, we settle in to become crazed soccer parents who yell "encouragement" at our girlies as if we really know what we (or they) are doing. Should I have assumed the other Wild Ones were sitting quietly watching the game play...probably not. I turned my head to the whispering rustle of parents and friends at the other end of the field to see two fuzzy black figures who are attracting attention away from the game. I slowly got up (not wanting to draw attention to myself) and wandered toward the commotion, making a quick trip back for my camera after confirming that there was a blood relation to the black figures. The crowd was divided between "who would allow their children to do that?" to "those kids are really having fun", but there was a general consensus that no one would allow them to ride home in their car. Hmm...hadn't really thought of that. Then, being a little Mac Guyverish myself, I remembered (perhaps reminded by the BFF) the huge "swimming pool" like puddle in the parking lot (thanks to the storms and the bad sprinkler planning people). I took the kids to the "tub" and made them wash each others backs. Turned into two "treats" for the price of one-a mud slide and a pool-who said you need to spend money to have fun?? As for those people horrified that I would allow my children to do that (have fun) or too worried about their cars I want them to know that I went home with two clean kids (probably cleaner than when we got there after a long hot summer day) who think they are pretty lucky to be mine.

Something about little boys.

What is it about kids-especially little boys-that they just can't resist a challenge or an adventure? Where does this drive go as we get older? Wisdom, experience? We now know what could happen (and with me usually does-just ask my BFF) and that little voice inside of us tells us to slow down, sit down or shut up. Of course that's where alcohol can "play" a role. We have a couple sips (ok, shots) and we too are jumping off cliffs, dancing like fools and singing karoke (just ask the Big Guy). And that is why we call vodka (red wine, beer...) our "little friend".

Nancy Drew

So back to the missing silver bowl. I decided that I could not live another minute without finding that dang bowl. Given that I had searched inside the house several times, for several hours and questioned the Wild Ones until the littlest one almost cried AND that we did have a big storm the night the bowl went missing-I decided to look outside again. I put on my hiking shoes (actually my pink striped rain boots-screw dignity, I didn't want to feel anything slimy slithering across my tootsies in the back 40) and took off determined to look under every bush, behind every tree and between the blades of every tall grass on this property. I knew this might take a while so I grabbed a handful of nuts and a "Grouchy Dog" to go (I am sure it was after 5 o'clock somewhere). I started in the front, searched the bone yard (think old boats and left over construction material that the Big Guy cannot live without), played...I mean...looked in the Willows, braved the wrath of the furry thing living under the shed and wound my way to the back yard. I spent quite a while in the club house (I forgot how much fun it is in there), detoured to the Grouchy Dog...needed a refill...and started searching in the long grass. Now I don't know the last time you took an adventure like this, but the further I got from the house, the more freaked out I got. My Grandmother would say I have quite the imagination-rolling her eyes so hard that you could probably hear them all the way from Florida. Regardless, I was by myself or so I thought when I started. I began thinking of all the creatures that live in that tall grass and my search became a little quicker and a little less thorough-I even skipped the path around the pond. I was pretty sure I wouldn't be alone back there. I eventually lead myself back to the patio and into the house-I need another refill and a trip to the lavatory. I forgot to remove my boots which must have given me a little extra height because as I walked into the living room I caught a glimpse of something shiny atop the armoire. I climbed up on a chair and reached behind my pictures (I should have been afraid of what 6 legged creatures had been calling that space "home") and felt the rounded edge of a thin bowl. I pulled it down-old maids and all-and jumped up and down with delight until I remembered why I had walked through the living room in the first place (empty bladder!). When I approached the Wild Ones with the bowl and revealed the "secret" hiding place I could see the light bulbs going on in their heads as their eyes grew bigger by the second. They had wanted to watch a movie when one of them put the bowl down to open the dvd player. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, I wouldn't have picked that resting spot either. It's been a month, but the case has finally been solved...feel free to stop over for popcorn any time-I can now make you two big bowls and around here that means two different flavors!

This is what I put up with.

I turn my back for one second (actually I was watching 5 kids-and Uncle Kiss-swim in the river, now I see why I was designated life guard) and this is what I see when I turn around. All week I hear all about the brunettes "boyfriend" and by Saturday I have to see them in action. Oh well...at least it's all in the family (and yes the 'rents were standing about 5 feet away...laughing with the rest of them)!