6/25 - 6/28 Weekend "Vacation" - Friday

"Woke up" at a decent morning hour Friday. I use the quotes because I slept very little, so I simply decided it was time to get my lazy arse up & continue to "face the family".

R and I joined up with two other family members, and, while most went to the river to float & play, we took a "trip to town", for some ice, a few groceries, and other necessary supplies. A neat car trip, giving me even more time for reflection (and absorption, getting adjusted to all the new people).

We returned right in time to get lunch started, and helped out with that. Before long, the crowd had crawled up the hillside for lunch, and everyone enjoyed the good feast. I was a little less observant this meal, and participated a bit more in the conversations, getting a little more comfortable. (Still... ever feel like you're being watched? LOL) Found the best company to be in some "friends of the family", B&J, who were incredibly easy to talk to & spend time with.

After lunch clean-up, R assisted in the construction of peanut butter pie, my peace-offering for dinner dessert. A bit overwhelmed by the crowd, and more than a bit exhausted from not sleeping the night before, we enjoyed a decent afternoon nap before venturing down to the river.

Having not seen "the river" except briefly Thursday night in the dark, I wasn't sure what to expect. Best I can describe it - Very serene. There was little to no water running downstream, due to low rainfall this year. However, it was deep enough to swim in quite a few places. We stayed for a while with family & friends, then, after they wandered off, we stayed a while longer. Friend B was off to the side fishing, and nabbed himself a very nice largemouth bass (about 14" long, and probably 2.5-3#), though we'll never tell anyone else that's true!

By far the funniest moment of the trip came that evening, sitting in the water on some rocks, chatting about all the family details. I got bit! By a fish! On the toosh! Thinking about it again now, I'm still laughing! I got bit by a fish! I jumped, squealed, and probably scared all the fishes out of the river! I hollered to B, "Listen, man! You need to catch that SOB, and teach him a lesson! You've got two more days to find him & bring him to justice!" *laugh*

We wandered up the hillside, and enjoyed a fabulous dinner with the crowd. An early evening ending, as most were tired from the day before (and a day playing on the water). I was entirely ready to call it quits early in the evening, relaxed, and becoming increasinly more comfortable with my surroundings.