What a great weekend we had! Friday night, Ava & Megan & Stormy came to visit. They are Girl Scouts form my troop. We have been together since they were in kindergarten. We have spent many nights huddled up in tents telling stories to keep theboogey man away.Now that they have become teenagers I am so much a part of their lives that they forget I am part of the grownup world. Somehow because of our long association, I am exempt from the bored tolerance they extend to most adults.I feel much more akin to them than I do to a lot of people my age. They,like me , are still excited about the world.
I had planned on taking them to the beach on Saturday, but my BIL & SIL were going camping,so I talked them into going along. (I explained to them once that since they were older, they would be responsible for the meetings, money, etc & one of them said,"well, what is your function?"I am the one with a driver's license!)
Tom went up Friday night, but we waited for Ava & played poker for pennies.
We got up early Saturday morning to go. The girls were packedfor a beach trip, so I threw all the blankets, jackets, pillows& shoes I could find into the trunk & off we went.
A word about David & Judy: They got married at 17 & 18.She was pregnant, the families were not pleased. They didnt'; have jobs.Three children later, he had a stroke. An accomplished musician, he can only strum his guitar now. A talented artist, he taught himself to draw with this left hand.They lost their house & all their possesions in Hurricane Ivan. They live on her pay she gets form running a booth at a tourist attraction selling homemade herbal remedies and his disability check.They are the happiest people I know.
They are very clsoe to their kids & gradkids, they get together & all sing & play some kind of musical instrument. They love in their family is so strong you can see it,an actual physical presence
So, the campers are Judy & David,their son Kelley, his girlfriend Cathy, his daughter Lily who is 2, me & my entourage, Tom & our nervous cocker spaniel , Penny.
After a long trip in the car filled with Blink 182 and shrill laughter,we arrived at Blakely.Of course we got lost, it si a huge park & the map is laughable.But what a beautiful spot to be lost in!Everything the new green of spring...sunlight sparkling on the trees, wild violets peeking out of the grass...
We hiked, ate, ran up & down hills, ate,played guitars, drank, laughed and basked in our love of each other.
I am so thankful for this family I have found. I wandered around looking for the place I belonged in my younger years. Through happy chance & careful cultivation, I have found my home.