List 22 - Lessons learned from the yearly get away

I'm lucky.  This weekend is the occasion of a yearly get together with friends unlike any others.  A few years ago, my friend, Cherie, invited a bunch of us to join her at her family's cabin up in Hayesville, NC.  It took us about 2 seconds to revert back to our comfort with each other that we had first enjoyed forty years ago!  (Wow, that makes me sound old.)

Not surprisingly, the special time has become a yearly tradition.  I wouldn't miss it for the world.  We arrive at different times, from various places, with completely different life stories.  But, when we assemble on the porch, none of that matters at all.  I've learned a lot from them.  I've laughed a lot.  I've been thankful more than I ever could have thought for these friendships started when I was just beginning on life's journey.  I highly recommend this practice!

I ask the 'girls' to help with today's list.  Not being ones to shy away from conversation, I did not have to ask twice.  They were quick to throw out their suggestions on some of what we have learned in our yearly visit.

Here's today's list . . . Lessons we have learned from old friends getting together:

1. You need a porch.
2. No matter how close you feel, it's still best to steer clear of politics and religion.
3. Laughter is good - really good.  Diapers are optional.
4. Our time together is loud.
5. Sometimes we remember things from the past differently - no problem.
6. Pajamas are fine at any hour.  No one cares how you look.
7. There is a lot to recycle when our weekend is over.
8. Our new tradition of renting the pontoon boat is more conducive to our good time than was the yearly hike.
9. There is always a friend behind you to push you up the pontoon ladder.
10. Old music is good.
11. Old memories never fade - but lots of them get funnier!
12. Facebook conversations, re-tellings of the weekend, are unintelligible to folks who weren't present.
13. Sadly, we moved into short conversations about reading glasses.
14. Ruminating is good.
15. We've established a rug of truth - you don't have to stand on it if you don't want.
16. All that really matters is being nice.
17. Everything with us ends in a laugh.
18. We are who we are.  We're fine with that.  
19. We've made a tentative plan to move to Bab's house at the lake when we are old.  We will drink heavily, so we'll wear shock collars to keep us from falling into the water unattended.  We'll pool our money for our own cabana boy.  
20. In conclusion, we have a question:  Why is it that alcohol can kill brain cells and not fat cells?

Have a good weekend, everyone.  I know I will.  I give thanks to God for these friends, these laughs and the continued goodness of really being known by others.  

Mountain Memories

My husband and I just returned from the mountains.  We were fortunate enough to cash in on a most wonderful Christmas present from my Dad and stepmother - a fabulous gift certificate for bedandbreakfast.com AND the offer to take care of the kids for three nights!  Can you believe it?  We are lucky.  We are loved.  We are thankful.

If you missed my post on THE GRAHAM PACKING ABCs, follow this link.  You don't want to miss this helpful tutorial.

http://deana-pressingpause.blogspot.com/2012/04/packing-abcs.html


We opted for a cabin, tucked deeply in the woods, and it was the right choice.  It afforded us some time to be quiet and to rest.  We were even (involuntarily) afforded an entire break from the internet, as the wireless access we were promised was not to be.  At first, that was frustrating.  I wanted to spend a few moments each day checking on emails and I wanted to keep posting on the blog.

After a while, though, I began to realize that I was actually thankful for the forced break.  I guess we need that from time to time, huh?  Yep.  I'm not sure many of us would be disciplined enough to make the break ourselves, so Im grateful that the break was made for me!

Now, I'm back in the real world, and most of me is happy to be here!  While we were gone, I decided to keep the camera in the bag for a break from what I do most, but I couldn't help snapping a few photos on the phone.

So, today I hope you'll enjoy a few snapshots from deep in the Cohutta Wilderness, brought to you by me, Pop and Baba and an old iphone . . .

And now, we must announce the winner (chosen at random from the correct answers) to Monday's WHAT IS IT? contest!  I really tricked a bunch of folks this time!  I think I may have received the most varied guesses ever this week!  Thanks for playing.  You can try again next Monday!

This was the photo . . . 

And here is what it is . . . 

A huge congratulations to Denise G.!  Way to go!!!!