The Days Go On

Yesterday was the tubing activity here at Daypalooza 2013, and I was not looking forward to it. I'm kind of a wuss when it comes to comfort and tubing conjured up images of being on a fast, rocky river in a black rubber inner tube and either frying or freezing. I had pretty much decided I wasn't going to do it - Maryn had already punked out and there were clouds and a chilly breeze all morning. But then my BIL Ryan asked if I'd be in charge of his son, Max, because neither Ryan nor his wife wanted to go. So, I was committed - not happily.

But here's the thing, I'm confident now that when I look back on this week in years to come, the tubing trip will undoubtedly be one of the highlights. I'm glad I went and I'd happily go again. The river was almost hypnotically slow and smooth, the tubes were big and comfortable, the sky turned a hard, intense, summer blue, and the company was excellent. Suzy and I had talked about how the main problem with our hotel is that it doesn't have a central gathering place where the adults can talk and hang out. Well, the river turned out to be it - two hours of uninterrupted time to talk and joke. No cell phones, no running back to the room to check on whatever, no quick trips to the store for another loaf of bread. Just me and some of my in-laws talking about anything and everything under the sun (literally).I loved it and I am glad that circumstance made me get over my wussiness and get out on the water.

 Day before yesterday was the all-family lunch at the Cold Water Cafe. The entire family is present this year, and we all wedged ourselves into a little place in downtown Beulah. It won't win any awards for ambiance and the waitresses were more than a little harried, but my Smokey Mountain Chicken Sandwich was big enough to both have its own zip code and be seen from the International Space Station, so by the time it arrived, I was happy. Having everyone there was chaotic and joyous at the same time. It was loud and remarkably hot, but worth it all the same.

Maryn and Avery are enjoying being with their cousins like nothing else. Several of the tween and teenage girl cousins are even staying in their own room together (a room that smells like nail polish, fruity lotion, and estrogen, by the way) and so are deliriously happy. In a way, it's kind of poetic, especially for Maryn, because she's had so many years in Tonica of having no one really get her, you know? Her quirky, smart-but-nerdy sense of humor, her love of crafts and jewelry, her interest in theater and performing have all made her a curiosity more than anything else at school. Here with Larae, Hallie, and the others, it's as though she's finally come home to her people. I think it's a nice way for her to mark the end of her time in Illinois with a week of kindred spirits in Michigan.

On the down side of all this cousin love is the fact that normal things that parents like such as having your children remember to wear shoes, to bathe, to come when they're called, etc. aren't really happening. We don't want to harsh the girls' mellow at this reunion, but at the same time, they still have to behave like human beings (that belong to the Brown family) and not just go native while we're here, you know?

Anyway, the other big highlight to yesterday was Avery and Suzy winning the first ever Day Family Reunion Chopped Championship. SIL Melanie and others put together a cooking competition like the show Chopped - a bag of secret ingredients and a time limit for contestants to put it all together. There were two rounds, desserts and appetizers, and our own little A and S ended up the winners out of the entire family. The prize was an embroidered apron that declares them the 2013 champions. It was fun to see them win, but it was equally fun to see the whole family playing together.

My other favorite moment of the Chopped competition was when BIL Ben brought nephew Braden over to congratulate Suzy and Avery. I guess B had a tough time when his team wasn't chosen as winner for the first round. He's a very competitive little guy, but here he was, at our door, saying congratulations. I was really proud of him. (Impressed with Ben too. That's some good parenting at work, I think.)

Today is Thursday and it's about nine o'clock in the morning at I write this. In about an hour, we'll gather in the parking lot and head out to Sleeping Bear Dunes to play in the sand, collect rocks and fossils, and wear ourselves out in the sun and wind. Tomorrow? Karaoke!