Eldest Daughter (The Cooker), Son-in-law (The Fisherman), and two Grandchildren (Lego Kid and Wild Child) will be arriving soon for a month of Summer Holiday. Everyone is gearing up for this event. A master list of activities is at the third draft stage, with three families still to provide input. Canada could launch a takeover of the USA with less planning!
When visiting family first walks in the door of the Red House, they are treated like Guests. They are invited to use the hand towels in the Half Bath:
But after the first beverage has been poured, and the first meal has been served, all Guests at The Red House are expected to morph into family, whether they are blood relatives or not! In other words, they can pitch in and act like they live here – which I make very clear with the signage at the front door:
The Cooker will have no problem with taking over some of the meal preparation. She is a far better cook than I am, and for the most part would rather eat what she cooks than what I cook, I believe. I explain the discrepancy between her skills and mine by reminding her that I am of British Isles stock, while she has inherited that plus Slavic and Nordic genes. Genetically then, she must have got her cooking skills from her father’s side of the family.
The Red House is a perfect place to host guests. Three guest bedrooms, two guest baths – lots of room to gather or be apart. But it won’t be long before everyone heads out to The Cabin on Antelope Street, and that is where they will stay for most of the month. The cabin – one guest bedroom, only one bathroom, a couple of holiday trailers. The little kitchen will never close once six to twelve people settle in for the summer!
In mid August the cabin will suddenly be quiet. No children will whoop and holler as they hunt each other down with nerf guns. (This game has a hiding component, and a rock whose purpose I don’t understand…) The bicycle rack will silently hold all the faithful two wheelers that have traveled back and forth between our Cabin and The Car Guy’s Sister’s Cabin. The freezer door will close and stay that way, all the icy Freezies gone except the blue ones:
There is no known navy-blue food. If there is navy-blue food in the refrigerator, it signifies death.
– Erma Bombeck –
But that is a month away. Today I can only ask for a month of good weather and hope a boatload of mosquito spray is enough!
Amusives 