Of Friends, Dancing, Sledding, and Skating: Part 4

Monday & Tuesday, February 23-23, 2009
I woke up dreading saying good-byes. Now that I had finally met “my people”, I didn't want them to leave. We took many pictures together before Jason and Klaus had to head out. Just before they left, we were able to rope Jason into playing “Blest Be the Tie that Binds” while we sang. After they left, some of the people played the piano and guitar and some went out and shot guns. Michael, Bekah, Anna, and Charlyn were the next group to leave. And so our numbers dwindled. We ate a lunch, then went outside to watch Matt and Jake make The Works bombs. It pretty much bombed. :P They had two and, after several false alarms, neither blew. After this, the Orths had to leave. At the same time, Mark and Susan also left. Immediately, I went in and began uploading photos. We were very tired and everything was funny. :P Just ask Kim and Mike about our hysterical laughter over nothing. :D That night, we stayed up and chatted in the chat room. But we got to bed considerably early, I think. :)

I woke up Tuesday, also dreading saying good-bye. Out of all the people staying with us, Kim and Mike stayed the longest, and they became like family to us. Luckily, they had to leave in the evening, giving us quite a few hours together. We played Dutch Blitz, which was extremely fun. Then after the guys left for work, we went outside and built miniature snowmen. (The snow wasn't sticking and we didn't have a whole lot by then.) Then Poppy took us to the airport. And they left. I could've cried right then and there, watching my “siblings” leave me. But they left me with the promise of seeing each other again in April.

I miss you all very, very much. Thank you for coming. It wouldn't have been a snow party without each one of you.

Of Friends, Dancing, Sledding, and Skating: Part 3

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Sunday morning we were slower to get up than Saturday morning. We were supposed to leave for the archery club again at 9:30 for church. Klaus got up at 9:20, just as we sent the other guys in to get him up as he was to be one of our drivers. So we raced out of here, only to discover that everyone else was late. :P Nevertheless, we had a wonderful time singing and reading and discussing. I'd do it all again the very same way. In fact, I might even leave more time to do it all more.

After church was done, we managed to dance Mairi's Wedding, just one more time. :D I have to admit though: my calves were sore before but afterward I could barely walk. I didn't know that I was that out of shape just from the wintertime. But anyway, our next destination was the ice arena. Mark got stuck in Florida rental car. :P And Carrie spun some but other than that, we got everyone out and on the road. Then Carrie needed to buy gas so we stopped at the gas station, and Mark kept going but he circled back and that was fine. Then some of our caravan got stuck in traffic lights so we pulled into a parking lot and we timed it well enough so that our caravan was back together again.

When we got to the ice arena, Hannah and Gordie were waiting for us. They thought we had decided not to go and we had abandoned them there with no car or phone. :D Boy, does she know me well. :D :P Anyway, while everyone skated, I decided to take a bit of a break, since I was beginning to run low on social graces. Gotta love being an introvert. So I hung back and took pictures, not only with my camera but with Jason's and Charlyn's as well. I had fun even doing that. After we did that, we had to say good-bye to our Ohioan friends. :( And the rest of us came home and I almost crashed right then, but I didn't. I hung on. Played Rummy, and Dutch Blitz. Stayed up late. :D

Of Friends, Dancing, Sledding, and Skating: Part 2

Saturday, February 21, 2009
Slowly but surely, we woke up. Some of us used our laptops while we ate breakfast, because we are perfect geeks. :P :D Mark and Susan got here. Our kitchen ceiling began leaking because water was running out of the upstairs shower and seeping through. Quite the adventure it was. Then the Ohioans began arriving. Within no time at all, our house was jam-packed with people. Pretty soon, we needed to head out for the archery range so we could start sled-riding. We had decided on the archery range because our first choice – well, let's just say the hill was way too steep to have a patch of gravel at the bottom. So we shipped 'em out! Charlyn needed to print her dance instructions so some of us (Charlyn, Bekah, Michael, Melissa, Katie, Mom, Dad, and I) stayed behind. While Mom and Dad got the food around and packed up, we got it printed. There's a story in and of itself here sort of. Charlyn has a Macbook. It didn't like our printer, so she emailed it to Michael. Of course, the word processors weren't compatible so the page count and margins were messed up. So it ended up a little different than intended, but all is well that ends well. :) So after we fed the pets, we took off.

Katie and I immediately tramped our way to the top of the hill they were using and took pictures and went down a few times. The hill was considerably wicked. :P At one point, Carrie, Jake, and Anna B. went down in our big black sled and went straight into the creek. Many people tumbled and it turned out rather hilarious at times. After Klaus was wrestled a few times, we decided to go in because everyone was beginning to freeze. So we went in and thawed out and ate. I think some changed into their dancing clothes. Some played games. Then we practiced one or two ECD dances before taking group photos because some had to leave. :( After the photos Michael and Bekah taught us swing. Having been thoroughly exhausted, we ate dinner. Then we danced Mairi's Wedding. Twice. :D Then we danced and danced and danced and danced. We were taught rumba, waltz, and polka. We danced the Virginia Reel, and the Duke of Kent's Waltz. I, for one, enjoyed myself thoroughly. If you didn't, your loss. :P Then we had to leave. :( And I cried. :P Just kidding.

When we got home, I had to feed the indoor pets and Matt, Jake, and Brian went to Wal-Mart. When everyone got back, we all rehashed and looked at photos and crashed. We didn't stay up very long, needless to say. :P And I slept hard. I don't think I ever moved that night. :)