Party, Karamu, Fiesta

I referred to Lionel Richie's song - All Night Long in last week's blog and will continue with that theme, since the party, karamu, fiesta, continued this week.  In a different verse the words say: "Party, liming, fiesta, forever."  “Karamu” is Swahili for a party accompanied by a feast and “Fiesta” is Spanish for party.  “Liming,” is a Caribbean term for getting together.  All of which happened with family this week.

Mom and Joe arrived Wednesday at 3:30, just after I posted last week's blog.  I had just started on the lamb stew, which I had intended to get in the crock pot much earlier.  So, in order to get it cooked well enough, I had to put the crock in the microwave for 20 minutes.

Cathy and Ralph arrived just after 4:00 and Joe took them over to Brian's house while I made the fruit salad.

We ate at 5:30 because Mom was tired from travel and it was 6:30 her time.  Brian joined us and thankfully the lamb stew actually came out okay.  Mom hung in there for quite awhile before going to bed.






Once tucking Mom in, Cathy, Brian, Joe, and I took Maggie on a walk of most of the back nine of Druid.  Cathy and Ralph were staying at Brian's AirBnB, so retired over there.  I got the kitchen cleaned up and went to bed fairly early, knowing I would be up early with Mom.

Thursday morning Mom actually slept until 5:30, so I got up at my usual time.  Cathy and Ralph didn't appear from Brian's until later.  I started the puzzle Joe brought me from his hiking out west.  By 1:00, Carol (with her three dogs) arrived, with Courtney soon after.








There was a little fo-pah when Carol was moving her car to the street after unloading dogs and luggage in the garage.  I had to wake Joe up from a nap, and he came to the rescue and got Carol's car off the culvert pipe it was stuck on. 

Chris and Travis arrived and we had a staggered lunch, hung out, and chatted while 'liming.'  Stevie supervised the puzzle working and we went on a few walks.

Chris' tools came in handy in an effort to get to Carol's twp platters inside her old hard drive that a hammer, heat, or other efforts wouldn't work to destroy.

Joe grilled the chicken Cathy had marinated and she fixed the rice and stir fry veggies.  The nine of us enjoyed a wonderful dinner.  Then it was another walk on the golf course afterwards.  Chris' nice long arms worked well as a selfie stick.














Chris had made a beer run so the garage fridge was stocked and we were ready to party, karamu, fiesta, all night long.








Video games, a poker game, jig saw puzzle, joking around, etc. went into the night, but not all night long, especially for me.

Friday morning was an early rise and shine to help Mom when she got up.  Her 'smoking lounge' was the screened porch off our bedroom, a great place to sit and watch wildlife.

Selecting a new puzzle to start.

Various individuals appeared throughout the morning, getting their coffee and breakfast.  Computerizing, working the jigsaw puzzle, reading, knitting, etc. happened as we hung out together.














The rainy day limited walking and there would definitely be no pontooning or swimming.  Although it didn't seem to slow down the golfers passing by out back.

The Sidensticks pulled in at 1:40 with Dan and Valencia arriving two minutes after them.  The house was now really hustling and a bustling.  We all said hello to Nancy in this (video) as a thank you because she was subbing at work for me.








Stevie enjoyed having the attention of others willing to play with her, especially when they threw her mouse toy for her to fetch.



We got this puzzle completed in quick time (a good rainy day activity), with Chris making the majority of the progress on it.

Carol cooked dinner for sixteen of us.  She served pork tenderloin with corn, potatoes, and applesauce and then angle food cake with a blueberry sauce for dessert.  It was all very tasty.  

Courtney worked at teaching Maggie new tricks.  The dog was trying all her old tricks in hopes of getting treats.  She finally kind of figured out what Courtney was trying to get her to do.









Poker and some other games were played and then a late night movie started, but I couldn't stay awake for it.

Carol's three border collies ready to go on a walk.  Look at all the cars in the driveway and on the road.

At 1:30 Saturday morning I was woken by Mom.  She was trying to use the microwave to heat up her coffee.  She thought it was time to get up.  Once realizing it was much too early, she went back to bed after a cigarette, and then so did I.  But I could not get back to sleep, tossing and turning for at least two hours.  I was next woken up at 5 am.  Thinking it was Mom, I got up to help her, but it was Carol.  Wide awake again, I decided to just start the day.

Functioning on three hours of sleep took its toll.   I left for work before most people were up.  I hated to miss out on anything (FOMS we call it - fear of missing something) I did have family (Courtney, Mike, Valencia, Daniel, Joe, Mom, and Cathy) come to the pool about noon so I was able to watch some of the family action.







Once I got off work at 2:00, I was able to join in the fun, but the group was about ready to head home.

Next we went to St. George Marina where we rented a pontoon boat for two hours of motoring around, cocktails, and swimming.














Mike was our captain.







Chris and I handed out snacks and drinks.



And when we anchored, several got out to swim.
The lake water was warmer than the pool water.









Patti and Dave cooked Lasagna and garlic bread and made a toss salad for our usual 5:30 dinner time.

Then a bunch of us (13 total) went to Reds.  Patty and Therese managed to make it, having just arrived from a long day's drive from Iowa.





















Even Patti and Nicole came.

I had a good time, and hoped that the others did too.  Most of them left after one drink but they did join in on a few of the group sing-a-longs.  Patty was my kindred spirit, dancing a few songs with me.


Even  Joe got up and joined me for one.

Once home, the young adults were all settled in for the night, watching a movie.  Dan and Valencia had moved from the very crappy AirBnB to our balcony, where Courtney slept on the couch all week.

Sunday was a peaceful, slow and relaxing morning. Everybody congregated at our house, chatting, gaming, computerizing, hanging out, etc.  Joe got his drone out and several took a try at flying it.  J.J. was the best pilot (video). 




Can you see the drone in the bottom right photo?






Mom offered to treat us all to Sunday brunch.  Getting everybody organized to go was like herding cats, next to impossible.  One car load went to the airport first, to watch Mike land a private plane he was student piloting.  Also, on the way out the door, I discovered gunk coming out the vent pipe outside by the grinder pump.



Courtney, Valencia, Dan, Joe and Cathy went out on the tarmac, or whatever it is called, to watch for Mike.







They observed several planes land before Mike flew in.  Seen left, Courtney and Mike with his instructor.







Once landed, they got to look at the plane and ask a few questions.








Unfortunately, there was not enough time to watch Mike take off again, and the group headed for Legends.

Finally, all 19 of us were seated and ready for our breakfast buffet.  Brian, Patty and Therese were our three extra 'family' members.  We indulged ourselves in fine food and company.   Party, Karamu, Fiesta.









Notice right, what the younger generation who sat at the end of the table is up to.  Patty didn't make it into the posed family photo below because she took it.

Next on our agenda was pontooning on Lake Dartmoor. We had too many people, so took two one hour tours.  Dave and Patty's family decided to head home a day early because of the crappy AirBnB and also because their work made them feel pressured to get back.  So they were on the first cruise.  (The grinder pump guys came and said we have flipped a breaker switch.  We were immediately back in business.  Phew)






We did take time to anchor so J.J. could swim.  And then we sat in the sun to dry off on the way back to the marina.  Chris captained while Joe sunned.  





We said goodbye to the Sidensticks and then Mom, Cathy, and Carol came on board.  More motoring around the lake and then swimming occurred.



Since we had had such a big lunch, once home we had leftovers for dinner, along with GodFather's pizza that was ordered and picked up.  Patty and Therese came over to join us.  After dinner we walked, worked on a jigsaw puzzle, and played interactive games with our phones on the TV.  It was a lot of fun.  I have no recollection of when I went to bed, but sleep deprivation was starting to catch up with me.

Smoke On The Mountain

Monday it had really cooled off and was a beautiful day.  The morning was relaxed with chatting and joking around as usual.  I took 11 lawn chairs to Mirror Lake to save us a spot and Joe made a grocery run.  Dan and Valencia had to hit the road at ten and then Carol and I took the dogs on a long walk.

As usual, the dogs thoroughly enjoyed themselves, being off leash, running, hunting, and playing.












Several of us met at the adult pool before noon and basked in the sun and swam for a few hours.  Patty and Therese went to meet with the realtor and we others came home to nap and relax.

For dinner we went to Mirror Lake Blast.











We all listened to the band and enjoyed our food and beverages.  

The band was okay, but the music wasn't very good for dancing.  Most of our group left early, but I still wanted to party, karamu, fiesta, all night long.

Patty and Therese dropped me off back at the homestead a little after 8 pm.  Before 9:00, all had turned in for the night except Courtney, Chris, and Travis, and they were fixin' to watch a scary movie.  I declined and went to bed.

Tuesday (First of August) fairly early morning, Courtney, Cathy, and I went to the barn.  Seen left, we got all our tack and supplies out.  Below, Courtney had to go way out to get Zorro.


















Above, I helped Courtney onto Zorro.  Left, Courtney and I heading out on a ride.  This is the only photo I have of two of us riding.

Courtney and I rode first (40 minutes).  Then Cathy and I did the same ride.  Courtney was on Zorro while I rode Amiga (video) and Cathy rode Amiga while I was on Zorro (video) seen below.

Carol (and her three dogs) were gone by the time we got home, at about 11:00.  All the others (Cathy and Ralph, Chris and Travis, and Courtney) were soon off for their homes too.




I started a load of laundry, picked up around the house, moved some furniture back to where it belonged, had lunch, and went to the pool for my work shift.

The house was sure quiet when I got home at 7:30 pm.  Mom was in bed and Joe was reading.

The liming, partying, karamu, fiesta, dancing, etc...
was over for this summer's family gathering.