My Summer Vacation in the Wilderness

 

On 08-08-08 my son and I started an email exchange just because it was 08-08-08. He was exciting about their upcoming annual Labor Day Bash. He spontaneously asked me, "Mom, would you like to come this year?"

 

I thought at first that he was bluffing but he emailed a couple of days later and said, "I've checked with the whole gang and everyone voted thumbs up on your coming."

 

Just being invited and voted in unanimously was a great source of pride for me. This invitation was comparable to kids inviting their grandma to go with them to a rock concert - she must be one cool seasoned person!

 

I immediately booked a flight to Nashville.

 

When I excitedly told a friend of my plans, she reminded me, "Kids, bugs, cats, and humidity - these are things way up there on your can't wait to not be around list, right? and you are stepping knowingly and willingly into four days in confined quarters with these exact components?"

 

I did, it was a joy, and I would jump at the opportunity to do it again.

 

 

 

The first night was spent at my son, Doug's and daughter-in-law's, Amanda's home in Hermitage, TN where Percy the Cat resides. Percy is friendly and demanding. She decided that I was going to pet her so she got up beside me, maneuvered her head into my hand and moved it back and forth, hence Susie I, the dog person, patted a cat. Before I knew it, she was in my lap, pawing like she was going to go potty. "No", Amanda said, "she is making biscuits." After Percy kneaded the dough (my lap) for awhile, she curled up, looked straight into my eyes and growled. "No," Amanda said, "it is not a growl, it is a good, content sound, called purring." OK, I now admit it, I have a feline grandchild and my son and his wife work very hard to provide her with a wonderful lifestyle. She has a huge cat condo in their living room and other cat paraphernalia. Percy is a black cat. I can't remember if black cats are lucky or unlucky. I guess I'll find out when I return to Las Vegas.

 

To the Wilderness:

 

The next morning we were loaded up with food, booze (my donation - for me and the big kids), ice, beach towels, coolers, etc. We headed east out of Nashville through Watertown, Three Forks and Dry Creek to Smithville, TN. There we loaded the speed boat and took off headed to our destination in the Wilderness where we would hook up with the rest of the party.

 

Those of you who know me at all know that "Susie Isaacs" and "Wilderness" is an oxymoron, so I'll come clean. The 17" x 82' houseboat, with every possible leisure amenity including a hot tub on the top deck, amply named the "Ski Escape" was moored in a secluded cove a ways down on Cedar Hill Lake. This spot was at one time known as "Climax Cove" until my son discovered it and staked his claim. It is now known as "Bundy Cove."

 

The cast of characters: Doug, my son, late, late thirties, his wife, Amanda, thirties, my step-daughter (who has been a part of my life for decades), also thirty something, her husband Stan who has been a part of my life since he started dating Beth when she was 16. Stan is 40ish, Rachel, their oldest daughter, 12, their youngest, Anna, 9, Liza a favorite cousin to the big kids, may be 40 but looks 30, her boyfriend Larry, I wouldn't begin to guess his age, but another grown kid, and his son, the youngest on board, Spencer, age 7. Lease we not forget, the true adult of the crowd, ME, age, none-of-your-business. Old enough to know better, but still young enough to do it anyway.

 

After a couple of rounds of margaritas, the big kids started on beer. Larry seemed to be opening the beer bottles with his shoe. I thought, this is a trick I want to see. I asked him to do it in slow motion. "Oh!" he exclaimed, "You've never seen an Alabama flip-flop?" I swear to you there was a built-in bottle opener in the sole of his flip-flop!

 

After a marvelous dinner of grilled tenderloin and grilled veggies (these kids know how to live!), Captain Doug laid down the rules. I only remember one: he said, "Please do not go up to the top deck in the mornings, barefooted. You will definitely step in the "do" and make a filthy mess.

 

"DO?" I asked, "What kind of do? Ya'll got a TN pigeon problem?" "No Mom," he answered, "Dew I'm talking about the morning D-E-W!"

 

Continuing my adventures in the wilderness with "God Does Have a Sense of Humor!"