By 3:00pm on Wednesday October 4th I had packed everything up and was nearly ready to go.
The two older happyhaunt children, Beth and Calvin, were packed for the cold. Long underwear, winter coats, heavy socks and even gloves. For their Thanksgiving up North at our cottage. It gets pretty cold there at night. And one of our family's favourite nighttime bloodsports is Hide and Go Seek... in The Dark.
Everyone plays... the smaller kids have to team up with a older kid. Adults play solo. Unless they're really drunk.
Then they have to team up with another really drunk adult. So they can wipe out and roll down the big hill in tandem.
It's called "Synchronized Stumbling". Up in the Can-A-dian northwoods.
Heh heh.
Anywho... it's a hoot. Hide and Go Seek in the DARK. I mean. The boundaries are far and wide and you are allowed to hide anywhere. You can. You also have to dress in black. Like a Ninja. To blend into the night.
It's serious bidness. This. To the whole happyhaunt clan. My whole extended family is very competitive. Too.
I have hidden up trees. In parked cars. Underneath turned over boats, spread eagle on top of minivans, in the bush and once, even, scaled the old ruins of an old boarded-up outhouse to hide on the roof of it.
I got in big trouble. Afterwards. Not only was there an endless boundary dispute, about it, but the building was so rickety and unsafe that I was considered to be setting a bad example for the kids.
Again.
But, the BEST place. I ever hid. Was right under the picnic table where the person who was "IT" was sitting and counting. I slipped silently underneath and remained there for the whole round. I could even reach up and grab my beer. For a drink. During the round.
Anywho... the other kids were ready to go.
That's what I'm sayin.
What I also mean is this: I wasn't feeling too badly that they weren't heading to Disney with Tommy and I. They would be having a great fun weekend with their cousins and a bunch of friends.
I was fairly guilt-free.
I was ALSO... by this time... finished packing for Tommy and I.
Not like usual. Tho.
We had to journey to three different Disney Resorts in five days. THREE.
I figured that I'd have to pack really light. Like we were going canoeing.
Because... basically... I'd be the one portaging all our crap.
Mellyman would not be my beast of burden this trip.
Which sucked.
But it meant that I wouldn't be bringing a shoe suitcase or fiveteen bikinis either.
Just... ONE.
SHUDDER!
Heck... I wasn't even planning on packing more than one pair of underwear for the both of us.
We'd turn them inside out on Day 3. Wear 'em that way.
Just like camping.
Heh heh.
Also, like camping, we'd rewear shirts. If they passed the "sniff test". And screw the raingear, the toys and most of my make-up and hair crap.
We were travelling LIGHT.
And... UGLY.
I did have to fit the Hallowe'en gear in, tho.
We were going to Mickey's Not So Scary Hallowe'en Party. And we needed to dress for it.
As a pirate. And a cowboy.
Yep.
We were going as that classic buddy-movie duo: The Pirate and Cowboy guys.
I think.
Anyway... it was a stupid plan. Besides sounding like a bad B movie.
Because Tommy's cowboy hat took up quite a bit of room in the suitcase. I didn't want it to get squished.
And I was hauling a pair of old ripped jeans, pirate garb including scarves, jewelery and a big sword. That didn't fit in the suitcase.
I finally realized that I'd be leaving the sword at the security checkpoint at the Buffalo Airport... FOR "SAFEKEEPING" aka never to be seen again.
A weapon. My butt.
Then, again, they also took another one of my Swiss Army Knives. From my purse. And a container of expensive sun-screen.
Leaving me with only tweezers. Bandaids and... an emery board.
With which to hijack the plane.
Anywho... where was I before the rabbit trail?
Oh yes... the other three happyhaunts drove Tommy and I to the airport for our flight when school let out for the day.
We arrived at 6:30pm. An hour and 15 minutes early for our flight.
We had a long goodbye. Everyone hugging everyone and saying "Goodbye!", "Have fun! Be careful!", "Love you!", "Don't lose Tommy!" and "Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, I am free at last!".
The last little bit was Mellyman. He screamed it as he danced in mad circles around our dirty ol van. In the Departures Area of the airport.
He was weak with power and the promise of five days without the ball and chain.
I was takin' the ball and chain along...to wear with my pirate garb.
Cheers, Mel.
To be continued. Up next: Something about the flight. And other stuff...including the pics I promised. In the meantime, I have to go work on my OTHER trippie. Here.
Because I'm an idiot. Who likes to bite off more than they can chew.
....now if I can figure out how to get to the Resort Board. Or would you all know....(Can I take my PO Riverside towel when I swim at the Beach Club.....or can I just use one of theirs?)
That is a very funny line.
