Hello again.
I just thought I would introduce you to our family. And the main characters of this lil trip report.
We are a very close family of five. And... a dog and a cat and a whole bunch of fish.
Beth (20): No nickname. She is our eldest child and only daughter. Currently at university studying Criminal Justice and Public Policy and has just finished her second year. She is also a lifeguard/instructor for the town in the summers and a hostess/server at her campus pub during the school year. She is smart, hardworking, serious, tough as nails and incredibly compassionate and kind. Also... she's really tall. For years she has been planning a career in the police force. This year she decided, however, that she wants to become a lawyer. Sooooo... ouch. That will cost us! But honestly she is a joy and makes us all proud.
Calvin (17): Aka Cheen, Cheenie, Lil Cheen and Irk. Calvin is in a nutshell... a handful. He is wild, funny, fearless, passionate, energetic and sensitive. And completely insensitive at the same time. He is a tall giant and strong and dedicated to school, working out, sports, and supplementing his protein shakes with everything in our fridge. Daily. He also enjoys naps. A lot. He will start work in the coming school year as a lifeguard/instructor with our town. Like his sister. Btw. Very much like his mother in that he gets bored and distracted easily and then someone must suffer at his hands. Usually our dog, Tommy or myself. Because he is a freaking giant... he enjoys picking both me and the dog up against our will and carrying us somewhere ELSE against our will...where we don't wanna go. But not at the same time. He also likes squeezing the dog's toes and tail tip and lifting up her lips. Strangely the dog loves him outrageously. We think he has given her Stockholm Syndrome. Tbh. He dreams of being either a doctor or a firefighter. I know. But given the sounds and the facial expressions he makes while deadlifting in our basement... he is clearly attempting to give himself an amateur home appendectomy. He also has a cool facial scar from rugby.
Tommy (14): Aka Vector, The Vectronadon and Vectorfile. In fact... everyone calls him Vector. All the time. He is the most unique person I have ever met. He is like gifted mentally. And thinks of things and solutions and studies science like no one I have ever met. He is artistic and sweet and funny and gentle. Good with children, the elderly and helping anyone feel comfortable and accepted. And totally lazy. Totally. Unless it's something he's into. But I'll tell you this. No one in the history of mankind has ever unloaded a dishwasher or folded laundry more slowly. He reads a freakish amount. Like me. And hates sports. To the point of wearing his "UnAthletic Club" shirt proudly and faithfully. He is also super tall and giant for his age. And he loves food and wants to be either a chef or a nurse. I know. Again. He also measures things not by the metric or imperial system but by his own system. It's called The Lung. When he was five he made a long measurement stick marked out in divisions of the size of the average human lung (about 12 inches fyi). We all still use it. To our own detriment. It's really hard to get a countertop cut to the length of 8 lungs. At Home Depot.
Mellyman (50): Aka Mel, Dad and, affectionately, Fat Man. My patient, sweet, funny, patient, rule-follower of a husband. He is a banker. And therefore sometimes I want to slip into a forever-coma when he talks shop. He's a man's man and loves hunting, fishing, camping, poker, sports, space, documentaries about war, bbq and beer. He also is super duper duper patient. He can fix anything although it's at his own pace. For example his bathroom reno is now going on one year. He is my best friend. And he tries to make me happy all the time. Point in case: DVC. And Disney trips regularily. Also is a foodie like me and...still... lets me pick not only the restaurants we eat at but usually his entire meal too. So we can share. BUT... never his beer. He also is a complete Star Trek geek and has passed that down to his three kids. I don't get it. I really don't.
Me (47): Aka Mel, Mom and Tiny Mommy. I love my family, Disney, dogs, classic rock, food, cooking and I'm really good at eating. And swearing. I have a bit of OCD when it comes to certain things. ok. Many things. And I'm a proud Luddite. In fact if I could pound this here trip report into a rockface with a sharpened stone I would. I am impatient and that's why I get so frustrated with my new phone. A Samsung slide phone circa 2010 I found on Ebay. I have found..in the last couple of years.... that my one true hidden talent is, apparently, annoying the elderly and infirm. According to my mother The General.
The other person I love to annoy is my darling husband. But it's a game and a passion and it's the same for him. It's our marriage sport. For example I have gotten points recently for "Close Parking" in our garage. I park his van super close to the wall on the driver's side. So close that I can barely squeeze out the door and inch out of the garage. In the morning he is forced to enter the van via the passenger side door. Heh heh. I also vote Liberal.
To be continued. Cheers.
