A FAREWELL GATHERING

Yeah, I know, I missed the last "Cruisin' In Harriman" for the season Saturday, but as often happens there was a family gathering.  One of Judy's sisters is leaving soon on an extended RV trip out through the upper middle American states, and we had to say goodbye.

Two of Judy's sisters are camper/RV'ers, and they often go on extended trips.  One couple was out in the Grand Canyon area while Judy and I were happily touring on a comfortable, leave the driving to us, trip!

I suggested recently that they buy this rig, just so they could go together!  It's probably better suited for a "mother-in-law" situation! 

I'm just not the pull a camper or drive an RV through a major city kind of guy...call me a wuss or something, but I'm just not built that way.  

As you have probably gathered over the years of reading my blog, I make it my business to find things to worry about.  Take last night...I should change out the AC filter tomorrow, and the filters in our room air filters, which we run just for noise, and I sure hope no more snakes get in the house!

"What was that?  I sure hope that air-conditioner makes it through the summer!"

I once worried an entire winter about an old oak tree falling through my bedroom roof.  After a spring windstorm blew down live trees in the yard, and the old dead tree surviving, I had it cut and removed along with the other debris.

So, Saturday was a much cooler day, in the mid to upper 80's, with a breeze stirring from nearby storms.  We could hear rumbling in the distance and see dark clouds northwest of us, but no rain came to soften the crunch of Gary's brown grass!

The cooler weather also eased everyone's mind about Judy...probably less chance of her passing out on us like she did on the 4th, but she was mindful of staying hydrated.  However, I think everyone, like me, watches her like a hawk for the first signs of trouble.  I think we both have figured out our sugar and blood pressure meds...at least for now.

However, so recent moisture had kept the nearby cornfield looking nice and green, with their contrasting yellow tassel tops.  He has a beautiful place with ponds, that he uses for duck hunting and training dogs, the field and nearby woods, from which a deer sneaked into the field.  He told us of mowing last week and finding two fawns, one obviously just a day or two old, hiding in the field where their mother's had left them as they foraged.

Sitting out on their screened porch is truly a relaxing day, filled with much laughter, and Dragon cackling!  We Knights, as normal, gather in an opposite corner in an effort to hear each other over the girl's voices and subsequent loud laughter...each trying to outdo the other!

Naturally, we each enjoyed a few of our favorite libations and even Ron had a cigar this time.  It was good to just sit there and watch them all have a good time.

We enjoyed a great smoked Boston Butt Roast that Gary and Charlotte cooked, slathered in BBQ sauces, one sweet, the other hot, on buns,  with creamed corn, and a potato casserole!  Best of all, there were three desserts to chose from,  an apple dumpling fritter kind of thing Terri made, a "Dolly Parton Peanut Butter Pie" that Judy made, and a strawberry yum-yum the Neena brought. 

Judy's pie was a success, however, everyone encouraged her to use crunching peanut butter next time.

 Actually, I have yet to eat any of either.  I'm saving it for tonight.  I've noticed that if I eat sweets, especially too much of them, it gets my Type II out of kilter and I feel terrible for a couple of hours.  I didn't eat any and I felt fine all evening.  Finally, I'm learning to control my food urges and I'm enjoying such gatherings much more these days.

It was a good farewell.  I can't wait for the welcome back gathering!