Corn Hole

At the last minute I decided to camp out at my parent's after all. I had a blast. Tom and I set up camp behind the apple tree for privacy and shade. Amy's tent (that dad gave her) was closer to the fire and Gavyn's near that one. Which Gavyn thought he would sleep in by himself. That last for twenty minutes. I loved the one that dad gave to Amy. That thing is huge. It has three rooms in it and a porch like area. Dad bought it has Ceasars Creek for ten dollars.

Who all came? My grandparents from both sides of the family, uncle Ronnie, uncle Randy (whom did not drink, he drank the night before...), and later Tina and her husband. Dad's neighbor came over munch later just to chat with Dad. Oh and Amy, Chris, and the kids.

The food was great. Tom helped dad with grilling the meat. Grandma Perkins made potato salad and zucchini bread. Amy made baked beans. She also made something very special. She didn't have a name for. Although it probably does. It was something Big Chris said one night she put together. It had cheese, broccoli, and potato. It was delicious. Any time Amy throws something together it comes out great. Anything else....well, we all have our opinions.

The game was corn hole. I never thought I would like the game, but then I never saw it being played. It is fun. Once you get the point system down that is. Mom doesn't like the game for that reason. I didn't play too much the first night. Too many people I guess. Last night I was still there and played it with dad, Randy, Amy, Big Chris, and Gavyn. I got pretty good too, although I didn't feel well from the night before. Gavyn was good too. I am really proud of him. It is hard to make a hole when people are cheering/coaching you on.

The drink for the night was strawberry daiquiri made with mom's rum (whatever that was) and Amy's captain Morgan. I drank glass after glass. I don't know how many I really had but I just couldn't get enough. I was saying to myself. I feel good but I'm not drunk. I wasn't drunk until I fell over the hammock. That was when I decided to call it a night. I had other plans and knew someone was already in the tent waiting on me. Or perhaps he was only sleeping. But he most definitely got woken up....;)

I have never slept in a tent before. It was different but exciting. I didn't really like the location that Tom picked. Not so far off is that creep house Amy lived in. I woke up to a big bug on the tent. I thought it was a spider but the next day I think I brought it in with me. A pinching bug it was. Mom found it walking out of the bathroom. I flicked it off the tent before I went out to pee. Then I forgot all about it and pee where I flicked it too. I couldn't get the tent unzipped when I came out. I had to crawl out. When I came back I couldn't get it zipped back either. I threw my pants in front of the slip. I think maybe that is how I brought the pincher in. (in the morning when I could see, I got the zipper unstuck, not that it matters)

Yesterday we got on the subject of Tom and I and how mom was pissed when she learned of us. That was when something came out. Something I never knew. Jeremy wanted Nathan to tell mom about us. Nathan wouldn't. So even though our friendship was torn apart, he was never a back stabber. I knew Jeremy had told him but I always thought he was in on telling mom too. Mom also said something odd. She told me that even though she was pissed off about Tom and I. She was more pissed off that it was Jeremy who told her. But this is all history. Six years ago.....

It is funny how time changes. How much does it really change? Maw-maw is very ill. I saw her the day before. We chatted about the weather, the kids, and how old she was. She told me she didn't think she would make it to 90. Less than six months away. All I could do was picture her fifteen years younger. I picture everyone I knew fifteen years younger. That brings me back to the age of nine. When everyone still had their innocents. Or at least for the most part. Justin, Meeka and there cousins were all cute and though they were brats, they were fun. Nikki was older than I. Then there were the neighbor boys. Amy showing the the 'No Trespassing' sign. Life was fun. That was only just a part of my life. The other half of it was those Saturdays when we went to grandma's. That goes back before Staunton. In those times my sister and our cousins were close. The family in general was close. In my mom youth they may have been even closer. Time changes everything. Sometime for the better, sometimes not. Sometimes it is like a roller coaster. For myself...it can only be said in a song.