So we went to my parents for Thanksgiving this year. As many of you know they moved to Central California earlier this year to "retire". They bought a KOA campground in Visalia, California. The campground itself is cool, but they live out in the middle of nowhere!!!! (Think Eygpt) Well we left to go to my parents' house on Wednesday night and arrived at midnight. The six hour drive there was pretty eventless, although my brother Bubba came along with us; he's a pretty funny guy!!! (who wouldn't be with a name like BUBBA?!?!) the next morning, (Thanksgiving Day) I helped my mom cook, and I think I made about 6 grocery runs for her. One of the grocery store runs was for lightbulbs, yes, lightbulbs, let me explain. See, my parents are full of endless projects and since my brother was there to be of assistance, my dad thought it would be a novel idea to install a ceiling fan in their living room on Thanksgiving Day!!!!
(My dad is pretty "over the top", a real character of sorts) Dad, WHAT WERE YOU EVEN THINKING?!?! It's a holiday for God's sake!!! All I can do is laugh and shake my head . . . This is my family folks!! Oh, and before that, my brother knew what kind of day it was going to be and Chris wanting to escape it all . . . .Well they made a little grocery store run for themselves . . . they went and bought a bottle of RUM!!!
So Chris and my brother were drinking rum and coke all day long!!! I can't believe that my brother was actually installing a ceiling fan, standing on a high ladder, while drinking endless servings of rum and coke!!! Good thing he was drunk, it would have eased the pain had the fan fallen on him!!! LOL!!! The funny thing is that my parents pulled out some wine and my mom, dad and I were drinking endless glasses of wine all day!!! To inform you of the importance of this: My parents NEVER drink in front of us!!!! They think that it is improper!! In the past, they have only reserved a occasional glass of wine for "special occasions" and only in the privacy of their own home in front of no one but themselves. So, in short, pulling out the wine was a big deal for them to do!! Either they are "Loosening up in their old age" or they figured that it would be a hell of a weekend with the family all there!!! Oh, did I mention that my uncle Darol and his wife co-own the campground? Well he's a pretty interesting guy . . . Thus the pic of him to the left . . .
Well we got done cooking around 3:30pm and started to bring the food over to their recreation hall. Did I mention that we were cooking for 40 people?!?!? Oh yes, my parents extened Thanksgiving Dinner for all of the campers staying at their KOA!! Who stays at a Freakin' KOA for Thanksgiving anyway?!?! Well these people did and they weren't "drifters" either!!! Nice families, middle class incomes and they were camping, mostly in their "high class RV's" staying at KOA for Thanksgiving!! Who knew? Well we had a good time anyway and I got to use my nursing skills on a little camper about 5 years old who bit her finger while eating her turkey!!! I think she missed the memo on the fact that we were eating turkey, not chicken fingers!!! Anyway, I cleaned her wound and bandaged her up and she was a "happy camper" again!! (no pun intended).......... (okay, pun intended!!)It turned out to be an enjoyable time and we spent the weekend just relaxing and going shopping!!! My cup of tea indeed!!! SIDE NOTE: We went RING SHOPPING with my brother for a pre-engagement ring for Jenna!!!
He left Friday afternoon so he could be home that evening to take her out and FINALLY profess his love for her and willingness to COMMIT!!! (I'll keep you all updated on the progress of that one) Anywho, we went to my parents' church on Sunday and the pastor surprised us by asking Chris and I to do a song for their offering!! (don't ever tell anybody if you are a musician, you'll find yourself in some pretty interesting predicaments!!) So we kindly obliged and it worked out famously. They bum rushed us after church begging for autographs, hee hee!!! J/K Well, all of the little girls did think that I was pretty cool though!!
P.S. - I didn't know that little girls still got perms these days, but apparently it is a "fad" in their little gathering!! Fun stuff!! Anyway, we had fun and we got to go out to lunch to Olive Garden with half of the congregation after service. It was a good time . . . and my grandpa footed the bill for the whole table!! (about 20 people) Hats off to you Gramps!! Well, we packed up after lunch and headed home. We rolled in about 11pm last night and crashed!!! So that was our eventful Thanksgiving weekend!! Stay tuned for "A KOA CHRISTMAS" . . .
