w.o.w.

the camera battery is recharging. for now i can share with you that the hoffman family women's only weekend was a great success. the rules were that we could only talk about men we knew over 70 and under 10 years of age. we could only talk about men we didn't know from the waist down. in spite of the nor'easter that blew through our getaway overnight friday and all of saturday we managed to have a blast.

how can a weekend that starts with mudslides on the ferry and ends with a nap on the beach, the sun warming your back, be bad.
personal highlights include:
10) going only 30 dollars over my budget.
9) finishing a good book.
8) no cars equals no driving. i love me a good walk; my favorite was the camp cottages of oak bluffs.
7) the full night's rest i woke with on sat am, despite the relentlessly rattling windows all night from the storm.
6) knitting on my opal socks.
5) not wearing a nursing bra all weekend.
4) the fashion. several of us resorted to sporting our extra sweaters, capris, pajama bottoms; whatever we had, as makeshift scarves and headwear to combat the chilliness brought in the too well ventilated summer house by the storm.
3) meeting the up and coming musician newlyweds. at first we thought the bride had an imaginary groom. he was finally sighted and proven a corporeal human being. we all received first hand evidence of this via his hug everyone and love everything philosophy. truly a feel good couple to whom we wish all the best.
2) the sisterhood.
1) coming home to all my babies.

top 5 regrettable moments.
5) big time sleep deficit on saturday night
4) the fashion, see above
3) we told ghost stories sat evening. i arranged with my sisters to sleep with our doors open so i wouldn't have to be ascared of spirits in the night. when i awoke the next morning mine was the only door open! oh, the betrayal! .... or was it ghosts... shit.
2) wearing underwire in my bra.
1) i waited too long to use the extra deep antique bathtub for a soak; it became too cold to disrobe for a bath. did i mention that our weather consisted of a may nor'easter... and our lodgings were directly on the water?

we pulled names from a hat to see who would organize next year's event. this year's planner drew a name, peeked, proceeded to ditch it and make like she hadn't drawn yet... it was my stay of execution... she vetoed that draw because it was my name. she took mercy on the mother of three small ones who would be wrapping up her first year back at teaching at about the time of next year's trip. what a good girl she is. not much faith in me... but her intent was kind. so the second name was drawn. a willing and able organizer; but, a third stepped up, revealing her secret wish to do it up right for us next time... i can't wait to see what she has in store...