Well That Was Fun

What a fun few days we've had with my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. This was their first trip to the lake, and my nephew declared it would not be his last. He was only here about five minutes before he started asking his mom if they could stay a little longer. Real life beckons so that was not to be, but we did make the most of the time we had together.

I guess I won't mention how I whiled away four hours the afternoon of their arrival in the Emergency Room making sure I hadn't broken any ribs since that was kind of the low point of the
monthweekend for me.

Okay, I'll mention it.

I was happily minding my own business Wednesday, getting the house ready for company when the incident occurred. Since my brother-in-law's birthday was Thursday I thought I'd get a jump start on the meal by making the cake the day before. His favorite-a homemade three layer carrot cake with buttermilk glaze poured over each layer and a cream cheese icing over the whole thing.

Hubs had run to the store for the 47th time and as I was mixing up the icing I noticed our hummingbird feeder hanging sideways on the kitchen window. I stopped what I was doing and went outside to find all the sticky sugary syrup dripping on to the deck where it was baking courtesy of the hot hot sun. I went inside and grabbed a cup of boiling water and poured it on the mess, all the while thinking how helpful I was to get this knocked out before hubs came home. Then I realized the sticky stuff had dripped through the deck and was running down the lower level bedroom window, so I got my trusty step ladder and ever so carefully wiped the window clean.

As I was admiring my handiwork the ladder somehow collapsed, I slid, and hit the bar going across the top of the ladder. HIT should be capitalized. I hit that bar so hard, like a Floyd Mayweather jab just below the rib cage. I might have cried. Hubs got home about fifteen minutes later and I was frosting my cake and crying and he said we probably needed to make sure I hadn't broken a rib or ruptured my spleen and we argued a little about whether or not I could drive myself while he finished getting the dinner prep done for our soon-to-be-arriving company or he would drive me there himself. Guess who won?

It only took an hour to get into the exam room. The doctor said I'd have to have a chest x-ray and if any ribs were broken I'd have to have a cat scan to be sure my spleen was intact and long story short I have some very severely bruised ribs that will take two to three weeks to heal.

Hello company! I hung tough, but was definitely off my hostess game. Fortunately the weather was absolute perfection and we pretty much spent the entire three days in the water.  Seriously if we hadn't insisted my nephew get out of the lake he'd still be in there swimming.

Thursday morning we packed a lunch and motored out to a little island we love. There's a nice sandy beach and we felt like we had the whole lake to ourselves.

I think he had fun?

Hubs grilled steaks on the Green Egg for our brother-in-law's birthday dinner, then got up Friday morning and put a pork butt on the grill to smoke all day. Somebody enjoyed being sous chef.

And fishing with his uncle.

And catching a football thrown from the water.

We were on the boat again all day Friday and there was more swimming and flipping and the required sister selfie.

I don't see my younger sister often, and normally when we're together it's around a holiday, so this was really special. No agenda, just relaxation and conversation.

Friday night Daughter2 and her roommate drove out to spend the night and have BBQ with us, and Saturday morning we all got right back in the lake for some repeat fun.

About noon Daughter2's boyfriend arrived with her pup who is NOT a swimmer (although we tried to coax her in) and then my older sister and her hubs arrived from their nearby town to join us for an early dinner.

We grilled burgers and did our best to finish up the carrot cake before we had to say our farewells. My younger sister and her family started their long drive home Saturday night because work on Monday, school starting soon, and other non-summer bits of life that need tending. 

These cousins got the good hair gene.You're welcome kids!

Daughter2, her boyfriend, and her roommate stayed for an evening sunset cruise, then her roommate had to hurry home, and it was just the four of us once more. I think Daughter2 and her boyfriend played some pool, but I can't say for sure. I took my Advil and fell asleep sitting up in the comfy recliner because laying flat is still completely miserable.

The longish weekend went too fast and my nephew is already making his travel plans for next summer. We can't wait to do it all again!

Except the part about where I crack my ribs.
Next time I'll skip that and go straight to the fun.
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