Short, Sweet

Barn this weekend was fantastic. Friday, we didn't get out of the city until almost 7pm, the boys were packed in an economy car with about 850,000 loads of laundry, and they lived to tell, although things got a bit hairy. They had managed not to kill each other for most of the drive but when we got off the highway at exit 30, a huge fight erupted. They went back and forth for 10 minutes until I employed what I have now trademarked as "Open Window Conflict Resolution". (note: I will be hosting a $500 per hour workshop for parents in spring). After starting to lose it myself, I cranked down all four windows. Imagine the bracing ADK air at midnight. The boys sort of shrieked and then I screamed, and I quote. "I am cranky enough and crazy enough to drive with these down until we get home, unless, I hear two boys apologizing and yelling 'I love my brother.' They could barely do it because they were laughing so hard. Finally, victory and the rest of the 45 minutes, they were back to best friends, united in their conviction that their mother was the craziest of all mothers. We arrived around 12:30am. Saturday morning, I let the boys sleep and went to get early breakfast and pick up a few groceries. After pancakes, we bundled up and went to Moody Tree Farm. Ten minutes later, we had found a gorgeous 7 ft. Frasier Fir at a good price. Usually, I'm pretty picky and take my time but the great guy helping us showed us a tree he was going to get but it was too big for his ceiling. Who could argue with the personal pick of the tree farm dude? I picked up some boughs and wreaths... and a few homemade cookies. Then, the boys found the Texas Longhorns, some pretty intimidating looking cattle on the premises. We ran about, grabbed a few more cookies and were back home in half an hour. A new record.

After that, it was football, hot chocolate, homework, and some house-organizing and furniture re-arranging. Of course, we also visited our neighbors at Soaring Hawk farm, saying hello to the fantastic chickens and adorable ducks and noting the mysterious absence of the turkeys :-) Before we knew it, the day was done and EatNMeet was calling. The restaurant was busy (yay!) so we waited a bit more than usual but we had some wine and soda and just chatted. Secretly, I like the wait. Then, it was steamed shrimp, sausage, burgers, and sweet potato fries, and rice and peas, and risotto, and.... Delicious.

After dinner, we put up the tree, the ornaments, the music, the candles and the boys ASKED if they could go to bed. Reason #776 that I love the Adirondacks.

Next day, the boys took on leaf clean-up (just in time), DVD/Cd organization and I finished the ridiculous amount of laundry I had hauled. We took out our ski boots and clothes and did assessment of what fit. Why must they grow so aggressively?! Then, it was decorating finishing touches: a wreath outside, some roping, candles everywhere and we were on our way back. We stopped at Cedar Run in Keene for sandwiches and made it back to Brooklyn in 5 hours flat! Always worth it, even for the short weekend. Our next trip will probably be for our 10 day Christmas retreat!