My family all arrived safely after I'd only had at the most, 3 hours of sleep. Amazingly, I was able to pry my eyes open and make my body function enough to roll out of my bed and stiffly walk to the living room to give them a proper welcome. It had only been a few days- but I missed them all and was damn good to see them!

The first day they were here, we sat around and shot the shit a bit. Then Lisa, Brian and I took the kids into a neighboring town to pick up a few necessary groceries for the weekend. Well, I drove everyone mad on the way to the grocers! Everytime I saw a garage sale or yard sale, I pulled in and took the kids to see about finding us some goodies. The one sign I saw, I turned onto the road and we drove forever before finally getting to it. That was a trip. But it was tghe mother of all garage sales that day, so irritated or not- I am glad we went... not that they had any type of choice.

Once we got our yard saling out of the way, we hit the grocer's and got our groceries we'd need. Then, on the drive home, I stopped at a local flea market type place where I spent a few minutes picking out some garden decorations while the rest ate McDonald's in the hot car. Muah ha ha.

Later that evening, Lisa and I went to a little road side stand and a local store for fireworks. We got some really great stuff at reasonable prices at the roadside stand... and picked up some "illegals" at the fireworks store here in town. But ever since they got busted a year or tywo ago, they now have permits for shooting off illegals... so It was all good.

That night, we watched the local fireworks show. Which pales by far in comparison to any major city... especially my home towns. But, we neverf had to leave my back yard, so that was cool.

We sat outside in lawn chairs and on the tailgate of the truck watching the big boomers... my nephew Carter freaking out whenever the bug ones made a loud bang. We started lighting off the ones we'd bought. That was a trip. My drunken sister, decidedly a pyro technic for the night, was somehow under the impression taht she could light off a roman candle type firework from where we sat. I didn;t get a warning off in time. She lit it and it wasn't a usual roman candle. Instead, it shot off several jumping jack type flares which spin around in the air and spark soemthing fierce. Well, it scared her and she threw it. It landed pointing at us. It sent a shot off and singed my brother's leg and threw sparks at the kids.

Poor Carter... he didn't get burned... but I'm betting his diaper filled rather quick with pooh as he ran like a little lighting bolt for the front door screaming at the top of his lungs. Poor baby. He was all done for the night. He wasn't sitting outside for anymore. He ended up going inside with my Dad and falling asleep.

We had a good night after the fireworks. Brian, my sister, Shawn and I sat around talking outside. Brian and Lisa getting drunk. We all talked about the past... rehashing old memories from waaaaaaaay back. That was a trip. And of course, as always with my sister Lisa and I- we talked uncandidly about sex, and our sex lives past and present. The guys still ahve yet to be comfortable with that. But they'll get over it... eventually.

Saturday, we left the kids with my Dad and Shawn, Lisa, Brian and I went into a town nearby and grabbed a bite to eat at a diner there. We all sat and shot the shit thru lunch and inquired via my trusty cell phone about tubing trips. And we found a place not that far away and reserved some tubes.

After lunch was over and paid for, we headed to the Canoeing place. Man, it was packed. We checked in and paid, then got all the necessities for our tubing trip. Sunblock, a 6 pack of Skyy vodka drinks, bottle coolers, water resistant bags. Then finally our time had come and we loaded into the van that took us to the take off spot.

Talk about a trip... in more ways than one! The river was packed with tubers, kayakers and canoers... by the lot. TONS of people. More than I thought possible to be on one river safely at a time. And later on, we figure out that it wasn't all that safe. Both Lisa and I got hit by canoes. She manages a bruise from it, I lost a frswhly lit cigarette and hit my ankle on a rock. Grr.

We had a 10 minute walk on a gravel path just to get to the take off point. We bagged everyhting we didn't want to get wet and tied it to our tubes. I wa sthe first in the river, which to my amazement was rather warm! I tried to biard my trusted tube and flipped int he process twice. Quite embarrassing really and I can only imagine what it must've looked like to onlookers... but I had a freshly opened Skyy in hand- and to most people's amazement, tho I flipped- I managed to never spill a drop. I've got skills, I tell ya!

Once I was finally boarded and safe from tipping, the others were right behind me and we started on our journey. I booked us for the two hur trip. I learned later my mistake. Their 2 hour trip actually turned out to be quite a bit longer. I wish now, that I'd have went with the 1 hour.

The river was never more than 3 or 4 feet deep. And only inches in some spots. And it's at those very spots where I always managed to end up the beached whale. That really miffed me. The funniest parts of the trip were when I came off of my tube to flip Brian off of his. In no time he was back up on his tube and floating away bitching at me. He made it look so easy. Heh. It took me 15 minutes to get back on mine. I was in rather shallow water. Well, it just so happens that just as I decided to hop on my tube, my foot slipped on a drop off point. My tube flipped a funny way. I literally flipped ankles over head. Shawn was amazed when he saw me upside down. (He was watching and laughing like a hyena as he flated merrily away) I managed to inhale gallons of scummy river water and hit my head on a rock. But I ended up successfully moun ting my tube and never got off it again til the end.

And then, we warned my gabbing sister that there was a tree up ahead. As usual, she didn't heed our warning and got hung up on it.(Better her than me!) And she was hilarious. She's been floating upriver backwards. When she hit the tree, she tried to bounce off of it. Then I saw her eyes bulge and her face flush crimson as she hollared out:

"I'm being fucked in the ass by a tree!"

We all died laughing. I'm sure all the conoers running past us did too. It was a great trip. A bit long. And I ended up with a migraine. But it was fun. Something I hope to do again soon!

That night, I think all but Shawn was in bed by midnight. Being out in the sun all day left us whipped.

Today, we all got up and started a big breakfast. After we ate, we picked up the hosue a bit and then, my family packed up and said their goodbyes. Shawn always hates this moment because I always cry. Today was no exception. But this time, I didn't cry long.

I had a great vacation! Minus the bullshit I went through in Saginaw with Tara... which I'm sure is yet far from over. But I got my warrant paid off so I am a free woman now. I got to go back to my hometown for the first time in years and hang out. My family came up, we had a great weekend for the 4th.

I'm relaxed. I'm content. I'm happy.

Until the alarm rings for work tomorrow... Then I turn back into a pumpkin.

Happy Birthday, America!

Simply,

Sara