Sunday, July 8, 2012

And They Floated Happily Ever After


One of my favorite things on Sunday is my small contribution to the group called Stream of Consciousness Sunday. It has moved to Janna’s Place and I couldn’t be more thrilled because I thought it was long gone, never to be seen from again. Thanks, Janna, for giving us a place on Sundays to just dump.

Today’s Prompt is: Write about a time you were challenged (but you don’t have to use it if you don’t want). Here are the rules...

   Set a timer and write for five minutes.
   Write an intro to the post if you want but don't edit the post.  No proofreading or spellchecking.  This is writing in the raw.
   Publish it somewhere.  Anywhere.  The back door to your blog if you want.  But make it accessible. 
   Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
   Link up your post on the host site.
   Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.
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My challenge this weekend (among a few others) was how to entertain 10 people stuck under the same roof in 105 degree weather for four days.

Yes, we had a full house and no one wanted to go outside for more than a second. If they did, they ran down, jumped into the water, lathered up with shampoo and ran back inside. Although I couldn’t have chosen to be “stuck” with better people, maybe that’s an exaggeration and I might have included or substituted one or two but for the most part it’s true. I did have my mom, dad, best friend and family (and a few other stragglers). it still felt like a long, long, long time to be together.

How about anyone else in the Midwest…did it feel like the air was so heavy and hot that it actually put pressure against your body?

So what did we do besides eat….A LOT!!!

We played games! Euchre and backgammon tournaments, cribbage, Rumicube, showed off card tricks, chinese checkers and, later at night, charades (which I hadn’t played in so long). It’s not as easy as one might think keeping ten people occupied and having fun!

After day two, someone (my guy) got a bright idea and became creative. Using an auger, he drilled two holes into the sand at the bottom of the lake, inserted two pier standards, opened two giant patio umbrellas into the pier poles, tied a combo of rafts and tubes to each pole, and floated a cooler in between.

Viola!!! We had what he called a tiki bar in the middle of the lake!

And everyone floated happily ever after.

I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE happy endings!

10 comments:

Lynda Schrader said...

Creative solution! Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun.

a.eye said...

Weather in the Mid West this week has sucked - it really did feel like it was pushing in on you.

Glad you were able to find creativity in your activities and to have fun in the water with alcohol!!

Gina said...

I think everyone had a great time. The floating bar with umbrellas was pure genius. We even had people swim up, sit on their life preservers like diapers and join in.

Gina said...

Sucked is putting it mildly! We had adult and family friendly coolers so something for anyone who happened by the floating bar. (I sucked down cans of minute maid light lemonade like it was going out of style since I couldn't be in the water) Thank goodness someone had on his thinking cap but one must when responsible for the fun of nine others. Put Ten family members under one roof, add tremendous heat, and who knows who might have killed who by the end if not for the diversion!

Peaches Ledwidge said...

I like to employ stream of consciousness when I'm writing first drafts. I then go back and edit.

jana A (@jana0926) said...

Absolutely brilliant!! I need a tiki bar :) Thanks for participating in SOCSunday!

Gina said...

Same. At first I was uncomfortable putting unedited stuff out there. Now it feels refreshing!

Gina said...

It was brilliant! And now he even has it modified for this weekend with a wooden circular piece that will act as a ledge (aka drink holder).

Thnks for hosting!

TMWHickman said...

Sounds like your man saved the day! That is awesome. Sorry about the super hot weather, but I think that your neck of the woods is due for some cooldown soon. I will keep my fingers crossed!

Gina said...

And some lives. We might have killed each other if under the same enclosed space for too much longer. Down to the nineties now and it's so much better!

July 9, 2012 5:09 PM