And this is exactly how the first one of
the summer came to be on the first potential night that everyone could be together (we really only see each other in the summertime). It
took one phone call and two boat bys. “Come over for burgers. No don’t bring
anything. Just come. It’ll be low key”. Ya, right!
You could cut the excitement in the air with a
knife because it was the official beginning of the summer, Friday of Memorial
Day weekend. We all know what that means!
Our four families have been busting out the moves, some better than others, since the moment the children were big enough to swing around in our arms
without the risk of injury (sleeping babies dance too, you know). It never took
much, just one kid or one “grown up” with a bit too much mojo goin’ and it started.
The ingredients for our style of fun are simpler
than baking a cake from a box mix. All it takes is exactly 18 people (kids’
ages range from 16-22 and the "grown ups" (ages not disclosed)), our
garage with two kick ass 30-year-old rebuilt college speakers, an iPod or two and
this...
DJs get changed out every 2-3 songs to accommodate
everyone’s tastes and alternate between adults and kids but it’s amazing how
much overlap we actually have from listening to each other’s music for
countless years. Some country is even tolerated because the college girls
insist.
Our two mandatory songs are oldies but they’re the
ones the kids request fondly and enthusiastically because of memories and traditions from so long ago.
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
(funny 90% of us are blue eyed)
And
“Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
EVERYONE drops what he or she is doing to dance and
sing (scream?) together... All 18!
It hasn’t gone unnoticed (and makes the “grown ups” smile) that our kids WANT to spend evenings hanging with us. They
constantly ask, “What're we all doing tonight?” and they’re disappointed if it
doesn’t include everyone because sometimes it can’t. They are together
constantly, anyway.
We are a sentimental group and always take a moment, on such nights, to look around, take it all in and realize…
This is where we’re meant to be.
We DO have rules, however! Well, only one rule. Cell phones on the table,
kids. Your video content will be perused and deleted because, if you remember, we said no evidence and no YouTube. Two were confiscated Saturday morning!
“These Are Days” By 10,000 Maniacs
These are the days you might fill
With laughter until you break
These days you might feel
A shaft of light
Make its way across your face
And when you do
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
See the signs and know their meaning
It's true
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking
To you, to you
