I posted my LDWS drabbles, plus RL update

[madeleone]

I've finally managed to post my offerings from 2019 hogwarts_ldws over at AO3. To my surprise I made it to the final round and came in second. All five drabbles are posted now. Thanks go out to too_dle_oo for organizing this fun fest and to toblass for comng up with the weekly prompts. All of the drabbles throughout were outstanding and deserve a read.

I also wanted to say go check out some artwork that was posted for me over at rarepair_shorts. Thanks so much to kiertorata for chosing my Luna/Charlie prompt. Find it HERE

In other news, this summer has bounced back and forth between periods of mad activity and just lazing around. Back in June we hosted our seventh annual FFF weekend. This is kind of our version of a family reunion with our immediate family: kids and spouses, grandkids, and granddogs. FFF stand for Forced Family Fun and my motto for this event is: Mom says you are going to come home and hang out with your mom and dad, sisters and brothers, neices and nephews and you're going to have fun whether you want to or not, damn it! And for the most part that is what happens.

They have all come home for the past seven years with the exception of daughter K's family having missed this year and one other, both due to the fact they had recently moved out of state (first from Michigan to Virginia and now to Nevada). My oldest son's kids (a boy & a girl) were 2yo and 8mo back then, and at the time our only grandkids, they are now 9 and 7 yo. In the years in between we've added 4 more. Both of my girls have two each, K's are (a boy & a girl) 5 and 3yo, snd J's also (a boy & a girl) are 4 and 2yo. And my younger son is single with no kids yet.

So that was a fun and busy weekend. Then after a brief rest of a couple weeks hubby and I set out on a three week camping trip. We were gone from 7/10 til 8/2. We have a fifth wheel but we prefer to stay in rustic campgrounds out in the boonies. We camped first at a state forest campground we discovered years ago, Little Guernsey Lake, and oldest son and family joined us there for four days with their camper. Rustic means no water or electric connections, no wifi. Our daughter in law was worried the kids would be bored without their tech, but they seemed to have a good time fishing, swimming, riding bikes, having campfires, playing cards or board games. Of course they had some stuff downloaded to watch or play if they wanted, but they did okay without being online 24/7.

From there we moved over to a national forest campground we love, Seaton's Creek. To my great suprise, since we were in the middle of nowhere, I was even able to play some of my Wizards Unite. There is a major trailhead and hiking trail there and I guess because there is so much activity the trailhead marker was an inn, and the campground entrance a greenhouse in the game. Signal was spotty but I managed to advance a few levels while we were there. LOL Another reason we like the national forest campgrounds aside from the fact that I just love being out in nature, espcially the forest, is that because we're a couple of old codgers we have the America the Beautiful card for seniors and can camp for half off. What a great deal! (So if you didn't already know it, now you do.) I am an old lady! LOL

The last week we moved a bit closer to youngest daughter's to another state forest campground, Tipi Dam Recreation area. While there oldest daughter K, the one who is now in Nevada, and her family came to visit at J's house and we once again had the whole group together for a couple days. Oldest son B and his family came with their camper, younger son T pitched his tent on our site, and K's family stayed with J's family in their new camper. We managed to get three campsites all in a row and had a fun two days together. After everyone left we stayed one more night then headed home.

Except our truck broke down on the way home and we were stranded for several hours. Luckily we have RV insurance and they were able to arrange a tow truck. But the repair shop couldn't get the parts til the next day so we had to stay over night. The insurance rep tried to find a campground where they could tow the fifth wheel to so we'd have a place to stay but couldn't, so they ended up towing us to a Walmart parking lot! Yes, we were one of those people! There were also three semi's parked there and by the end of the night two or three other campers. It was not a restful night but at least we were in a safe place. Hubby talked with one of the other 'campers', an older couple who said they make the trip to the UP a couple times each summer and it's gotten too far for them to make in one haul. So they just pull into Walmart for the night to sleep then safely travel the rest of the way the next day. So it's not like people are actually camping out there (at least most people aren't—I've heard horror stories of those that actually pull out the lawn chairs and grill and make themselves at home). Luckily our truck was fixed the next day and we were able to get home.

After resting up a couple more weeks I headed back up north by myself, (hubby had enough of traveling for awhile and just wanted to hang out at home with Quigley). I stayed two nights with B and his family because it was McK's 7^th birthday party on Saturday and I wanted to be there. It was a unicorn theme and her mom decorated to the hilt—it was a little girls dream party and went off without a hitch.

From there I drove to J's house almost an hour away because her oldest, G's 4^th birthday party was the next weekend. (His birthday is actually 9/1 but since that is on the labor day holiday weekend they decided to have his party early). She says she's always happy when I come to visit so I hope she's not lying because I stayed the whole week (rather than drive two and half hours home only to come back and forth the same distance the next week). I always have a good time there hanging out with them and G(4) an L(2) aways seem very happy to see Nonnie (that's me). And I got huge surprise while there, they revealed that baby #3 is on the way and expected next spring. WooHoo! Had a great week there and got home this past Monday.

So once again have spent the rest of this last week laying around and recovering from my travels. Should be quiet for awhile now, at least I hope so. ;-)

Comments

[rayvyn2k.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm exhausted just from reading that!

I really enjoyed your drabbles. :)

[madeleone]

That's why I have to rest up for a week or so between the mad bursts of activity. LOL.

And thanks, glad you liked the drabbles, I had a blast writing them

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a memorable trip!

:D

[madeleone]

Indeed, it was.