ah, family

[flea]

So, as usual, our family vacation at the beach, in a house which officially sleeps 6, will include 3 adults in addition to my family for most of the week, and 4 for 2-3 days.

Every year my mother says, "Come, we'll be there for only part of the week so you can have a family vacation to yourselves," and every year my sister ends up sleeping in the closet (on the low-woman on the totem pole principle, last year - she was the only adult under 60 without kids (we had kids in our bed, which is better than the closet but only just); this year on the principle of the person who is only there for 2 nights and not 6 gets to sleep in the closet.)

I have a secret plan that Casper can share a (double) bed with my brother. She's a fine sleeping companion now - snores gently, but not too wiggly, sleeps like a log, and doesn't pee. Contrast Dillo.

Edit: I forgot to mention my mother is bringing her cat. Whom she loves, my brother and sister hate, and my children are afraid of because he is aggressive and hissy.

Comments

[archersangel]

this sounds like a comedy tragedy in the making.

the sister of a friend of my dad's is planning to rent a cabin for her, her 3 kids, their mom & her 3 dogs. she was planning on a week, she came to her senses & is only renting for 3 days now

[sara]

Oh, I remember family vacations at the beach that started out like this. They were nearly as good as the ones that started out with boat trips to get to the beach (it sounds all wholesome and Topsiders and upper-middle-class until you get out on the water and realize it's mostly sunburn, mildewed sleeping bags, and someone spending seven hours telling you the entire plot of The Gods Must Be Crazy, scene by scene).

[flea]

Happily I can report that nobody in my family has ever worn Topsiders. (Except possibly my stepfather, who does not count.)

[sara]

Perhaps you should! That might be the missing ingredient: insufficient preppy footgear.

ETA: OMG, I kind of want these in an only-sort-of-ironic way. Because, well, orange patent leather. These, on the other hand, just crack me up. Look, they have siped soles!

[cofax7]

I'll take your sister! I haven't seen her in over a year!

[flea]

The problem is, she clams up in large family groups, so I don't get to see her either.

[veejane]

Get some wine in me. Mother was pleasantly amazed that I could carry on a conversation on Christmas Day (in the evening, after I'd had a pleasant afternoon in somebody else's house). CHarodnnay loosens all lips!!

[flea]

Or, invite Katie for an afternoon. Worked last year.

[veejane]

Actually, also, Mother doesn't know this (although we discussed it desultorily once, some weeks ago) but I think I will be mudding the seams of the wallboard in the "closet" and maybe painting same. I know we have primer and white latex in the family repertoire of paint cans, and I have blue tape.

(And I think last year I was in the Jackson Pollock room? Or was that two years ago?)

[flea]

That was 2 years ago. Last year we had Bonnie.

mr. flea knows all about mudding (in fact, he just bought a shiny new book on all things drywall), and I know all about painting. So, we can help.

[forodwaith]

Ah hah hah sounds familiar.

I am currently having anxiety over the fact that I have no idea when our basement (where the guest bedroom is was) will be inhabitable again, and my parents are coming to visit for a week at the end of July.