Memorial Day Yough 2013

Layers and fleece for the end of May

In response to last weekends high temps, the weather decided to give everyone the finger and drop to the 40s and 50s. Last year, Abi was sneezing and sweating through the heat and this year we had to go on long drives in search of winter hats amid the swimming and summer gear.

We left for the memorial day Yough trip on Friday morning and arrived in time for Abi's nap. This seems to be the best plan and works out for leaving and returning. Any thoughts of a paddle were dashed as we watched the numbers drop the closer we came to Ohiopyle. Leaving Philly at 64 degrees and arriving at 49 kept us at the ranch. I took a nap with Abi every day that we were at the ranch. So, on Friday I got in and slept until she woke up. We drove to Walmart 40 minutes away since it was an "indoor activity" and we got dinner out. We came back and more people began arriving. Abi cried through her bath because she wanted to stay outside playing with everyone. The next two nights we made sure to say that she could come back out and play once she got clean.

On Saturday everyone himed and hawed at the weather and whether they would paddle or not. I decided I wouldn't and so did David. We got breakfast down at Falls Market like usual and spent the morning hanging around. We headed back to the ranch for lunch and a nap. When Abi woke up David got her and I went back to sleep. I woke at 5 pm when he came to exclaim, "You're still asleep!?" It was a glorious nap and such a treat. He in the meantime had gone down to the playground with Abi and Craig for a while. Abi loves Craig and was calling "Craig-yyyyy" the rest of the weekend. She wraps us all around her little finger so easily.

That night we had fajitas from the grill and a choice of two birthday cakes. And the best part - the FIRE! We started modestly until I wanted to have the entire fire ring glowing. The men set off and came back with huge tracks of wood from a fallen structure and soon the fire was roaring and we were all backing our chairs up. There was much laughter and warmth that night.

Playing in the grass

The Brumbelows and Abi's first love- Craig

Looking for more stones to throw

Watching the dogs run after sticks

On Sunday, David decided to paddle but everyone didn't get moving until the crack of noon. So we went to Falls Market for breakfast and the playground. David left Abi and I around 11:30. She had a big lunch and we took a nap at her usual time. When she woke up we went downtown to see what was going on there. The playground was full of kids - all the swings were taken and every playset was crawling. Abi seemed cranky since her nap and wanted to be able to swing when she wanted to. The dynamic of other people's kids and older kids seem to get her going so we ended up walking down to the river. She enjoyed throwing pebbles in and also watching leaves as they were pulled downstream by the current. There were a couple of chocolate labs that were dashing into the water after sticks that she seemed to like. At one point I was sitting on a rock and I turned back expecting her to be looking for rocks. Instead she was climbing the big rocks up the hill back to the car. She wanted to go home. And by home she meant home home. I got her in the seat and when I pulled into the ranch she started crying. "No camping! home!" she cried just like last weekend. But I pulled her out of her seat and played until dinner. Then we played after dinner until bath. Then we played in the bath and then after bath until David finally returned from the river.

That night we continued to burn large amounts of wood, laugh a lot and go to bed content.
We drove home monday morning and arrived in time for Abi's nap. She always seems to have fun except for the fits of wanting to go home. I think she misses her comforts like Mickey on the TV and her toys. But, she loves playing outside too and we always find ways to entertain ourselves. 

Looking out of the Abi Shack