It's been awhile since I wrote anything, mostly because I spent some time in Cincinnati last week and since I've been back I've been trying to decide how to put it into words. I purposely waited four months to make sure that I had a good start on building my life in Vermont so as not to be too easily tempted back to Cincinnati before I gave living on my own a shot. The week leading up to my trip home I was certain I had waited too long, I literally could not wait to get on the plane. My trip home was better then anticipated and I am almost at a loss for how good a time I had. I saw lots and lot of friends and got up to some major shenanigans.
My first night home was softball games, milk jugs full of beer and triva night at the local hole in the wall. I'm pretty sure the only answer I contributed to the group was that Rosie was the name of the Jetson's robot maid. I got to see lots of my friends and got brought back into the loop with both good things and bad. I gave and got some advice and in general soaked in the essence of good old Finneytown. Of course it wouldn't be a night out for the Elmendorf sisters if we didn't try to get up to some hijinks, fortunately we have good friends who reminded us that not only are we no longer college kids we are actually respected members of society, so our big adventure was (blessedly) thwarted.
Friday Erik came home and joined the fun, we hung out with our parents and a couple friends for dinner and drinks. Then as the evening progressed more friends showed up here and there. Of course we kept discussing what we were going to do, but around midnight decided the obvious decision would be to go to the rinky dink pub named the "lucky lady" at the end of the street. Brother got formal and put a tie on over his tangeray t-shirt and basketball shorts, the rest of us went as is. Let me take a moment to describe this bar, it's one room and has christmas-like lights up behind the bar. It was cash only, but the bartender didn't have change for a twenty so our beer in cans was bought en masse for the group. Sara tried to borrow the bike for a ride but the tire was flat, and Kati and Megan chose music from the juke box which contained only hip-hop and country. At one point Erik asked the barmaid if she was nervous having a bunch of us stroll into her usually quiet place, to which she responded "nah, you guys seem okay and I could probably take three or four of you myself" needless to say, we all believed her. I laughed so much this night I had a permanent smile on my face.
Saturday we had a gathering at my friend Megan's parents house. It was all my girls that graduated together and our parents. Most of these friends are married with babies and I loved getting a chance to see all the kiddos along with their parents. At one point all the women were sitting out on the screened in porch and I commented to my mom and sister how amazing it is that a group of women can flow seamlessly between subjects that should in no way be linked together. We were having such a good time, laughing so hard that you could tell the men were a little intimidated. At one point we noticed that they were sending the men out one at a time to scope the situation out, they usually left shaking their head at an obvious loss for what exactly was happening. But then, if they understood, we would lose all our magic. At the end of the evening two of the girls sent their husbands home and four of us had a slumber party much like we used to. The funniest part was waking up in the morning with their two daughters running around, exhibiting the obvious difference between our high school slumber parties and the present day.
The daytimes and all of Sunday and Monday were spent with various members of my family mostly hanging out, which is when we're at our best. Running errands, laughing, talking (mostly about completely ridiculous topics) and enjoying each other's company. There is no good way to explain the joy I get in the small moments with the fam. A conversation over coffee, an anecdote about one of our numerous mutual friends, or simply discussing endlessly, and from every angle, some topic that had come up in our family's unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I think we are all pretty cool in our own right, but there is no where on earth I would rather be then hanging with my family when we can all get together.
So you can see the dilemna, how to explain a fantastic weekend home which can make a girl question why she is so far from this great life that had been built then left behind. On the other hand, I wouldn't be me if I didn't give this a fair and open-minded shot, and I really have no doubts that I'm where I am supposed to be.
Haha, I guess I found the words!
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