The Estes "Golden" Family Reunion
April 2002
Wednesday
Steven has set the alarm for 7:55, and it's an
obnoxious buzzy dinging noise that he's quick to snuf. I tell him
not to worry about being noisy, as I'm going to get up and see them
off. He's out the door before I'm dressed, and then there's a
knock. I think he's forgotten something and is locked out, but
it's Wayne, wanting to know if he's up.
"Are you kidding?" I ask, smiling. "He's at
breakfast!"
I join them before they load up the van, and note
the really noisy crew cutting down the tree next to the pavilion that
had a little brick wall built around it -- the top part of the cut down
tree hangs over the lake and is probably scaring the heck out of the
huge tadpoles.
Wayne brings up the subject of the giant frog he
made jump yesterday, "and Marilyn was mad at me for the rest of the
day..."
"I wouldn't have minded if he jumped, but it was so
sad the way he fell in, really undignified -- he looked scared," I
explain.
"It was pretty undignified," Wayne admits, nodding.
Larry walks down to say goodbye, and we three chat a
few minutes, noting what a really good time we all had and marvelling
how well everyone got along -- not altogether unsurprising, considering
the sudden close quarters for family for three days. The
Tennessee van takes off, and I join Larry for an early trip into town
in search of fingernail clippers at any shop that's open so early.
We cruise around the area a bit, Larry looking for
sites he knows from previous trips, including the area near the current
residence of our old baby doctors' house. We finally go into the
convenience store next to Trader Joe's (which, according to Larry,
houses a perfect West Highland Terrier beanie baby like their dog Mac,
but Trader Joe's is closed), and Larry picks up a Krispy Kreme doughnut
(another youthful staple not easily found in the Northwest Territories)
within three paces of the door. Fingernail clippers found,
another walk around the Trader Joe windows where Larry loves the sign
outside their front door -- "Free Ride in a Police Car! For
anyone who shoplifts." (Mom loves the anti-smoking signs around
town, including in our breakfast room, "If you smoke, take your butts
outside.") And we're back to the lodge.
I check with Mom and Dad and make sure they're keen
to join the Washington gang for lunch at Dillard's, and they are.
Yea!
In the next hour or so, we're on the road to
Dillard's. It's another beautiful morning, and we're there a few
minutes before they're ready to serve lunch. So we walk down to
the little farm and look at the really hot and bored goats and other
livestock, including a rooster. Soon, they're not the only ones
who are hot and bored, and we go inside and enjoy a huge table of
plates loaded with veggies and breads and all kinds of meats (bar-b-que
chicken, fried chicken, thick sliced beef, salted country ham, and
thick slices of pork). And, of course, we save room for the five
desserts they bring out -- key lime pie, coconut cake, coconut cream
pie, strawberry cheesecake, and blackberry cobbler with ice cream.
A final chat in the parking lot -- the Washington
crowd is driving directly to Debbie's family house in south Atlanta --
and we're back in our cars, heading south. A quick stop at
Tallulah Gorge (where Wallenda did his famous walk) and gift shop, and
the Oldsmobile rolls back into Atlanta, where we're eager to tell
everybody about our swell trip!
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