Exhausted

I officially despise the HOT weather -- I'd take an igloo over an oven any day! I just got back from a BIG family reunion--TONS OF GOOD FOOD!!! Oh man! Now it can't compete w/ my friend's family functions I'm sure-(They're like expert Norwegian Chefs! - some of the best food I've tasted, no doubt!) - Anyway!! ---- So ya...I've spent most of my weekend explaining just why I wanted to be a Veterinarian to my entire extended family - And of course everyone wanted to hear some crazy college stories...They're animals I tell ya!..Animals.
So around dusk, I start playin' guitar..singin some mellow songs while I catch some of the meteor shower. A small crowd of cousins and close family start to close in; I look down from the sky and see all these eyes lookin' at me watchin' me play, and sing ( I don't usually sing in public...but they kinda snuck up on me, errr) So after I'm sufficiently drained by mosquitoes, I pack up the guitar so I can get inside...My dad tells me he didn't know I was that good, lol...I was like...Ummmmm thanks. At that point I was ready to go to bed...but did I get to bed? NO!!! My cousin and his girlfriend were in the room I was going to sleep in! And there's like literally nowhere else to go to bed, so I tough it out until about 1:00 AM. Then I just go outside and wander around for a while...Long story short, I got involved in a late night water-gun fight. I'm not talkin' a nice easy game of water pistol tag...This was hardcore! It was like pitch black, and people were hiding behind trees making secret signals that sounded like bird-calls--and setting up booby-traps! Like real navy-seal stuff, lol. ( you've got to understand - my family thrives on competition! Sort of like 'Meet the Parents' during the whole pool-volleyball scene. So around 4:00 AM this morning, I have to switch out of my drenched clothes into my pajamas. I get to the room to lay down...I had forgotten my pillow, blanket, ect... You know all the things that help you sleep...Well I had none! I laid down on the floor (Which isn't bad at all - I prefer the floor actually; better for your back - plus it's just more convenient) ANYWAY! - I just put my hat over my eyes, and put my hand behind my head for a pillow, and finally get some sleep at around 5:30-6....
Fast Forward -- 7:00 the same morning...Just as I get into my deep sleep, my cousin decides it's time to get up, and she stands on my back, and pokes my sides until she felt I was sufficiently tortured. -- more and more people start showing up to the reunion, and about 2:00, it's blazing hot, and the only thing to do is swim! So I dive into the pond, and it's someone's great idea to start a diving contest. Being a competitive family...Let's say it got out of hand quickly. In like 20 minutes I went from doing swan dives to jumping "Superman style" over some homemade obstacles, and taking boogie boards off a ramp (Which ended with the boogie board breaking in two over my face -- sounds like a good time huh?...Once again...They're animals!)
That's not the worst of it yet -- I'm on a pontoon boat, in the middle of the pond...I don't know if you've ever seen those gladiator shows where they play king of the mountain-like games, and they hit each other with these long sticks -- but that's what I was thrown into! I was just resting on the pontoon, and my cousin comes up (About 6'2/195 vs. Me; 6'/165 -- not a HUGE difference - but just to give you an idea) He wanted to throw me off the pontoon! I resisted of course, and soon our ants, uncles, parents, grandparents, and great aunt/uncles started standing around the pond taking pictures, and throwing us noodles(those floppy flotation devices) to hit each other with...That's just not normal....And that's what was running though my head as I knocked him into the pond - looking out around the pond to the relatives taking pictures...
So I leave the reunion to go to ANOTHER reunion! My old neighbors invited my family over for a nice little reunion. And it was MUCH more tame than the one I had just left! There was more great food, and neighbors I've not seen since like middle school! But you know it lost it's luster after the first couple hours...I was just doin' the same song and dance there - explaining just why I want to be a Vet, and of course they all wanted to hear some crazy college stories. Just give it a rest! GOSH!!
Anyway..I'll post more later - I'm SO TIRED RIGHT NOW! I'm going to get to bed...FINALLY. Please leave a message -
-Ryan