It's important to be warm

It happens so rarely to have a perfect (or so nearly so that you might as well slide the nitpicking) day.

We began with not beginning nearly as early as usual. 8:15am is sleeping among the short set, by nearly 2 whole hours! Then really began by meeting up with the cousins’ room down the hotel’s hallway on our annual meet-halfway-family visit in Lancaster, PA.

Breakfasting in-room using decent coffee made in tiny hotel coffeepots is acceptable. Local Amish rhubarb jam and ripe fruit makes it complete. Then off into the rising to 80degree fluffy-cloud blue-sky day for a horse-drawn buggy ride with an utterly charming guide. Not even two years past high school, she enjoys her summer job with the animals and even, when prodded just enough, told us about growing up here with Old Order Amish and the wildness of the teenagers. She and Amish friends used to switch clothes before going home to their families, much to the chagrin of adults, we’re sure. Quite the wonderful, hilarious image shared all around the buggy, trotted along by our retired race-horses.

Then off to the Toy Train Museum to blow the mind of our tiny train aficionado. Oh, he chortled and ran and pushed buttons making things GO GO GO. Followed by a delicious lunch of impressive sandwiches, the sort that sound great in the menu, then really are when your waitress delivers them. Benjamin, being the FPU (food processing unit) that he is, ate his lunch, then ate both of his cousins’ meals as well. The roundup included corn chowder, pickles, bean salad, mushrooms, applesauce, chips, and a cookie. Then ate more crackers in the car on the way back to the hotel. Growth spurt much?

I got to have a swim and spend some quite me-time, just soaking (a little too long, I’m afraid) in the sunshine. Toddlers, being toddlers, were not on schedule and no one joined me for quite some time. Then, once joined, much fun and splashing was had.

Afterward minor turning around, we all set off for dinner, which was absolutely, unabashedly perfect. El Serrano was found during last year’s little reunion and had a full year’s worth of hope to live up to. Boy howdy did it. The bonus: a wonderfully engaged and delightful live musician (Dante) enjoyed our antics as much as we enjoyed his performance. As the four adults sipped perfect coffees after bloating themselves on food and drink, the kids got up and danced and danced and danced. Much hilarity ensued. Even as a semi-formal restaurant, guests, waitstaff, and generally the whole mood enjoyed the jumping children as Dante sang and played guitar to his classy-as-they-can-be synth-rhythm box.

Quiet in the room later, the male adults are off playing cards, I’m editing another cousin’s essay, sipping a sangria, clicking away on the laptop. I am happy, warm, and fed. Settled in, sleeping kidlet nearby. Satisfied.

Filed by joy at 11:30 pm under life, travels
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