The Mountains

We’re going to the mountains in a week. A group of my college friends has planned a get-together, families included. We’re all going to pile into a (rather large) home in Highlands, NC, for 2 days and 2 nights.

I am pretty excited about this, for a number of reasons. One, these are my dear friends, some of whom I haven’t seen since they moved away to Virginia in 2002. I’ve not met some of their children, nor have they had a chance to meet mine. Two, the friends who DO still live in town, I NEVER GET TO SEE! It’s crazy how life changes and friends get married and develop new friendships and lives, and boom, we go months (years?) with hardly any contact. The friends I had class/lunch/parties with every day in college. Three, I took a day off work, and what can I say, that excites me.

I’m thrilled to take the kids somewhere with a mountain landscape. I don’t know if we’ll do much outdoor activity – I think there’s a lake on the property but I’m unsure – but I just want them to SEE it. To breathe it. I know AJ is old enough to remember it later, and I crave memories like this for both of them. FUN things that we did as a family. Scenery. And other, new kids to play with, whose parents are important to me. I'm eager for a photo of all the kids together. I have memories like this: Once, my family went to Colorado when I was young, with 1 or 2 other families, I think. It’s hazy, but I remember fondly a picnic and a beautiful grassy field.

What’s different about this group of friends is that we were all in concert choir together. Let that sink in for a moment and then let me tell you I was asked to bring my digital piano.... yyyyyeahhhh, we’re THAT kind of group. There’s going to be singing. Late into the night, I suspect. It’s impossible for us to get together without music being involved. And I’m sorry for my own husband and one other spouse, who were not part of that (nor any choir). But in fact, it’s fun even if you’re not singing.

I have always felt a little less musically talented than most of these friends. Of the 8 of us, two are music teachers with masters’ degrees, and one is an opera singer (his real job, not a hobby). 3 others sing in their cities’ civic choruses. Me? I haven’t even kept up with the church choir. Last time we got together, it was less fun for me to contribute parts and harmonies as it was to just LAUGH at the fact that we were sitting around singing hymms and various Barbershop Quartet tags (yes, we have a Barbershop nerd among us, as well). It’s just fun because it’s a bit ridiculous. Especially when you pair an evening like that with wine. I’m not even kidding, DH, the fun part is the laughter.

I'm bringing Uno cards, and I hope we’ll all have the best time.