As part of our stateside visit last week, we hooked up with longtime friends from Ohio at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary near Allentown, PA, an area that's well-known for the spectacular migration of raptors each Fall. Pictured from the right are Arrye, Ethan, Jonathan, Nathaniel, Phoebe, Laura (what's w the face?), Paul, Jackie, Courtenay, Stijn, Thijs, Rochelle, and Alex (John took photo, Trish and Scott not pictured, Tom not present). Notice the crystal clear airways behind us, with no raptors in sight.Well, we didn't see a single hawk, or other raptor for that matter. However, a few turkey vultures did manage to grace the airways, but the thrill wasn't enough to make the kids go "WOW". There's no doubt that splashing in the pool, jumping on the beds, and eating pizza left more of an impression on them than most any raptor could have. They were easy to please.
As for the adults, apparently I was a source of entertainment as my friends kept pointing out again and again. No, it wasn't my command of the Dutch language or the fabulous Belgian chocolate, although the boxes were opened before I could say "enjoy!". It was my clothes. I was wearing a pair of low waist Levi's I bought in Europe, along with a thong (about all you can wear with jeans that low), and as thongs go, it just would not stay tucked in. When you're the one wearing the thing you don't notice it. But my friends would not let me get through the evening without pointing it out, as if I didn't know. All I have to say is, if it works girls, then try it! Maybe instead of bringing Belgian chocolate next time, I'll bring extralight undies! We'll start our own club and call it onderbroek EL (onderbroek is Dutch for undies, EL=extralight) just so nobody will know what we're talking about. What's the stigma about thongs, anyway?
So what was the end result of our little reunion? It didn't matter that the final bird count was way <10 species or that we were in a remote area that stunk from the farmland manure. In a split second with my friends I was brought back down to earth, and that's exactly what I needed.
3 comments:
It's funny how things can sometimes be. You go somewhere for the purpose of viewing something specific and end up seeing just about everything else.
Courtenay,
Hmmm....have you become a thongo-holic? Or has it finally left your system? Maybe we need an all night thong-binge to get you over this "edge of 40" hump! Courtenay has DEFINITELY got her GROOVE back.
And yes, next time you come stateside, I'll take two!
Let me revise that: If I manage to get any exercise between then and now, bring three. But more likely, if not, then you may leave the extra thong weight on the ground in Belgium. Better for the viewing public, that way.
Love you Courts, and it was great "being" with you & family again. I miss you more than I can say!
What a great weekend memory. I've just graduated to low cut underwear... not sure I could go the thong route right now! Maybe by the time I'm 50!
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