Wrapping up the "Festival of J9"

It's been a fully chockas coupla weeks and they came to a close on Sunday with a batch of Gingernuts and a GIANT catch-up with Sis2 and Maritiming Mez.

{contented sigh}

Let me give the action-packed synopsis.

Sat 24 March: Festival opens with a HOEDOWN party at Sis2's place. Costumes hired, racks of shot glasses, crates of booze, and stodgy camp-food to fill the most ravenous cowboys. Gun ratio of roughly 3 (cap) guns per child led to an authentic pandemonium. Costumes and decorations created desired ambiance leading to a poker tournament (of 14!!) filled with drunken claims of cheating, suprise pot scoops, and ultimately a first-time player/granny beating everyone out with her cool head and calm play.
Utterly Hilarious.
Brother in-laws both got rat-faced to the point of legless/sick. A job well done, I say.

Tue 27 March: Enter my first ever Texas-Hold'em Poker Tournament. One of 4 women in a room of 48 intense guys. AWESOME! Was *not* first person knocked out - made it to about midfield and had a ball. Took about 2 rounds before I stopped visibly shaking, and another 8 or so before I could join in the table banter. They kept apologising to me when they swore, and I let them. hehehehe. Wrapped the night up with a late-night session of baking and watching "The Libertine". *dark*swoon*.

Wed 28 March: The actual day of celebration. Diet thrown to the wind, I bake the giant carrot-cake of LOVE and throw myself a party at work. Bewildered workmates all to happy to join in the spirit and some bring food too - minor feast seems to spontaneously combust out of an empty desk. Very gratefully receive unexpected gifts from co-workers. Go to lunch with Sis3 and enjoy discovering *excellent* deli does exist. Mass sensations of peace and good-will to all mankind lasts until the coffee wears off (around 3pm).

Randomly scattered throughout week: Come home to find the mail has delivered boxes, cards, good wishes and lots of fun. DVDs and books feature highly and the slightly glamorous feeling of being loved by people not immediately present is deeply gratifying.

Friday 30 March: After work swing by S3's place and check in on brother-in-law and general hello-ness. Lovely to be able to do a drop-in for a half hour. S2 and kids at the farm all having dinner when I get back. Family, family, family.

Saturday 31 March: Outdoor concert of jazz and classical music in lush gardens of nearby luxury b&b starts in afternoon with local talent performing extrordinary original compositions (a la Michael Nyman) and then old standards etc. Wonderful music marred only by the usual propensity of humans at live events where it's a "picnic style" event to become sidetracked by their eskies and thence by chatting. Local mountains provided excellent backdrop. Glass of wine and comfy seat was perfect. Just perfect.

And so here we are. Thirty-six years old, and still happy-enough to own up to it.