R17 32 Interim Rest??? Day (And HNY!)

It's New Years Day baby! And if we did it right at Too Much and Bandit's wedding, we should all be feeling the way I was feeling on our "rest" day last July...ready for some rest! Past Norman (12/11) really) hopes we all had a merry-beaver-time and nobody threw milkweed bombs on the aisle or pulled a Pochy. I am looking forward to a relaxing, "Sunday-funday" esque New Years Day in the Twin Cities. 

And Happy New Year little beavers! I, for one, and ready for a new year and new adventures. The end of 2017 was rough, so I am ready to inaugurate a new one. 

My theme for 2018 is going to be Twenty-Eight-Me-en. That can be either "me"-en. As in focusing on me and what makes old Norman happy, or it can be "mean" and focus on being nasty (hopefully, also in the goal of making me happy). Meanness can be anything from giving zero fucks all the way to hoping I can get several people to "pull a Pochy."* They will be interchangeable, of course, depending on the situation.

Anyway, I look forward to spending lots of time with my beavers and on my bike in 2018! And, I want to wish you all a very happy new year, with lots of joy and laughter in the next 365 days. Love you all. I #20eightmeanIT

Here we are...socializing 

So, there I was on Jerry and Helene's back patio. I could look out across the horizon and see the grain elevators of Alton--we'd be headed back that way tomorrow. I looked down at my Chelada and my magazine and I was ready for some chillaxing. 

But, chillaxing, wouldn't be in Norman's future. Nope. No. No sir-ee. 

First, the Mayor joined me, so we had to chit chat. 

Second, then Jerry joined us. So we all had to chit chat. 

Third, the Snaps and texts were coming in from the Beavers--where is the house? Look at these hot dog legs. Why is this drive taking so long, etc. etc. 

Atta Girl! #SophomoreYear

There were beavers coming from all directions. There were beavers coming from Clear Lake, and there were beavers coming on bikes. There were beaver cars getting stashed all over the northern part of the state. There were beaver secrets in the works....none of this spelled out a relaxing day on the back patio. 

Also, I had some gear wrangling to do. I had to decide what stays and what goes. There was added pressure on us this year because the Deb and the Dale decided that they weren't coming because they had decided to tile their bathroom and hadn't had enough time to train. (Who trains?). That meant we had no Ark. That meant we were driving a mini-van with a cousin of FOB as the driver. That meant, we had to pack light. 

I had already nixed Steven's suggestion, back in June, that we bring 47 folding lawn chairs and 18 coolers, but I was still worried we wouldn't all fit, that it wouldn't all work, that this, year 7, would spell disaster for the beavers!!! 

Bye Bye Bike

Then, I tried to take a nap. 

And then, Grandpa arrived! 

* "Pulling a Pochy" is what we are now calling crying in public. What is that you say? Pochy rarely cries in public, so that name isn't appropriate...A) Fuck off. It's my blog. B) If we call crying in public "Pulling a Pochy" we might get her to cry more, which you all know is the only thing that brings me true joy. Tears. #20eightmean