Saturday July 28th
This day took a lot of coordination. I got up at 7 a.m. For some reason, I, the domestically challenged one, decided to bake a lasagna. Now it's not like some Italian cooking fairy kidnapped my brain...but for some reason my gut said, "Make enough food to feed the masses...just in case."

My sister and my niece, Athena had come up the night before and were still sleeping. My friend, Ali was coming in by bus at 11 a.m. My friend, Jeannie and her son, Joey (Spencer's best friend) were driving up in his new corvette. Joey just got his license and this was the longest distance he ever drove. Jeannie already warned me that would have a white knuckled grip the entire ride and might need a bottle of wine upon arrival.

Athena, started to stir around 8 a.m. We baked some walnut banana muffins for the in-coming troops, got dressed and were ready to face the day.

At 9 a.m. the gang from downstairs, Vanessa and William came up. I woke Spencer up to handle the teen portion of our program. By 10:45 a.m. Jeannie got out of Joey's car and practically kissed the ground.

Jeannie was going to come in, but then realized she was allergic to my cats, so she needed to make a supermarket run to get some Claridon. She offered to come with me to the train station to get Ali who was patiently waiting.

In the meantime we were all going to do a quick stop at the mall. My sister, who loves to sleep late, wasn't ready to take the ride with us to the train station, but wanted to see the mall. So I made arrangements with my downstairs neighbor and good friend, Wanda to take her and we'd all hook up at the mall. That was the plan...

In route to the train station, Jeannie and I got so caught up in conversation that I totally spaced out and went the wrong way. I double backed on the highway and got caught behind a highway accident... an hour late I picked up Ali...just as the later train was pulling in. Luckily very little bothers her and she was all smiles, she is a free spirit, positive and very spontaneous.

As we were driving back through town all gabbing, Ali spots a vegetable market..."Stop the car!" I hit the brakes. "I bet they have great zucchini and pickles!" Not my choice of excitement...but what the heck. We all get out. We buy an array of fresh fruits and vegetables...the two of them are planning on cooking up a feast.

Meanwhile Wanda calls, "Where are you guys?"
"Almost there...Ali had to make an emergency pickle stop!"
Ali quickly scans the vendors and spots some pickles and stuffed olives with almonds and watercress. She interrogates the guy to make sure she is buying the watercress filled olives, as she is deadly allergic to almonds. The vendor, afraid he might have to perform emergency CPR, sticks a neon sign the size of Montana on the olives...we leave the market with items in tow.

We continue our sojourn to the mall. In my rush I hit a bump in the road and it knocks my wheel alignment out of place. The steering wheel starts to rumble. I make a note that I will have to fix that before our hiking trip tomorrow.

Wanda calls again from the mall, she has to run to another place to get a replacement phone...but she has Athena with her...my sister, who loves to roam, is nowhere to be found in the mall. On top of that she forgot her cell phone at my house.

After begging the security system to page her (They only page seniors and children)...we finally hook up an hour and a half later...she appears unfazed. (Siblings...you gotta love em!)

It's now 3 p.m. We were going to jet ski and clouds are coming in fast. We still have to get the Claridon, the reason we came out to the mall in the first place. I drop Jeannie, my sister, and Athena at the Wal-Mart. I go next door to Mavis with Ali and have a rush alignment job done on my car. Now it starts to pour.

Looks like jet skiing is out for now...onto plan B.

When in doubt...eat! Gives you time to regroup. Besides, everyone is hungry anyway. I whip out my lasagna...everyone is happy.

For dessert we put cherries and pickles on the table. Yes, I realize that is not a Martha Stewart combo...but what the heck. In conversation, I mention that my boyfriend, Steve can tie the cherry stem with his tongue. This sets off an hour-long competition at the table as everyone gyrates their mouths in an attempt to conquer this feat. Spencer finishes first, with Joey coming in a close second.

Ali and Jeannie come in next, followed by my sister in fifth. That leaves only me and Vanessa to get our tongues to do gymnastics. Try as we may...we do not get it. I one point I have hallucinations that my tongue will encounter sustainable injury and thus inhibit my fast-talking. I abandon my trial...for now, as the image of my tongue in a splint fades. I save a lone cherry in a tiny Tupperware bin for a later attempt.

With the fruit entertainment out of the way, we now have to come up with another indoor activity since it's still raining. Ali, Jeannie and myself decide to go to my nail salon to get pampered. Figured a quick nail job and a chair massage will be a great way to spend an hour. It feels great, and it's only twenty bucks.

The rest of the gang decides to take the first shift and visit my mom in the nearby nursing home. They bring her a treat...a lemon ice...mom has a big soft spot for ices and ice cream.

After our spa treatment...Jeannie, Ali and I go and visit my mom. Ali does my mom's nails to match mine.

It's now 9 p.m. - too early to call it a night and it's still raining. Ali (who is a professional artist) offers to give us an art lesson. So before heading home, we make a quick trip to Wal-Mart for art supplies. Jeannie comments the troops will be hungry again soon, so we stop at the supermarket for some midnight snack food. Now we are set.

At 10 p.m. Steve, his daughter, Jamie and my friend, Donna Drake (also an artist) shows up. They are just in time for the drawing portion of our show. There are now 12 of us.

At midnight we finish our Picassos and have pizza. Is this an Italian birthday party or what! As we are chowing down on the last few morsels, we notice the rain has finally stopped.

It's a hot summer night, no one has work or school the next day, so I suggest the most logical thing...a midnight swim in the lake.

Everyone is game. We all get into bathing suits and walk the two blocks down the dark road to the lake. The moon is out so there is no need for flashlights and the bats are graciously acting as insect repellant, saving us from the hungry mosquitoes.

At the beach, we all strip down and literally jump in the lake. For the next two hours we splash around on boards, tow each other, have diving contests, try to scare each other, and attempt to keep the volume down so the neighbors are not upset.

At 2:30 a.m. we figured it was time to dry out...especially because in just a few hours we will be up again and ready to climb a mountain. We head back home, take quick showers, get into pajamas and then have a the first of my birthday cakes...hey its now my official birthday...I open one gift.

With tummies full, and two hours of swimming, sleep hits us quickly.

Sunday, July 29th... My 37th birthday
People are scattered all over my house sleeping. I feel like I live in a commune. I love it...everyone chipping in...the house is filled with energy.

By 10 a.m. we are all on the road to Mohonk. In one car are Wanda, Spencer, Vanessa, William, Athena and Isabel.

In my car are my sister, Jeannie, Ali, Donna and myself. Eleven adventurers ready to take on the rock scramble.

At Mohonk we park at the bottom of the hill and decide to hike up the trail to the Mountain House. Vanessa wasn't feeling well, so she and Spencer took the shuttle bus and sit out the climb.

This was my 25th time climbing Mohonk. For many it was their first or second time. Within an hour we make it to the Mountain House.

Mohonk is beautiful this time of year with their gardens in full bloom.

We decide to have our lunch in a gazebo before we begin the real climb.

The Labyrinth is the hardest rock scramble at Mohonk. The sign clearly warns you that it can be a tad dangerous. However, if you use caution, bring a bottle of water, have sneakers with a grip, and use three points of contact at all times, you will do just fine.

Some of the spots were tricky and required a lot of maneuvering. At one tough juncture, just a few minutes into the climb, Donna decided she couldn't do it. At that same time, Wanda and Isabel decided to back out as well. I knew they could make it...but because there were so many of us I didn't want to push anyone. Besides my main concern was helping my six-year-old niece who was the youngest and smallest.

As we negotiated our way under and over some rocks, I was pleasantly surprised when Donna and Wanda appeared on a rock ahead of us- grinning! They had changed their minds and found a short cut. I was happy to see them all.

After two hours of steady and careful climbing we finally came to the pinnacle...the area they call the lemon squeeze. A high area with walls around it, and wooden ladders to help you up the mountain wall.

One by one we made our way up the ladders, and through the tight mountain walls.

The last part of the lemon squeeze is always the hardest because there is no ladder.

The area was especially muddy because it had rained the night before. We had to be careful as we found our finger and footholds that would help us wiggle our way up the wall and out the final crevice. One by one we popped up at the top. Finally we all made it.

All that was left was the twelve flights of stairs to the top of the tower.
At the top my sister had brought a battery operated midst fan to cool us all off.

We high-fived each other and then took the trail down which took all of ten minutes. Ain't that the way! The road up is always hard and long...but the fall down takes only minutes. (I think that's why they say you must enjoy the journey, not just the destination!)

The evening festivities consisted of amusing ourselves with paint ball guns. (Apparently closing one eye with these guns is not the way to do it, as I kept missing the target.)

Steve also came with me to visit my mom... I wanted to see her on my birthday. Then my friend, Caesar did his cooking magic on the BBQ with the Omaha steaks that Steve brought over. Wanda decorated everything so it had that birthday feel.

We filled ourselves with potatoes, hamburgers, steaks, corn and an array of other foods.

Now it was getting late...time for the final birthday cake...and opening of the gifts. I loved all my presents! But more importantly I loved being surrounded by my friends.

At midnight the party broke up. Donna drove home, Steve and Jamie headed back to their house...Wanda and gang went downstairs...and the house became quiet again.

I went online and quickly checked some emails and saw that I had over 20 birthday messages from friends all over the world, and more messages on my myspace. It made me smile. I turned off the computer and headed to bed.

As I got undressed, I remembered the Cherry in the refrigerator...how cool would that be to do that as the final thing on my birthday, kind of symbolic tying up of all things...I ran downstairs and searched high and low for the cherry...it was no where to be found.

But I did find a card in the refrigerator from Steve...it said, "You will always be 37 to me!" I smiled...what a perfect way to end the weekend.