We went up to the deep dark middle of nowhere for Christmas, as I know I’ve mentioned, and, this year, MB’s brother and sister-in-law were over from Australia. You have no idea how much their presence makes the deep dark middle of nowhere much more bearable — just socially. We become the four musketeers. (Were there ever four at one point??) We roam all over the countryside, doing whatever stupid thing we want for however long we want to do it just to avoid all the people we know have popped in — or will pop in — at the in-laws’ house.
“Where are MB and Tracey and M and Z?”
“We don’t know. Just OUT.”
It sounds terrible, but it’s an agreed-upon necessity — for our mental and emotional stability — to limit with severe boundaries the number of HOURS we spend trapped in the house socializing with the pop-ins.
Generally, most of the maddening chatter and local gossip is unavoidable, but I do find it hilarious to watch MB’s brother, who is somewhat less mild-mannered than MB, steam himself into a froth of irritation whenever we pull into the driveway behind yet another visitor’s car.
“F*****ck,” he’ll mutter, dragging out that vowel sound.
Hahaha. Don’t piss M off. He’s a 10-time black belt and a killing machine. He skerrs me.
But about this picture. M and Z gave us the most amazing Christmas present. Truly. When I think about it now, it makes me cry. They gave us a card that told us they were kidnapping us on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. Be ready for anything, basically. You’ve had a totally crappy year and we want you to throw your cares away for just one day. So sweet. One of the nicest things I’ve ever experienced.
At the end of a day just STUFFED with fun, when we thought we could take no more, they drove us up to the ski resort — not the ski resort in the area, but a smaller, less crowded resort — and took us to the spa. And I have literally never been to a spa.
Just walking into the place, I felt lighter and freer. We spent most of our time at the indoor pool and hot tub area, swimming, lounging in the robes the spa gave us, drinking hot chocolate, reading. It was completely cozy. I became a total slug and I did not care. I lounged in a chaise, reading, uhm, Twilight, and sighing at the downy banks of snow just outside the steamed-up windows. I became a person I hadn’t been for well over a year. Just so …. mercifully relaxed.
At one point, MB and M walked past me in their robes and I was openly ogling their gorgeous legs. So I grabbed Z’s camera and made them pose for me, with their four beautiful and similar calves. As they turned to face me, I said, “No! Turn around! I want the backs of those calves!” Yes, dudes. Please turn around. Faces? Humanity? Bah. You are pieces of meat to me. Hm. I notice the lovely bums slipped into the frame there, too. However did that happen?? Oh, and those are my feet, of course. Well, I do like my feet. They are little and dainty and look how white! Hahaha. And if my lap were in the picture, yes, you’d see my copy of Twilight.
But for now, a moment of silence to absorb the beauty of brotherly calves.
HAHAHAHAHA! I notice they went up on tippy-toes to improve the definition of the calves. They flexed for your picture! I can’t tell you how awesome that is.
PS – there were four Musketeers if one counts D’Artagnan. I assume one ought to since his whole deal in life was to join the King’s Musketeers.
NF — How did I know you’d know the answer on the Musketeers? But thank you. Yes, D’Artagnan. Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D-Art, right?
And yes, on the tiptoes. Although, they look pretty much the same either way. Amazing calves in that family. My mother-in-law has them, too, actually, although hers are much less interesting to me. 😉
I not only adore the calves (as well as your feet) – but I love this whole story. After feeling kind of ignored by other family members in this stressful time – these two saw, acknowledged, and DID something for you … You (and your problems, your life issues) are on their radar … and that is a gorgeous thing. I love them for it.
sheila — Exactly. The opposite response. I was overwhelmed by it.