What a Hoot

Well, Monday morning has already dawned bright and beautiful. I was too tired to write anything when we returned around five last night. We had a wonderful time inspite of some things that weren't so wonderful but will serve as fun memories for a lifetime. We had a great time with three daughters and two of their husbands along with my husband and me in the van on the trip. An adult time without children is rare in this large family and it was fun. We stopped at my brother's home in Randolph, Wisconsin around two oclock. Our kids wanted to see Uncle Jim's and Auntie Sue's house again. It had been many years since the kids have been there. Jim and Sue live in an old house in town that had belonged to Sue's grandparents. It is a two story with a turet on one side of the front of the house. Charming and cozy. There was great flourish as uncles and aunts and cousins enjoyed reuniting. We visited awhile on their wrap around porch and then left them so they could get ready for their daughter's wedding. When we arrived at the motel that had been suggested, we all quietly took in the sight. It had a pure Wisconsin fishing and hunting look to it. The price was right and it was very close to the place where the wedding dance was to be held so those things were salve to the snooty bunch of De Vries'. When Ken and I and Scarlen walked into our room, I could have hooted. Dark walls of paneled wood, lightened in spots by things that had spilled or splashed against them. Faded bedding (along with stains that my kids made repulsive with their comments) graced the two double beds. A beautiful (tongue in cheek) border had been placed on the paneling near the ceiling all around the room. The border was a repetitive "deer jumping over a fence" motif. There were some antiquated pictures of deer hanging on the walls. The room had its own fly swatter hanging on a nail near the door. Fortunately, the place wasn't terribly dirty but it did smell of smoke. The funny thing about this room was that it broke all the requirements that Sue and I had set down for motels at which we agreed to stay on our trip to the west this past summer. It makes me wonder if perhaps those were my requirements to which she agreed.

We weren't settled long before Kendra knocked on our door rubbing her pregnant belly and saying, "Our room is awful..Craig said he wishes we had driven our own car so we could go home tonight". We had a good belly laugh (no pun intended) and then went off to see her room. In actuality, their room was in better shape than ours, but the smoke smell was beyond acceptable. Lauri arrived on the scene and we all agreed Craig and Kendra could not stay in that room. Big sister Lauri took Kendra to the office (that was first class, too) to complain. He said he would move them to another room. The move was made and the new room was much more acceptable, so we had made the baby of our family and her sweet husband much happier. Lauri and Elton showed us their room, which was in a different part of the motel, and it was larger and more pleasant than the rest.

Soon my dad and Mary arrived on the scene. Kendra and Lauri went to visit their room. When they walked in they thought they would die of laughter. The entire room, including the ceiling was covered in mirrors. Quite the perfect fit for people 79 and 87. They all had a good time posing for each other in front of the mirrors and lying on the beds commenting they had never had that kind of view of themselves before. Grandma Mary later commented that they will probably not live that one down.

My brother and his wife, their daughter and son-in-law and their two small children arrived. They recieved their rooms without complaint and none of us said anything to them about our feelings until we were at our niece's home for brunch yesterday. The neice asked how the motel was and that was the beginning of an hour of deep and hysteric laughter. If any of us had any illness, it should be gone from the good medicine enjoyed by all. My youngest brother's wife said, "I must be used to seedy motels because I thought it was just fine". Our car load commented that we must be the snooty ones though most of the Wisconsin people themselves said they would not have stayed there. We told the bride that our motel experience there will give each of us cause for remembering her wedding. She doubled over with laughter.

Our brunch invitation began with our niece's invitation to the De Motte people. All the other Wisconsinites said they were tired and planned to sleep in so they said their goodbyes because they wouldn't be there. By the time brunch was served, everyone, including the bride and groom and their families had all arrived on the scene. Sandy and Mike live in Waupun and own a lovely old three story house. They have it fixed so cute and inviting. We had a pleasant time together sharing extended family time. Sandy had gotten up at 5:30 and prepared a breakfast fit for royalty. There were egg dishes, fruit and every kind of bread product one could imagine. It was delicious. We had such a good time, Sandy suggested we all try to get together around Thanksgiving time, so Lauri and I have another family reunion to plan. I wouldn't change the family God chose for me for anything.

P.S. Know that the motel in Markesan provides every room with their own fly swatter on a nail. Thought I'd encourage you to try it out. If you wish to have the phone number, I will oblige you.