I met a fellow BDer!!

[Kath]

You're quite right skip. The two that have chocolate chips in are cookies.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

This past weekend has been an Upstate New York convention of Downers including Mac, Rikae, Nienna, Mira, Kath, Wilwa, Boro, Bethberry, Nogrod, Greenie, Lommy, Aganzir, and Brinniel with the occasional addition of various of our family members.

A true rendition shall follow, but some highlights include:

-Kath driving a vehicle with an automatic transmission for the first time

-Fea's first trip outside the country and her subsequent difficulty getting back in

-Nogrod acquiescing that the First Day of a werewolf game is useless, and Fea trying to convince people not to vote at random on the First Day because those are important

-The Wereduckling identifying Mac as a werewolf, Nog as the werebear, and some unknown individual as the ranger

-B88 dressed in drag and almost being lost to the tender mercies of Canada (not at the same time)

More to follow, with pictures...

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Oooh. So jealous. It's not like I wont be meeting Aganzir soon anyway, but I'm jealous all the same.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I suppose for me it starts at work on Thursday afternoon when I texted Mirandir to see if she would mind leaving for Geneva Saturday morning instead of Friday night. She didn't get that message, but she spontaneously called me about thirty seconds after, asking if I would mind her leaving for my house Thursday night instead of Friday afternoon.

Lo! I received a Mira and a Nienna so late on Thursday that it had technically become Friday. We stayed up gabbing and eventually got to sleep. I got to bring Ni to work with me on Friday, and Friday night the three of us had girly bonding time involving white chocolate mousse and Alice in Wonderland (the new one) and loads of jokes and teasing and love.

Saturday morning occurred. We provisioned ourselves with fresh farm stand produce and traversed our way to the Ithaca airport, where Boromir88 eagerly awaited our arrival, since his flight was scheduled for 11:45am, we arrived at 11:37am, and he'd managed to land somewhere closer to 11:26. I slowed down enough for him to jump in, briefly stopped to put sunscreen on my driver's side arm (which was turning a lovely shade of truck driver red), and then Ni and I chatted whilst Mira and Boromir88 napped in the back. There are adorable pictures which no doubt someone will provide later.

Having informed the Mac and Rikae household we would arrive around 1pm, I showed my travel estimate prowess by pulling up to the house around 1:03pm. Wilwa had already arrived, and we were hug-tackled by the children. The girls learned my fear of snakes and promptly found one in the very lovely garden to bring over and show me against my will. Until I realized the power of having a really good camera: you can only use it if you never bring a snake near me again. I was safe from serpents ever after, and many pictures were taken by the younglings. Mac and I made a grocery store run and we lazed for the afternoon, playing with the girls and falling ever more in love with all of them. We cooked out of doors alongside their local Fingerlake and played the most intense game of Duck Duck Goose I've ever partaken in.

When Boromir and Macalaure were their respective ducks and geese, it became a full contact sport! At one point I believe we had more geese than ducks!

I was taken hostage by the children and Nienna and Mirandir rode valiantly to my rescue, which was quite excellent, as the soccer net they were using to bind my wrists and ankles rather hurt when they yanked at it.

The next day we slept... not so late. The girls woke us, which was quite all right, and Mac commenced with his morning duty of providing us all with coffee. I sleepily found myself presented with a cup of steaming hot black coffee, brewed to my favorite specifications without even needing to ask!

And then!

We all realized it was Father's Day and called our respective dads.

Ring, ring, ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mama, is dad there?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's Father's Day."

And so on. At one point I believe there were at least five phone conversations with Barrowdowner fathers occurring at once.

Some time after lunch, Boromir, Mirandir, and I decided that the most brilliant idea we'd ever heard was Nap Time, and proceeded to sink into desperately deep sleep for several hours. After this we ended up playing mini golf at a charmingly petite venue and competing less about the game as than for the innuendo we could make out of it. And then ice cream.

Now, for those who don't know, the Fingerlakes Region of Upstate NY is renowned for its vinyards. And while I'd never considered the possibility of mixing wine with ice cream, when I saw that the ice cream place sold peach zinfindel ice cream (must be 21 years or older to buy!) I really had to insist on trying the blend.

Let me just say, whomever decided putting wine in ice cream was a genius. Mirandir's chocolate cabernet was equally wonderful.

When we got back to the house, Celuien had arrived (sorry I forgot to mention you in the first post!) with her marvelous cobbler (made of peaches, not of players; I asked). Shortly after, Macalaure arrived with Brinniel, who'd flown into Rochester.

And then just moments later, as I asked rhetorically when the Finns would arrive, and walked outside with a glass of iced tea, I saw them pull up and park.

"THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!!"

And then there was hugging and squealing and excitement, and those of us who knew each other already pounced even more enthusiastically, and we realized that the wereduckling was terrified of Nogrod!

Nog and I made a run to the grocery store to pick up the very American purchase of beer and bacon, and we hit it off immediately. Upon our return we sat outside and combated the rather significant mosquito population of Mac and Rikae's back yard. While I can post only a few dozen bites, poor Boro had a solid coating of bites spanning one arm, and Mac had dozens, many of which were clustered around his ankles.

All was good fun until I was rather frightened by an exceptionally dodgy accident involving nobody but myself, and then we all ended up inside and it was yet again wonderful. I'm honestly too exhausted to remember what we did, but I know we didn't go to bed until late!

The next morning we were obliged to lose Ni and Mira, so we packed their belongings back into my truck and the three of us with Vanilwa and Kath sojourned back to my house where those who hadn't met my Sibling did, and where we somewhat promptly continued the journey.

We did a quick drive by tour of some Amish farms down the road from me and then went to my grandmother's expanse of property where I'd promised Kath she could attempt to drive my vehicle which is larger than any she'd ever find in Europe, and which is automatic transmission.

As I turned off the road and down the road-trail that skirts the soybean fields, Wilwa expressed her concern that we were headed straight for trees and she could see nowhere for me to put my truck. Have no fear! We drove through the woods and to another field where I put my truck in park and let Kath behind the wheel. Mira and my Sibling went wandering with a rifle looking for things to shoot at, and the rest of us drove around and around the field while Kath expressed her glee at how easy it is to drive an automatic car with power steering.

She drove part of the path back up to Grandma's, and then Wilwa drove us home, deciding that she must own her own version of my vehicle.

At that point we departed sans Ni and Mira, which was awful except that I remembered I'd see them in two weeks again, and then we decided upon driving straight to Watkins Glen instead of going there from Geneva. Since it was the same distance either way, I took them in a different direction and we talked a great deal and became very close on the ride (which came within five miles of where Ni, Mira, Lari, and I went to college and where Mira still goes). Conveniently that direction also took us past the farm stand again, so our traveling came equipped with fresh cherries, strawberries, and garlic and herb cheddar.

Though I was greeted at Watkins with some personal bad news, the day was still stunningly wonderful, and the agreement is that Watkins is Rivendell. Greenie was blown away to the point of stunned silence, and it was quickly decided that my reputation for getting people lost is completely absurd, since I was the go to person for directions and never once failed on them.

Boro and Lommy joined us for the car ride back to Geneva, and some purchases (such as chocolate) were made. Celuien joined us again upon our arrival and we were again reminded how wonderful she is.

And then Werewolf began! Rikae lit a small bonfire for us and we rekindled our war with the mosquitoes, and after a bit of cross dressing and some valiant attempts to teach Boromir to waltz, we settled around the fire and allowed the shadows to make us feel sinister.

In the very first game I was a wolf! And so was Nogrod! And someone must have misread their role because we had absolutely no idea whom our companion was! And so we spent a great deal of time trying to subtly find out who the third wolf was. I was killed and discovered to be a wolf, for reasoning that was quite faulty, but also clearly lucky.

The next game, since we were all bit up (except the internationals, whom the mosquitoes seemed to neglect) was indoors and Nog and I formed a coalition of madness that actually drove Wolf-Lommy to her own brand of madness! Nog and I were both Ordos, of course, but the point was more that our lack of roles meant a lack of inhibitions and a great deal of playful insanity. Eventually (it was around two in the morning, or perhaps three) the last votes were cast and we went to bed. Kath, Wilwa, and I fell asleep listening to Lommy and Agan murmuring in Finnish.

And then yesterday we drove to Niagara Falls. Most of us took the boat ride under the falls, which Nog described as, "A bit humid." Pictures will reveal that it looks like we swam to the falls as opposed to taking a boat. Bethberry was with us with her husband and son, and I must say, she is as lovely and kind a person in real life as she is online. I'm exceptionally grateful for her generosity and sweetness.

And there I must leave you for now, which is tragic since we've reached the part where I was snuck across the border into another country without a passport!

The part where I had to explain to a persistent border guard that I knew all of these strange people off the internet and that we wanted to get into Canada for all of the best reasons, and that I promise we're not creepy!

But that will have to wait, I'm afraid. You'll just have to be patient...

[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Mac and I made a grocery store run and we lazed for the afternoon, playing with the girls and falling ever more in love with all of them.

Way to forget Wilwa and I were there too!

I'm honestly too exhausted to remember what we did, but I know we didn't go to bed until late!

Apples to Apples! And shower time.

Greenie was blown away to the point of stunned silence, and it was quickly decided that my reputation for getting people lost is completely absurd, since I was the go to person for directions and never once failed on them.

*would like to point out that it is ridiculously hard to get lost at Watkins Glen unless wandering around with Lari who is terrified of graveyards and thus cuts off two paths*

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Keeper of Dol Guldur

Way to forget Wilwa and I were there too!

Actually, love, I remembered as I was writing, but didn't change it for the following reasons: I was at work and my boss had just arrived, I didn't want to have to edit any pronouns to reflect the added number of people, and I knew you'd correct me so I didn't have to worry about people being mistaken for very long.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

And here we have captured Macalaure, Greenie, and B88 (all ordos) outside during our exceptionally ambianced werewolf game around the campfire. Please don't ask how many mosquito bites we got playing this...

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

And here we have captured Macalaure, Greenie, and B88 (all ordos) outside during our exceptionally ambianced werewolf game around the campfire. Please don't ask how many mosquito bites we got playing this...

Did you actually go camping or did you just have a campfire?
You have candles! I love candles. ^.^

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Rikae lit a small fire in the back part of their back yard and as we let the fire die, we put a circle of candles around it so we could still see each other's faces in the dark.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Rikae lit a small fire in the back part of their back yard and as we let the fire die, we put a circle of candles around it so we could still see each other's faces in the dark.

That's wonderful.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

The Finns, Diamond, Oddwen, and Joe (sorry, Joe, I didn't catch your Downer name! The curse of bad hearing, alas ) were gathered here in Wisconsin last night, a little tired but in good spirits. Nogrod and Company made it through Chicago without any real problems, and I give them credit for braving the Windy City in the midafternoon --not my cup of tea at all. We don't have any spectacular sights like Niagara to offer, but sometimes a good night's sleep is better than sight-seeing. Which happens with old fogies like me and my husband. They were all on their way to a picnic lunch before noon today -- wish I could've gone, but a thrice delayed appointment will not allow it. It was a true delight meeting my first Downers in the undead flesh, and I hope the rest of the Finns' long trip is spectacular. Hmm, if they'd been here on Monday, we could've shown them a real Midwest tornado, but they got to see a lot of the downed and snapped and uprooted trees. A lot like the ruin of Isengard, I'm sad to say.

[Mnemosyne]

Wow! Chicago in the afternoon on a weekday!...

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

The Finns, Diamond, Oddwen, and Joe (sorry, Joe, I didn't catch your Downer name! The curse of bad hearing, alas ) were gathered here in Wisconsin last night, a little tired but in good spirits. Nogrod and Company made it through Chicago without any real problems, and I give them credit for braving the Windy City in the midafternoon --not my cup of tea at all. We don't have any spectacular sights like Niagara to offer, but sometimes a good night's sleep is better than sight-seeing. Which happens with old fogies like me and my husband. They were all on their way to a picnic lunch before noon today -- wish I could've gone, but a thrice delayed appointment will not allow it. It was a true delight meeting my first Downers in the undead flesh, and I hope the rest of the Finns' long trip is spectacular. Hmm, if they'd been here on Monday, we could've shown them a real Midwest tornado, but they got to see a lot of the downed and snapped and uprooted trees. A lot like the ruin of Isengard, I'm sad to say.

*cough* McCaber? *cough*

Also, fail on the weather. Fortunately it missed us here for the most part (at least in my part of Nebraska) but I heard some places had it really bad.