Was I going or not?? Hmmm it was a tough choice, on the one hand celebrate my birthday here at home, doing nothing much, or go to the gathering and 6 flags on my birthday. Boy what a choice!! Ok so I decide to go WOOHOO!!! and Helen decides she will go with me DOUBLE WOOHOO!!!!

After waiting for what seemed liked an eternity the weekend finally arrives, I hurry out of work on Friday so fast that I didn’t know one of the bosses had called for me to come to the office --they had a cake to celebrate my birthday!! oooopppps!! Who would know?? I had gotten flowers that morning! Oh well, when I am scheduled to be off at 2:30 and I have a 3 day weekend planned, you bet I am out at 2:30!!! Good thing they understood---after a lot of teasing on Tuesday when I got back.

At 6:30 Sat morning Helen and I set off on our adventure! To drive across that pot holed and construction filled part of NYC -- The Bronx --- and get to NJ and the gathering. That was the easy part, but within 2 miles of Miss T’s we got lost.....LOL well I never said I could follow directions!! Good thing for cell phones!! Even so two hours after starting out, Aleja at Miss Tified’s apt greeted us. There is our mystery guest!!! Melantha!!

I came prepared with treats for Sammie in an effort to win him over and possibly kidnap him!!! But he is such a love and he was very happy to just have an ear rub or his belly scratched. But I realized that Miss T would never allow him to be out of her sight with me, knowing full well that I would sneak him into my Jeep.

Off we start to meet the rest at the hotel, with Helen, Aleja and myself in our Jeep, and Miss T and our “mystery guest” in the other. A quick stop for sandwiches for lunch and we head off. There sitting in the lobby is Keith, Jinx, Mimi and Jean, both Jinx and Mimi, I have talked to for such a long time and it was soooo great to finally meet. What fun I knew we were going to have just from the initial meetings.... we were like long lost friends all of us. Then in walked Chrebet and Jack, after going for bagels (?--in NJ???) and coffee. Ok, so I should have thought to bring bagels from home, no one ever said I was the brightest bulb in the marquee! But after some coffee and food off we went to 6 Flags. Some traffic and no drafting!!! But we got there in one piece. Before we even entered the park, Jinx handed me a package. Little did I think anyone remembered that it was my “29”th birthday. But someone had, WT knowing that we would be at the park for this momentous occasion had snail mailed Jinx a present for me!!! Thank you WT ((((((WT)))))), but not satisfied to stop at that, Jinx decided to sneak a pic!!!!!! Were you put up to that Jinx??? Promising that she would not put it up in the story, I allowed her to live!---Now back to the story--- Since I definitely don’t do rides I designate myself as the “official bag holder”! Now to the Log Flume!! hmmmmm Jinx, Jean and I take bets on who is going to sit where???? Keith and Jack???? LOL!! Everyone has a great time, and I decide that I am soooo glad not to do rides, as some of them definitely seem to be once that would make you feel rather sick. We stay to close the park, then head off to the hotel once more. By 2am I was very ready to head off to sleep, there was a suggestion made that I should stay up till 4am (my usual wake up time) and see what would happen. I vetoed that one---some sleep is better than none! 4 hours later I am now awake for the festivities of Sunday, and with 3 cups of coffee in me, I am raring to go. Ok so I need one more cup, I run down the street and find a bagel store, checking to see if they have the equipment to actually make bagels in the back I order one for myself and one for Helen, a cup of coffee for yours truly and a cup of tea for Helen and I go back to the hotel.

We met in Chre and Jacks room, knowing that Jack can be ready in 5 minutes!! LOL---- right “Big Dadddaaay”???? Chre, Helen and I decide that we should go to the lobby and wait since we realized that Jack didn’t take any clothes with him to the shower!!!! I would have stayed, after all I am a mother! But decided that Chre was right and we should leave no need to embarrass him! 20 minutes later, Jack is ready and coming down to the lobby to meet those of us who are waiting there. Now off we head (after a gas fill up) armed with our directions to Jinx house---well I said the word, so you know what happened!! Yep we got lost again!!! But never fear--and say this out loud-- “a cell phone is your friend”!! And a short time later we are pulling up in front of Jinx house.

Not only had Jinx the 11 of us but she has some of her husband’s friends at the bbq. We need to now tell you that we have adopted one of them as an official MN member, her name is Tracy and she fit right in with us all.

Now comes my surprise for the gathering, Jinx sets up her computer and we get the opportunity to have a lesson in how to pronounce that “short and unpronounceable Belgian’s name” and you are right Gerdje, practice is needed!! And there will be a test--or did I forget to tell everyone that??

The food seemed to be unending, and I am sure Jinx has enough left over to last a few weeks. Burgers and franks, chili, pasta salad, chips, dips, cheese and crackers, cookies, cakes. So with Miss T at the grill and Chrebet at the bar we were set for an afternoon of fun. This is the time we really get down to the craziness, and there sits Tracy, gradually becoming one of us! A few games of “dots” * wink * or as the rest of the country calls them “darts” and a lot of music and we have a great time. The music flowed, the food flowed and I think Chrebet actually got a chance to have a drink or two herself!! The best of which was the “Chrebet special” a concoction created for the occasion. Water pistols somehow showed up, and I believe the main target was Jack, but in the end everyone wound up in a wet state of sorts. And there was Sammie, taking it all in!!

Pictures were constantly being taken---flash flash---Jean and Mimi---flash flash!! And I do think someone actually did get one or two of me!!! stern look at Aleja and possibly Mel. Hmmmmmm I wonder it they would take a bribe to get the negatives???? Also wondering who else took some “candid” shots of the woman who got a promise of no pics????????? OK fess up everyone!!!!!

Everyone has plenty of fun, lots of flirting going on !!!! Oh not me! never me!! I don’t do that sort of thing, :-) And enough drinks to keep anyone who wanted them satisfied!!

After everyone is totally full, it is off to the house to write post cards. An array of colors of pens is handed out, and we start. “Has everyone signed this one?? or that one”. How do 11 people put everything on one postcard?? hmmmm make it short and sweet!

Helen and I decide that it is time for us to leave not that we want to. But unfortunately one of us has to work the next day (not me!!!!) LOL. With hugs to all and a promise of a few lunches in the city with Chre, Miss T and Jinx we are off. Angry with ourselves that we didn’t get Helen off the next day so we could stay over one more night. Of course we hit traffic on our way home---- what would a drive in NYC be without some of that??? And we spend most of the drive talking about the fun we had and how great everyone was. So 2 hours later (without getting lost!!) we are home. Still laughing over the great time.

And now we must start preparing for the next one!! Remember “A MN for all seasons”!!!