Weekend Round-Up: Country Slumber Party

This weekend was short and full of driving. It’s fun to visit our country friends Rich and Molly but I wish they lived just a tiny bit closer.

On Friday night, Rob and I came home from work to pack for our trip. To bed early in order to wake up at 6:30 am the next morning and hop in the car. Five and some hours later, we made it to Weaverville. In the rush, I forgot both my cell phone and camera at home.

From there, we quickly said hello and hopped in the car to drive to Molly’s parent’s ranch in Hayfork. The family has lived and raised cattle there for over 100 years. The main house is a former creamery building that was relocated by horse-drawn carriage.

The baby shower started soon after we arrived. Rob went off with the boys to play rancher. I caught up with the aunties and “awwed” at the onsies. Her mother smartly asked everyone to bring a favorite children’s book. It was fun to revisit some books I had as a kid.

After the guests left, the remaining family bundled up for a walk down to the river. It is still very much winter up there, very brisk. A big dinner of spaghetti and salad with the whole family. Red wine and Irish whiskey after dinner. At 10:30, they set up four beds in the living room for us and the aunties, put out the wood stove and said goodnight.

It got very cold during the night and at one point I scooted under a 50 pound feather bed to stay warm. At 7:30, we woke up to the fire being started and coffee on the stove. I had only been 20 degrees overnight! A big ranch breakfast of pancakes, home-raised sausage and eggs. We hung out for a bit and then hit the road at 11:00.

The cold that I had been so ferociously holding back in Hayfork surfaced with a vengeance once in the car. I slept most of the way. When we stopped briefly for lunch, I was completely out of it and left my purse behind in a place called “Olive City.” (The restaurant is graciously mailing it back to me).

At home at 5:00, I instantly changed into satin pajamas for a nap, followed by a long bath. Rob brought me Enchanted to watch and even he admitted it was pretty good. I spent the rest of the evening calling back everyone who’d left me phone messages and scheduling the busy week ahead. Part 1 of Sense and Sensibility on PBS before going to bed.