Last Friday, Helga, Lana, Jenny, Karen, Liz, Mary, Pam, and I headed to Martha’s Vineyard for a long-awaited Mommies’ Weekend at Longpoint Escape in West Tisbury (Thanks Helga!!). Since I avoid watching the “Bad News” at all costs, I had no idea we’d be facing down Hurricane Noel during our visit until we arrived. I think most of us would have been willing to take on a tsunami to be there. The ride down was quick and painless, and we enjoyed the sunset on the ferry crossing with a little sangria. We had Lana’s stuffed shells for dinner and my rum cake for dessert, followed by some educational TV, shiatsu sessions with Ping, and the 1991 edition of Celebrity Taboo. Then I got my first full night’s sleep since March of 2006, and finally got up around 10 a.m.
Noel was just arriving as we woke up on Saturday and we lost power mid-day, 
luckily after Helga had treated all interested parties to a blow-out. After lots of eating, drinking, talking, talking, talking, reading, and dozing, some of us braved the storm to go buy candles and flashlights. Helga took us on a little tour and we did some shopping (during which Aliya called to tell me that the news said to STAY INSIDE…she was very upset that I hadn’t heeded the warning). There wasn’t much damage but there were some really deep puddles and waves spraying onto the road in a few places. The power was on when we got back to the house so we joined the Melrose Place marathon just as Amanda’s illegitimate pregnancy was revealed. And then we shat.
excitement we live with each day, most of us headed back out into the storm for dinner at Sharky’s. Pam and Mary stayed behind to cheer on the BC Eagles. Dinner was good and it was reassuring to see that we weren’t the only crazy people out and about. After we went home and changed into our elastic-waist pants, we played Karen’s trivia game, where we learned some VERY interesting facts about each other (especially Jenny!). I will never look 
at a check stub, a church basement, the Pope, Tom Jones, or a gas station on a lonely stretch of highway the same way again. I will also forbid my high-school-aged kids to spend time alone in the house with their boyfriends/girlfriends. After the who-can-stay-up-latest contest ended up in a 4-way draw, I got ANOTHER full night’s sleep including an extra hour for DLST!!
was like we were the only survivors of a nuclear disaster. We sat outside on the ferry and caught a glimpse of ourselves in 20 years. We were sad that the weekend was over, but we’re already looking forward to the midwinter scrapbooking extravaganza in Rhode Island.
