The reunion was full of new and interesting experiences ... like getting drunk on M&Ms. Really. Except, not.

See, it happened this way ... I picked out really pretty swirly tie-dyed t-shirts for the official reunion shirts. One guest appreciated it so much that she bought 10 pounds of M&M's and put them out in attractive glass bowls during game time, because the colors matched the shirts and everyone loves chocolate.

So. There I was. Happy. Playing Pictionary with a great team. Wearing the swirly vivid-rainbow shirt. Sitting next to an endless bowl of M&M's. Naturally, I ate easily two-plus pounds of M&M's. Which is NOT as much as you might think.

I was really happy. And gigglely. REALLY happy and gigglely. Yes, I was drunk on M&M's. "How drunk?" you might be asking. "Drunk" enough that one of the guests felt compelled to stay between me and the edge of the porch at all times. I shifted position, he shifted position. Finally, he boxed me in with the oval wrought iron table and a rocker. I didn't really notice. I just giggled some more. Until my jaws hurt. And I still couldn't stop giggleling, while clutching my lemonade in a death-grip. People actually began to suspect there was "something" in my lemonade! Thats right, tee-totaling me. Slipping a little "something" into the lemonade! NOT! That would be the ruination of perfectly good lemonade.

My husband had missed it, since he went to bed earlier that the wee "AM" hours that many of us sat around the porch talking. He just didn't get it. Couldn't even imagine the idea. Was sure it was probably exagerated some kind of way. I called my best friend (college roommate) and mentioned it. Her response? "AGAIN!?!" Yes, I had indeed forgotten that episode during finals freshman-year when she was selling M&M's for some fund-raiser and I bought several bags (about a dozen) and nibbled on them while studying. Next thing they knew, I was a gigglely. Completely unable to study. They thought I had "snapped". (With the precedent of Ann "snapping" the semester before, it wasn't the most unreasonable thing for them to think) But I was fine the next day. Still, she wouldn't sell me anymore chocolate. Looking at me out of the corner of her eye like I was a freak. Afterall, who gets "drunk" on M&M's!?!

Apparently, I do. And its not the chocolate. Its the dye! (Thanks, Leni, for pointing out that British article on dye recently). Some quick comparison among family members: one of my boys has the same reaction to Fruit-loops cereal. (Yeah, I know I'm a bad mom for letting them pick their own cereal occasionally), Sam has the same reaction to some antibiotics, Janie had a similiar reaction to the red-dye-tracer that a doctor tried to use once.

Now, I know I just need to stay away from rainbow-dye-colored-foods in mass quantities. And compile a packet on information about dye-sensitivities to distribute to all the relatives that around the night! :P

All things considered, The Party went incredibly well. LOTS of relatives, lots of good food, lots of giggles. Even from people who don't normally giggle. Or hang out with others that giggle. One uncle had this kinda dazed look like he had fallen down the rabbit-hole and I was the White Rabbit. The best quote of the reunion came from him, muttered to mostly himself and a little to me (as he was watching me rearrange the buffet table when no one was around) "Hmmm. THIS is different and interesting." It warms the cockles of my heart to know that I've impacted his view of the family-world to the point that he's talking to himself. Trust me, his view is now a better one. A little bit like someone who's colorblind suddenly seeing color for the first time! Not that I'm saying I'm ALL that great, but I'm certainly saying I'm all that different from their typical family dynamic which was a mind-bending revelation to him. Just a little culture shock. Think LegallyBlonde meets MyBigFatGreekWedding!

Another particularly great quote was from my brother-in-law. When pushed for an itemized time-table and adgenda, I said "I'm trying to not be so neurotic!" To which my brother-in-law respondedly absent-mindedly, "Why? You're so good at it!" Which elicited crazed gasps from those around us, and a full-body laugh from me. Isn't it sweet that he's paid such close attention over the years!?!

Another running gag was my proclomations that "THIS will not be the reunion where ..." You know, like ...where someone drowns rafting because they didn't wear a vest because then people will talk about me... where someone dies because they fell off the porch and hit their head on a rock because then people will talk about me ... where someone mixes up nair and shampoo and goes home bald because someone will talk about me ... where I give people food poisoning because ... where non-married but related people of opposite genders save water by doubling up in the shower ... where everyone gets fleas from the dogs ... where someone is bitten by a rabid armadillo ... etc.

ARGH! I'm out of time! Have to post ... or else. I'll have "real" computer access again in a few days. Maybe :( Meanwhile, I'm signing off so my husband will give me the last piece of pizza and let me see the mail!

So today I went back over to the "house with no beds" to do some massive cooking since we haven't moved the kitchen yet. I was all calm. Focused. Intent on achieving my goal. THEN one of the boys said "Hey! So thats what was making that noise!" I walked over to the computer room and there, swirling around the room, was a giant flying ostrich. Ok. So it was really more like a normal bird. But at that moment, it really looked as big as an ostrich!

I did what any normal person would do. I shrieked and flailed and dragged all the children into the hallway where I closed the door to the kitchen and the computer room and effectively prevented the bird from getting into the bedrooms. Deciding to be a grown-up, I took several deep breaths to prepare myself for the dash through the kitchen to the front-door which when thrown wide open would be a bird-magnet. Right? Because thats how it SHOULD work. Right? Open-door = bird magnets. Keep that thought in mind ...

Because when I opened the kitchen door and stepped into it cautiously, the crazy wild bird attacked! Ok. So maybe it only flew at me quickly while chirping. Regardless, it ended abruptly with me throwing myself backward over Katherine-the-toddler and simulateously scooping her up and slamming the door and screaming a lot. I decided we were just going to wait patiently for help to arrive. (No, I did NOT call 911. I called my husband)

Since he couldn't come right that very minute, he had the genius idea of sacrificing our two boys, ages 9 and 7. I said absolutely not. They begged and pleaded. On their knees. I gave up. Afterall, I have neosporin and benedryl and bandaids. Not to mention that I know the quickest route to the ER. And a viable alternative route. (Because when you really need to know, you don't have time to look it up. I would have been such a good boy-scout. Except fo the "boy" part, and the "scout" part. I hate camping and scouting and bugs and animals-that-aren't-dogs-n-cats. But I love their motto "Be Prepared")

Anyway, so the boys armed themselves with brooms and the knowledge that wild flailing of the broom with scare the bird and break things needlessly. I might have stressed that too much. They moved into the computer room with the speed of snails. Inching down the long room toward the front-door. Propping it open. Easing into the room with the bird. I lost interest since no one was in immediate danger, and went off to do some work.

It seems that they moved SO slowly that the bird thought they were statues and landed on one of them! Actually, it landed on Ron's broom as he was just standing in the kitchen "pretending that I wasn't there to try to trap it". He eased gently around the corner into the entry-way, the bird saw the open door and flew away!

Nothing like a little adreniline (and visions of giant flying ostrichs in your living room) to put some zip in your day.

Now playing at a location not near you. Probably. Yes, the move is underway! So far the beds and towels have been moved over. None of the kitchen stuff, or food stuff for the "party". Which is Tuesday night. And the house isn't completely clean yet either!

Its ... interesting. No land-line because the neighbors that need to sign the permit for the phone company to cross their property are getting divorced (hence neither one will sign ANY legally binding document). No computer line because its not necessary for the party. Basically, we're operating in "panic" mode. If its not necessary for the party, its not getting done. Yet.

Last night I even dreamed about the joys of mopping. Thats not sarcasm. I've reached the point where I'm THRILLED to be mopping because it means the vacuuming is done!