18 June 2007 (Monday)
Fortunately, the 20% chance of rain, or whatever it was, didn't materialize.
I left to see my friends from out of state, and my friends in state. I still
have the feeling that my life is about to make some major changes. I hope if
that's true it's for the better.
After making a couple of wrong turns, I finally found Pam and Marcy's house.
I've been there before, but it's been a while. Pam and daughter Marcy are both
dealing with disabilities, but are able to travel. They had planned to have
left on vacation by now, but apparently stayed home another day for a pool
party. Their pool isn't built in, but is a relatively large, round
above-ground pool.
Lorien greeting me with a hug and kiss as did Mindy. It was great seeing them
again. I got a hug from Allen, and saw Elaine, Allen's girlfriend. Allen and
Elaine are housesitting for Pam and Marcy, and I think spent the night there.
We weren't there very long, as Lorien, Mindy and I traveled to the home of
Fiona, Fiona's sother Dave, Fiona's younger sister Lisa, and Lisa's children
Buddy and Crissy, who weren't there. We got a tour of their home, which is a
large house complete with a built-in pool they said we could use, so we have no
shortage of available pools. They also have a room just for the birds.
Soon it was time for our mask making. I had actually done something very
similar before. Lorien, Mindy and I all lay down on a mat. Lisa helped
Lorien, Dave helped Mindy, and Fiona helped me. They opened the door to the
bird room so the sounds of nature would help us relax. When I did it before,
they played soft music. Our helpers covered our faces and especially our
facial hair with petroleum jelly to prevent the mask from sticking and pulling
out hairs. Then they cut strips of cloth that were held plaster of Paris and
covered our faces one strip at a time, leaving enough opening for our nostrils.
It felt quite warm, and I found it comfortable. I heard Lorien say, "It's OK,
Mindy." Some people feel slightly claustrophobic during the procedure. I
suggested they try playing soft music, which personally I found more relaxing
than the birds, but they stuck with the avians.
After the masks had a chance to dry on our faces, which actually didn't take
very long, they removed them. They were thinner than what I had done, but then
they weren't first-timers. We were told we had to wait 24 hours for our masks
to completely dry. Then we could each decorate our mask in order to express
our "inner soul."
They went over the plans for the summer solstice ceremony, which has two parts.
The first is open to anyone who wants to come robed and masked, and the second
part will be garbed in traditional Gardnerian fashion and is by invitation
only. We got a short course in how to speak, which involves elements of early
modern English, particularly the use of "thee" and "thou." While I'm a little
rusty, I've had a lot of experience with the forms. Many people are surprised
to learn that "you" is formal whereas "thou" is informal.
I also learned I have to have a name to use in the ceremony. Lorien and Mindy
plan to use their Wiccan names, but the name suggested for me to use simply
won't work. I have to come up with something.
Later we had a combination barbecue and pool party at Pam and Marcy's.
Apparently they like having parties there, even when they're elsewhere.
Everyone who was at the house when I arrived came, in addition to Mindy's
parents Greg and Ima, Mindy's younger brothers Bobbie and Raidon, Bobbie's
friend Alec, Allen's younger sister Vickie and younger brother Josh, Vickie's
boyfriend Austin, Vickie's best friend and a visibly-pregnant bride-to-be
Dolly, and Mindy's aunt and Greg's sister Yvette and Yvette's sother Tim. I
got several hugs and a kiss or two, which was nice. Dolly explained that Joey,
es husband-to-be, couldn't be there because "he has to work to make money for
his family."
Naturally we played Lorien's favorite pool game, which involves one person
riding piggy back on another, and then a couple of two-person teams trying to
knock the other team's rider off. My rider Lorien was dehorsed by Greg and
Mindy, but we dehorsed Raidon from Josh. Mindy and I beat Lorien riding on
Bobbie. Allen even gave me a ride, which proved a watery disaster.
While we refused to let the six-months-pregnant Dolly play the game ("I can
play it 'cause Joey's not here!"), e insisted on riding piggyback. I gave
Dolly (and Dolly's internal rider Craig) as gentle of a ride as I could, which
I believe satisfied the ride-disapprovers, other than Tim.
Tim isn't favorably disposed toward many things, except beer, a comfortable
chair, and apparently barbecue. Yvette is noticeably different than e was
without Tim, which unfortunately is a symptom a number of women suffer from.
Yvette is very outgoing and loves going out. But with Tim complaining about
how long Yvette spends at es job (which is apparently barely full-time), any
extracurricular activities that the stay-at-home Tim doesn't want to attend are
out. I don't like to judge others, but they are a mismatch made in Purgatory.
Another unusual relationship is that between Dolly, Joey, and Joey's late
brother Craig, whom Joey insists is the father of Dolly's daughter Clara.
Apparently a psychic told them that the baby Dolly is carrying is really the
reincarnated Craig. I probably foolishly blurted out, "Craig can say I'm my
own uncle." Fortunately, Dolly thought that was hilarious. That would also
mean Joey is the father of es own brother, but I had the sense not to mention
that.
Some of us also played Marco Polo, which involves one eyes-closed person
calling out "Marco" while everyone else says "Polo." The person who's it then
tries to touch someone, who is then out or it, depending on the game variation
you're playing. I never did quite figure out which variation we were playing.
Dolly was relatively easy to find, as e insisted on saying "Polo" twice, once
for emself, and once for es baby.
Ima insisted, as e does every visit, on me giving em a "foot massage."
Legally, reflexology can't be classified as "massage," or at least it couldn't
last time I checked, which has been quite a while. The technical reason for
this is that the laws are screwy. Dolly, who's carrying several extra pounds,
got one too, as did Lorien and, surprisingly, Greg.
I met one of my goals--I was able to swim in the lotus position. Mindy and Ima
can both assume the position, although neither one tried swimming that way, as
I did. Josh tried valiantly to do it, but couldn't quite make it.
I shot a few photos at the pool party-barbecue, and plan to shoot more during
the coming week.
We had talked about trying a roleplaying session today, but there wasn't time
to do more than briefly discuss it. Perhaps we'll do it later.
Copyright 2007 by The Loveshade Family
|
Harmony
I also learned I
have to have a
name to use in
the ceremony.
I met one of my
goals--I was able to
swim in the lotus
position.
|
We could each
decorate our
mask in order
to express our
"inner soul."
|
I got several hugs
and a kiss or two,
which was nice.
|
A psychic told
them that the
baby Dolly is
carrying is
really the
reincarnated
Craig.
|
Soon it was
time for our
mask making.
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