Friends trip

I always swore that I would graciously accept our grandchildren's preference for independence, adventure, and friends when the time came.  My children's grandmother never did. (Jeez Ada, it's adolescence, not personal! *)  They didn't need adults to play games, ride bikes, or go to the Sunriver mall anymore.  Although they still required some planning and transportation support, the annual family vacation went away and the 'friends' trip became very different. 

The kids weren't the only ones to plan a 'friends' trip.  Earl and I were going to meet our long time friends this year in Sunriver and then join Heidi and Michael at the end, thinking that, although the grandkids and their friends were teens, they were still children.  We thought the Tenisons might need some help with four kids.  Spoiler alert: They didn't.

Turned out, our friends couldn't make it. So Earl and I adjusted and joined Heidi and Michael for a laid back getaway of relaxation.  We were able to meet up with a friend for lunch.  The deer clearly knew the humans were no threat and only presented a minor annoyance.  They roamed the golf course and visited us periodically during the day. 

Having experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly on previous family vacations, we knew what was important and what wasn't**.  I'd like to say I felt bad about Heidi having to do all the 'heavy lifting' on obtaining the right house, but I didn't.  I was confident that since our mobility needs were so similar, what worked for her would work for me.  The front yard of the house was the golf course and even though Earl and I don't golf, it provided hours of entertainment.The deck even had two separate tables so the 4 kids didn't even have to eat with us.  She had arranged for a ramp up to the front door and the layout provided for teenage privacy and plenty of room for me to navigate.  

Earl and I came to realize that, as the four grandchildren matured,  they were no longer a group.  Now they were four people with different interests.  The other two grandchildren, having relocated to Seattle, turned to adventure tripping and shared their idea of fun via storytelling and pictures.  In the future, I think we're going to need more vacations to accommodate different interests and tempt them back.  We're up for it, but we'll have to bring our A game.





The lesson:  All I need to relax on vacation is an audiobook, a glass of wine...and a nap.

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