1) I think sometimes things line up, and you get a Big Weekend. I just had one of those, filled with lots of experiences of differing type and flavor. I loved it.
We worked some tornado clean-up, watched Little Danger's baseball game, and had a gaming day of Dark Heresy (40k). There was a bit of swimming pool and general relaxation thrown in there as well. Reinforcing the lesson for LD of "work hard, play hard, relax like a cat."
2) I think it's refreshing to see communities come together when shit goes down. I further wish we could come together more often when shit isn't hitting the fan, but I will take what I can get.
Memorial Day brought a supercell to the north Dayton area, which proceeded to pronounce a hearty "fuck you" with a host of tornadoes. The biggest of these was a confirmed F-4. We drove right out of the southern edge of this bad boy about 5 minutes ahead of it. Little Danger asked how we would get away from a tornado if one happened...well, it turns out the answer was "what we're doing."
There has been no shortage of volunteers working up that way, from folks grilling and working the food bank to folks bumrushing damage areas to work clean up. Saturday, Wifefish, Little Danger, and I joined a group in one of those neighborhoods. I grabbed the chainsaw and we toted the work gloves, water, and even some donuts and coffee to hand out.
I can't say we had fun, exactly, but we worked hard for a morning. We impacted only five homes or so, but if you extrapolate the number of people doing what we did...well, there's a reason they say many hands make light work. It was rewarding as hell, and if you ever get the chance to be part of disaster relief, do it. Just do it. We aren't working in there for days on end, but if everyone gives a few hours, or a few days, the insurmountable eventually becomes recovery.
I asked LD how he felt about his morning's work, and we explored that for a bit. "We filled somebody's bucket", he said. I love how he gets it.
3) I think I am quite happy to see webshows like Critical Role and Shield of Tomorrow becoming so popular. These gaming sessions on display show that particular magic of shared storytelling that brings adventure and hilarity and even drama to a game table. People love these shows because they get to share in the fun.
Sunday, we played another installment in a Dark Heresy game we've had going for about a decade now. That may seem a long time, but our games were quite infrequent in the early days. Our GM has a way of making things smooth when we come up with crazy shit to do, and a way of storytelling that immerses a player in the story. Legends were continued, rugs were jerked from underfoot, confusion reigned, and hilarity ensued. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...a day spent at the gaming table with good friends and good food is a day well spent.
4) I think my yard is out of control. The mower went down, and the repair guys have had it for 2 weeks now. We have a lot of yard to mow, and I really miss my zero turn with the 60 inch wide cutting deck. I never thought I would twitch and wish for a chance to mow. Adulthood is fucking weird.
5) I still love living in the country. The spring has gifted us with some giant morels, some tree frogs and salamanders, a gazillion lightning bugs, and a planting day wherein we put 197 trees in the ground. Most of them are growing, though I do have to get out to that field and cut back some grass around them so they can have good light and such. It is the season for fires and friends and bug spray, and I look forward to it.
Well, that's what I'm thinking today...Happy Monday!
