The First Day of the Not-Camping Weekend

After dinner, Jen and her parents drink wine, eat cookies, and talk politics into the wee hours.

An early night is a rare treat; John reads, and Marie frolics in dreamland.

Marie and John treasure their time alone. They make a bowl of popcorn and open a bottle of wine that they've been saving. The new Netflix movie is a good one.

Jen and her father talk politics in the den.

The kids eat early; the adults plan a late Saturday dinner after the kids are down. Grandma plays her favorite aria from "Don Giovanni" for them and puts fresh flowers on the table. They giggle at the opera and pretend they're in Italy.

A little after 5:00, Gramma calls and invites all the kids
for Pizza and a sleepover. While Marie was making stew, Gramma had
pizza dough rising!

John and Sasha watch the game ... with
the patter of rain and the savory smells of stew simmering.

She manages to get in a whole afternoon of writing.

while Marie makes French stew with red wine
and fresh herbs.
When she's cooking, she's in her own world.

Inside, John goes after dog hair and cookie crumbs,

There's thunder, and so much rain that it seems dark.
It's cozy in the camper with the rain pounding
on the tent top.
They love their fleece sleeping bags.

Jeffrey and Bridgett have a pretend-camping picnic in the camper.
They listen to a book on tape. Marie fixes them sandwiches, cookies,
and special pink lemonade.

Things start to look up when Dad brings warm croissants from the corner bakery.
Mom and Dad have huge cups of latte.

Bridgett is feeling a little bit sulky. She knows that they
won't be setting up camp in this downpour.

Marie feeds Georgie and watches the heavy rain.
John snoozes.

Marie and John sleep later than usual. It's a
dark, rainy morning.