A new life should always start with an old tradition (Lindsay)

When we determined May 24th to be our closing date for the house, I was ecstatic to then realize we'd begin this trip with our annual "Hicktown weekend of debauchery".  You see, each Memorial Day, many of our friends gather together for three days of camping, eating, drinking and hilariously inappropriate bonding.  Some years the weather blesses us with 80 degree days and clear nights where we stumble to our tents at the wee hours of the morning and awaken to a campfire breakfast and strong coffee to prepare our livers for the next day.

This year we weren't going to let the freezing temperatures and rain stop us.  I put on long underwear and my sturdy hiking boots, grabbed the beer and the boy and made my way to our little slice of wooded heaven.  I can't tell you where Hicktown is because when this blog goes viral, it would attract too many strangers but any of the country folk out there can reference their own Hicktowns for a general idea.  Ya know, muddy farmer's field winds through the countryside until you see 43 massive pickup trucks, an enormous bon fire and hear the screaming and laughing. 

It is a place where inhibitions go to die.  No makeup required but wear a decent pair of underwear because you will inevitably be running (mostly or completely) naked through the woods with someone you met only hours before.  When the boys start shooting beer cans off a tree at 6pm you know it will be a long night.  Always watch what you drink because what appears as iced tea is probably moonshine.  Try to manage your dog because she will jump up on the table when you are properly inebriated, grab the pig's head and drag it through the sand.  And think twice before slapping your friend across the face with your flip flop (for no reason whatsoever - just seemed like a good idea) because his lip will split open and blood will fly everywhere.  In fact, think twice before everything.  Or don't.  Definitely don't.

But aside from the wackiness it is also a place to take note and reconnect with friends.  Memorial Day has served as our touchstone for the paths we have all taken.  Friends who were single and crazy six years ago are now loving (and crazy) parents.  Everyone has a dog now and the farmer who lets us use his property is older but still kicking all of our young asses in the energy department.

I am grateful to have this send off from friends and to say goodbye in inappropriate ways.

Mostly, I'm just grateful to be unemployed so I can fully recover from this hangover.

"There's a place I know about where the dirt road runs out
And we can try out the four-wheel drive
Come on now what do you say
Girl, I can hardly wait to get a little mud on the tires. "
Brad Paisley