Dearest darlings.
Feelings of nostalgia have overcome me on this beautiful, warm, sweet July night. I can't say how strange and sad it feels to not have gone on the hike with you all. And currently, with Dad and Matt and Amy and the kids at Yosemite, I feel far away. Of course I am not, I am here, in the region of the Beattys...and just saw Mom and Heather in the last hour. But I feel faintly wistful of something....perhaps it is that yearly something we have made so much of for so many annuals now....this year it didn't really happen the way we have made it happen before. I know little sections of us did, and as far as the hike goes you brave folks ALL DID except me, but for so many years EVERY LAST ONE of us has gone up to Twin Lakes, or Rock Creek, or Mono Pass, or Fallen Leaf Lake, or Havasu, or Glacier.......and needless to say, I terribly miss the freedom and drama and fun-ness of a true wilderness adventure for days on end with the Beatty gang. We can't let the tradition fade guys. NEXT YEAR LET'S DO SOMETHING BIG FOR SUMMER.
Let's all pick the dates at Christmas and we will tell our jobs "look you dumb work. Either I get to camp with my family for these specific dates this summer or you have ONE LESS EMPLOYEE." Let's do it, let's do it, let's do it. And let's make it caravan-style again. Wild and horribly timed with hour long stops at gas stations and pull-overs to wait for the so and so car. Let's go to Wyoming! Or Havasu again! Or Four Corners! I don't know.....but somewhere GRAND. And let's Beattify the road along the way, complete with laugh attacks, horrendous group photo sessions, diddly-daddling, grouch shenanigans, the whole bit. It's that stuff itself that is the stuff of greatness in our family. And I want some of it again, soon.
And also, I really miss Mikie. I miss his loud announcements and his fierce ideas and his absolutely insane driving that leaves me gripping the edge of my seat (MIKIE DO NOT TAKE THAT IN A BAD WAY!!!!) I miss his undying and infamous love of the Beatty's altogether , his tales of river raft guiding, his wistful dreams and absolutely determined dissatisfactions, I miss his girl problems or lack of them maybe at the moment, I miss his singing loudly in public down ocean piers, I miss his lack of fear, his instantaneous temper, his pure infatuation and love with certain sceneries and moments, his extreme opinions, his danged HEARTY smile. I really MISS MIKIE. I get pieces of everyone else lately....fractions of Joey, fifths of Heather, shards of Matt and Amy, edges of Mom and Dad.....but where there was once a full-beating heart and an ocean of emotion and wonderment there is now a big void.....MIKIE, when can you come home for a long time? Or even a weekend or two more? I didn't get to see you! I didn't mean to not answer your call on the 4th of July...I was beside myself with worry for my cat-kid. I wish I would have seen the fireworks with you, but instead I saw a fox.
CAN WE PLEASE make sure that for our next summer adventure we are all in contact about the plans continuously, each of us verifying with all five siblings and their significants (or not) that we are all in touch with the knowledge about dates and places. I might even have to verify it to my new tiny baby! JUST KIDDING!
And OH HEY, as a last ditch effort to SAVE THE BEATTY BLOG can we all maybe post some photos, totally random ones, from past summer trips that are from 2003-08? On the blog, not flickr? We have so many Havasu and Glacier ones up for grabs on blogs and on Flickr...but I for one would love to see some oldies but goodies and it might be a nice way to re-ignite Big Beatty excitement. I know we all have our branching-out Beatty blogs, but this big one is really quite important. This is the stump on the family tree, this is the trunk and bark for all our heritage to know. I for one have been quite bad at writing any blog in the first place, much less keeping up the whole fam damily one but I AM GOING TO TRY to post more bits and pieces. Anyways, my late night thoughts. How dearly I love you all. Mom, that includes you (because you are always sort of left out of these summer adventure entries)....and oh hey, when are YOU gonna go on the family HIKE/ August-camping mania trip ??? :) Seems it might be SOON I hope, what with you canoeing and all as of late!
And we're off.
4 comments:
You know Facebook has taken over our lives when you want to click "Like" on a blogspot post.
Adie, well done. Fine words. Thank you for what you said about me - you can pity LA because i've forcefully planted myself within it and began to release all those smiling demons onto the rigid and complacent world down here.
But I can come back to Pville anytime, it's not a difficult sidequest and I can make more weekends or midweek trips out of it. I'm doing my play until the end of August now, so YOU'LL have to come down here to see it!! That would be a real journey. Maybe we could make a trip out of it - like end of a weekend into a little drive to some amazing desert place down here..
Joey and I were going to plan another backpacking trip in early August.. so be on the lookout for that too. Don't write off this summer quite yet, I believe the thing has just begun - these hot days have barely tapped us on the freckled shoulders yet.
SO, let's save Beattytopia! Blog away folks!
"The party's just begun, it is our annual fi-esta!"
YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!!!!! i love what you guys are saying. summer's not over till like october this year, okay?! cause it took too long to get started. backpacking, road trips, deserts, mountains, oceans, hikes, laughs, campfires, trees, skipping, games, laughing, cooking, bbqs, oh friends of mine, my dearest one and only family...we have SO MUCH TO DO!!! and so much more refreshing stuff to post here, just for us really, to remember the sweetest parts of our hearts. how about august 10-12 for the backpacking trip? then we get the perseids meteor shower on the night of the 12th and our friends can come up the mountain and meet up with us to watch it (Carolann was talking about wanting to do that!) mid-week so you won't have to miss a show migsy and then head back the next morn. whatever happens i'm so happy my head is spinning. i love you guys. now i'm going back to look at all the pics again. addie, the top one is like my favorite photo ever.
Mikie! Sorry I didn't get back on this blog yet. It's almost 10pm and i got up at 4:30 today and I do it again in 6 hours. I was on a lake far away Thurs-Fri...so I just now read your comment. I have so much more to say but for now I'll say this. LA TRIP here I come! TO see your play!!!!!!!!I am so happy to see it. Also, backpackers...plan away. Just put in my 2 week notice so I am freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for August!
Love you
Sentence of the year: "I wish I would have seen the fireworks with you, but instead I saw a fox."
Mikie, nice Chipmunks quote. You know the kids watch that movie still, and I cry with amazement, and its quotes are always filling up my thoughts.
Wait, are you guys on a trip right now? The perseids peak tonight. i was going to try and watch them from our roof.
Adie, I'm so glad you feel that urge to get out with all of us. and don't worry, I guaranTEE the tradition won't fade. at least I won't let it. I thrive on the journeys, the ideas, planning, preparation, excitement, immersion. I quite seriously already cannot wait for next year's. It just might be our most outlandish experiential physiospiritual adventure yet.
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