Another weekend is wrapping up. Like most it had its good points and bad points. Kelly and I began Friday night on a high note, courtesy of our new Netflix membership. This week’s movie was The Aviator, a biopic about Howard Hughes. I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was, but it really was good. Hughes was a tortured man in many ways. He was a neurotic. The movie didn’t shy away from Hughes’s erratic behavior. While Hughes was a high-flying, starlet-dating millionaire, he was also human.
Kudos to Leonardo DiCaprio. While I once considered him a chump, he’s shown time and again that he really can act. I’ve long held that actors prove their mettle when it comes to Southern accents. DiCaprio’s Texas accent never got old throughout the movie.
Saturday brought the NCSU-UNC football game. Right from the start, my beloved Wolfpack didn’t look up to the challenge. State lost 31-24 what should have been our payback game for last year. Give credit to the Smurfs and turn up the heat a bit in Casa Amato.
Once the game was over, we packed up the kids and headed to Jordan Lake for some camping. We set up our tent right next to our friends Marnie and John and their daughter Susanna. We didn’t have electricity at our campsite, but we had plenty of quiet. In fact, Hallie and Susanna – best friends if there ever were any – generated the most noise around. They ran squealing around the campsite until their bedtime around 8:30. Travis had a ball as well, though it took a little work to get him settled in the tent.
After chatting until around 10 PM, the adults retired to their tents. The night was peaceful, with crickets and other insects providing a comforting lullaby. As I climbed into my sleeping bag, a dozy Hallie looked up and whispered “I’m so glad you came back, Daddy.” Man, I live for stuff like that.
Travis woke at 2 AM and began to wail. I’m sure we woke up other nearby campers. He didn’t seem hungry, so we parked him on our air matress. He promptly fell asleep, which is where he stayed the rest of the night. Once we were all settled, we slept until 7 AM, watching a nice sunrise over the lake.
We got home around noon, had a Char-Grill lunch, and bathed and dispatched the kids for their naps. The kids took long naps, while the adults got in just a few winks. A fun dinner preceded a very happy bedtime for both kids. All in all, a good weekend.
Kelly and I both know how lucky we are to have such adventurous, adaptable kids. They’re always up to whatever challenge we throw at them. How does life keep getting more fun?