Vern beat me at golf. I'm not proud of this fact so I'm just gonna get it out of the way. Yes, I know you're smiling right now reading this, Verno. You suck. It was a close game but in the end I'll give it to you. The course was beautiful and afterwards we headed back to the house for a few minutes before meeting the rest of the family at this little park on the waterfront. The band we were going to watch is geared specifically to kids, and they couldn't have been more funny. Name: Milkshake. It's a fantastic scene and setting for families. Outside. Plenty of room to run around. Blankets and nice spreads laid out. The band's songs were cute and fun for all the kids and families to sing along. Yes, there was a huge conga line at one point. We head home afterwards and pass out.
The next morning is Friday and after a fantastic breakfast cooked by Bernie (huevos rancheros) we head to a small farm nearby to pick fresh peaches, plums, apples, and blackberries. What an amazing experience. I've been picking before, but not with such small kids. They LOVED it. We found the best tree for peaches and each grabbed a ripe one and sunk our teeth in immediately. Bursting with juices and amazing flavors - each bite was perfection. The kids were comedy - they would take one bite of a big peach and then throw it aside for the next one. Ha. I know the feeling. We make our way through all the fields, picking some of the best fruit I've ever tasted. Must have taken home between 25-40 peaches, plums, and apples with us. Next we all headed to the pool to jump and play and have some lunch. Then it was on home for some relaxation before a babysitter came over and the adults then headed out for some drinks. One of Vern's coworker's owns a boat so we got picked up at a nearby dock and got a great ride over to the bars. SO FUN. I love being on boats, and this is the first time I got on one here in MD. On the way over we saw a hawk with a fish in it's talons. Classic. Got to the bars and then it was on for the rest of the night. Meeting randoms. Dancing our faces off. Laughing a ton. Some of Vern and Keely's friends met us out, and they were equally as fun and nice to be around. Epic night!!
Saturday morning Vern comes in to wake me up to help him with Leah's soccer practice, but I barely move and end up letting him do that himself. He comes back and we go on a bike ride back to the bar area because (of course) I left my credit card at one of the bars. The bike ride was actually a huge highlight of my weekend. I love riding, and the path took us through the woods and over the water, which was beautiful. Luckily my card was still there, so we grabbed it and then headed back to the house. Next the kids and all the adults get on bikes and ride down this absolutely beautiful country road. We stop at one point for the kids to check out a field of cows. So cute. Love their enthusiasm and excitement. As we're riding home the rest of the family rides ahead and me and Leah (the 5.5 yr old) ride down to the waterfront. Such beauty. There is this old house with an impeccable lawn right on the water. I included a pic of the house in my previous post. We race our bikes back to the rest of the family and then head home for a phenomenal pasta dinner. The night is capped off with Leah, Tommy, and Claire doing a full costumed dance for the adults. Loved every second of it. So funny. Each kid has so much zeal and energy. Such a perfect ending to the night and my time with Vern.
It's hard to summarize how important Vern is to me. He's not only a brother-figure, but he's also someone that I look up to and rely on for advice. It's nice to be around people who know you. Know your strengths, faults, and weaknesses. Spending this time with Vern and his family was a big highlight for my trip, and I wasn't let down in the least. On the contrary, I left feeling even more fulfilled than I had imagined. I'm proud of Vern for his commitment to his wife Keely, who is equally an amazing and beautiful person, as well as their adorable kids. I'll never forget my time with Vern, and I'll always need him in my life as a sounding board and as my brother.
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