The one deadline on our trip was Thanksgiving in New Hampshire. Every year, a big crew from Galen’s family gathers to celebrate the holiday and enjoy each other’s company. It is one of the greatest things about being in the Wolfe family, and the only holiday Galen actually celebrates without sarcastic comments.
Tuesday—We arrived at Tim (Galen’s uncle) and Stephanie’s house just in time for a quiet dinner.
Wednesday—This was a full day in the kitchen preparing food for the next three days for 18 people: three pies, three soups, and other miscellaneous tasks in preparation of the weekend’s feasts. That evening, as the masses arrived, catching up, conversations, games, and singing ensued.
Thursday—In need of a little exercise and respite, we adventured into the state park next door for a fun little mountain bike ride. It was a beautiful and tiring ride due to the out of shape nature of our road tripping bodies. Afterwards, we went a-traipsing along the stream behind Tim and Steph’s house in search of elusive beaver dams and memories (as a kid, Galen used to explore this area with his cousin and brother). Then, we headed over (we were staying at a cabin down the road from The Inn at Wolfe Hollow) for the evening’s festivities. After jumping in and helping Stephanie in the kitchen, the traditional Thanksgiving fare was ready. Each person gathered around the table for dinner, which would not be complete without singing “Amazing Grace” and making several toasts. After dinner, the crowd moseyed on outside by the fire for some Remy Martin, the pond jump (Galen went in twice!), singing, and fireworks. There was an impressive array of pyrotechnics that lit up the sky. While things were getting animalistic outside due to the Remy and acts of barbarism, a few of us went inside to civilize things a little by listening to Miles Davis and warming ourselves by the fire as the young cousins discussed the philosophies of life, the arts, and your mom jokes.
Friday—Cookin’ time. With much help from Stacey, Stephanie, and his mom and dad, Galen went to work on a multi-coursed extravaganza. Though there was some resistance from the crowd, Galen won them over with his technique. It was a meal to be remembered for years to come (see Memorable Meals page). The annual Charades game was next (though this year it was an offshoot called Salad Bowl), which includes three rounds of competitive guessing and pantomiming. The outlaws (Stacey, Mike, and Stephanie #2) wisely chose to sit this one out with a preference of coffee and conversation over bickering and yelling. Though Galen had initially wanted to sit out, at the last minute, he decided he wanted to play. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?), it was too late; teams had already be painstakingly selected. However, Galen’s timekeeping (and moderating) skills were put to use and helped create the most peaceful game in years.
Saturday—After breakfast, everyone steadily departed, and, before we knew it, the place was as quiet as when we arrived. We headed back to our secluded cabin and enjoyed one of the most leisurely and peaceful days of our entire trip. The stream gurgled out the back door, the fire crackled in the wood stove, and the light slowly faded as we read, watched a movie, and took a nap. A more perfect afternoon couldn’t have been had. That evening, we joined Tim and Steph for leftovers and a showing of Angels and Demons. It’s accurate to say that we were all exhausted and a night of zoning out was exactly what the doctor ordered.
Sunday—We sadly bid goodbye to Tim and Steph and to our little cabin in the woods (we would have towed it along behind us, if we could). For the first time on our trip we actually felt sad leaving.
Next up: The final leg.
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