The Harris's at Green Leaf

As promised, this is a continuation, that is “Part Two” of the Harris’s Go to Green Leaf Saga.

If you recall, part one entailed all that it took for us to plan and execute our Taylor Family Reunion (TFR) trip. This is the meat of the story which pretty much depicts what we do once we have gotten everything done to get their. In short, that is… as little as possible.

Each day starts with Amber waking up and scampering out the door with a furry beast so she can do her morning business (the beast, not Amber). From that point, she can either saunter down the hill to spend time with the other early risers, or come back to the cabin to nestle in around the living dead (those still asleep in our cabin). An hour or so later, I awaken to the sound of chipmunks scurrying, birds tweeting, and toilet’s flushing. There is life after sleeping in a frigid tent, and those gnarly life forms require sustenance. Depending upon the day of the week, and the meal schedule that has been planned for me to follow (on the color-coded card stock standard work documents provided by my very organized wife), I prepare breakfast. As I said at the beginning, being that our goal is to do as little as possible, breakfast is either something that involves the pouring of milk, or the use of a microwave oven. Once breakfast is complete for the 9 or so freeloading teenager/vagrants in residence at our cabin, me and Amber can do the dishes, straighten the cabin (pitchfork, hay bailer, pressure washer and leaf blower required), replenish our supply of linens and dish soap, and reference the color-coded card stock printed check list for the day’s activities.

The typical daily checklists include: prep/thaw item for evening meal, gather reading material, plan for lawn chair sitting time, plan for nap time, re-straighten cabin (pitchfork only required), early cocktail hour, card game/scrabble/other game time, re-wash dishes from lunch, re-straighten cabin (leaf blower only required) from lunch time, re-wash dishes from late snack time, re-straighten cabin from afternoon game time, TV time, listen to music, sit in lawn chairs by camp fire, talk with family, cocktail hour, prepare dinner, eat dinner, wash dinner dishes, straighten cabin for evening game/TV time, re-wash dishes from after dinner snack time, late cocktail hour, prepare beds for sleep, showers, late game time, Bed.

I said that this was a relaxing trip with a purpose of doing as little as possible. Now I know it doesn’t look very relaxing, but compared to a day not at Green Leaf, believe me it is. But, in our constant endeavor toward relaxation, we propose that for next year, we secure a second cabin for the 9 or so freeloading teenager/vagrants that will surely be along for the ride; and maybe, just maybe we can devote more time to campfire/lawn chair sitting and our daily cocktail hours.