Over The River and Into the Woods

Unfortunately, our plans to start our "nomading" year in September were derailed and postponed until January. We were suppose to spend Christmas in Paris with the whole family but obviously that couldn't happen. So we made new plans.

We “Airbnbed” in a house in the Poconos and it checked all the boxes. A six bedroom house so no one has to sleep on the couch or a blow up mattress, with a huge welcoming fireplace that anchors the family room and kitchen. The basement had a shuffleboard table, a pool table, and several video arcade games. There was a hot tub that was framed by white falling snow. Blue Mountain Ski Resort was close. But what made it perfect was it was filled with my family.

While in the cabin, we had plenty to do. Playing Crud on the pool table kept us busy for hours. Running around the table provided laughs and a couple of bruises. We played, and I cheated at, Catan, Azul, and Werewolf. We don’t care who wins, as long as it’s not Sam.

A 16 mile ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, following the winding Lehigh River, took place on a record breaking cold day. Since it was Christmastime, Santa and Rudolph made a cameo appearance. One would think that a 65 year old woman would be blase at the sight of Santa but, really, have you met me! The adult “children,” however, were jaded. Perhaps if Santa had given them spiked hot chocolate rather than broken cookies, they would have been more enthusiastic.

A day of skiing seemed like the perfect winter activity for us. I was wrong. Although a couple of us enjoyed skiing, others didn't. After between one to four attempts on the bunny slope, some preferred to sit in the lodge and sip whiskey rather than deal with the wind and the frigid 5 degree weather. Others found it necessary to walk down the mountain, sliding on their asses, rather than attempt to get up from yet another fall. Some offered to stay in the warm cabin and cook dinner as a ruse to not join us. We exchanged skis for snow tubes and spent an hour bumping down the mountain before heading to the warmth of the cabin.

“There has been a murder!” Chief Cameron (Mauricio) shot Notorious Nick (Sam) with a Tommy gun at the Juice Joint. Everyone dressed their part and fell into character for the 1920’s Murder Mystery evening. There were cigarette holders, boas, flapper dresses, suspenders, and nerf guns - we went a bit off track there, I guess. I didn’t realize my family members are such good actors and such good detectives. No fooling them.

We were each assigned days when we would be responsible for appetizers, dinner, or dessert. Even the non-cooks brought their A game to the table. We were treated to shrimp cocktail, a spinach and cheese puff pastry shaped Christmas tree, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, chili, kabobs, cajun chicken, Beef Wellington, and a variety of desserts. The Devlins do like to eat, and that, we did.

Every family, including mine, wears matching Christmas pajamas. Yes, they make for a cute, if gag-worthy photo-op in front of the Christmas tree but on a deeper level, they symbolize the unity of the family. So whether in Paris, the Poconos, or our hometown, I am in the perfect place if I am with my family who love and celebrate each other and create memories that I hold close to my heart.