An American Thanksgiving, Bahamas Style Part 5 -Ugly Shirts and Miscellaneous Reflections...

So, this comes in five parts. If you are just starting to read about our Bahamas trip you started at the end. If you'd like to read about it in order, please go down to part 1. If you're okay with reading it out of order, please continue. :)



The Weinberg kids are a bunch of smartasses. Always have been - always will be. Because of my father and stepmother's generosity, our stay is all-inclusive. That means all of the food and drinks we purchase on resort property are, in effect, "free" to us. Whenever pondering a snack or drink, someone will pipe in with "All inclusive!", which over the past three years has been shortened to "A.I.!". $5 for a latte? A.I.! $3 for a can of soda??? A.I.! Buy a round for the stranger behind you? A.I.!!!!

This year we decided to play a trick on the parents with an Ugly Shirt night. The plna was for each of us to find the ugliest shirts we could find, but say nothing to the parents.

Much fun was had looking for our entries. Pete wore a train shirt, Dan wore a madras button down that had been a gift from Debby (I gave her fair warning but she still was a wee bit upset. Much love to ya, Deb.) David wore an apparently indestructible shirt that he bought for $6. Deb went shopping at Goodwill for the boys, so Cal sported a Barney inspired teal and purple-striped polo and Adam modeled a Partidge Family-inspired color block vest whose aroma arrived before it did. All worthy entries. I really thought I had it won with my drapery-patterned kimono-styled shirt purchased from Walmart, but Ami ran away with the title sporting her gold lame blouse with lace applique. There is no good picture of it - I feared my lens would crack. You can see the aftermath of David tearing it off of her (she was wearing a tank underneath) so we would no longer be subject to it's offensiveness. He tried to tear off his own shirt, which is how we found out it was indestructible.

Anyhow, Dad & Sandi were much relieved to discover that we had in fact NOT lost our fashion sense, and a good time was had by all. Really, you can't script good family fun...

After the kids were in bed we headed out to the loal club for Karaoke. Those who know me well know that I am not shy about singing despite my inability to carry a tune in a suitcase. Even when completly sober. I did have TWO Rum Runners that night, but I am sad to report that my bra graced no stage, as I was unable to perform my standard "I Will Survive" because someone with a good voice chose it first. And Bruce and Bill did a great job as doo-wop girls in the background for her. Treasonous bastards.

Ami, Laura, Deb & I did get up for a rousing rendition of a song I can't remember right now, and it was bad. Truly, horribly bad. But it was still fun!

Another highlight which I had not mentioned yet was 2 acts of Daddy heroism by Bruce. The kids had gotten these toys which get easily lost, as the whole point is to fling a disc off a stick and make it fly through the air as far as possible. My nephew Jared lost his on a 2nd floor balcony. Bruce, with ingenuity, got it down. The next day Jared lost another toy in a store gutter, and once again Daddy saved the day. There's a picture of him standing on top of a truck retrieving it. He was a hero to Jared, and likely to the workers who were taken care of for their help. Cool. Though I'm not sure I should post ANY pictures of Bruce as he is demanding compensation. As if.

So, the next day we spent the morning at the beach, then said our goodbyes and came home. Most of will see each other next week when we travel to New Jersey for Cameron's Bar Mitzvah, but it's unlikely we'll all be together again until next Thanksgiving. Which will be in Florida. AI.

Great memories. Thank you all.