This Little Piggy Went to Parties

It's been a busy weekend for me and mine.

We attended three parties, one for a return visit from a family member who happens to be in between tours overseas with the Army, one at the local American Legion hall, and one at a friend's house. The amazing thing is, all of these parties were not planned on-at least, I didn't receive engraved invitations to them or anything. On all three separate occasions, about an hour before the festivities began, I got a phone call from the hosts, who requested my last-minute attendance. I was only too happy to have the weekend off from cooking.

The family party was great fun-children everywhere, laughter and mirth abounded, daddies played horseshoes while mommies mingled, dished and played catch-up. We don't get to see each other often enough, and it was nice to see my extended family all in one spot. (Well, mostly-there were a few absentees.)

The American Legion party was enormous. A few hundred people were packed in the hall, enjoying tons of food, desserts, and fellowship. It never ceases to amaze me how the promise of a free pig roast will get people out in droves. Thankfully, we didn't get to view the pig while it was being, um, prepared. It was delicious, I must admit.

We did, however have a chance to hear about a program called Girls State, where the Women's Auxiliary members choose top performing students from local area high schools to attend a week long session of student government activities presented at Eastern Illinois University. The program is funded by the Auxiliary, and the girls are chaperoned to the college campus in hopes of learning about our government and how it works in an intensive study designed to help girls who are interested in politics. They hold mock elections, learn how to run campaigns, among other assorted activities pertaining to the subject of girls in government. It is only open to eleventh graders with a high grade point average who have an interest in things like political science and whatnot. (Apparently young men have Boy's State, too, so the program is nice and equal.) I asked about the selection process for homeschoolers, some of which do not have grade point averages (sometimes due to learning styles such as unschooling), and was told that inquiries shall be made regarding how to get interested homeschooled girls involved in the program.

We rounded out the weekend with an impromptu get-together at a friends' cookout. We had all the traditional trappings of the good 'ol American cookout and then sat back, bellies full, and gave thanks that we had the day off.

Over the course of the weekend, I ate so much that I'm craving plain spinach and steamed rice to cleanse my insides. Maybe some bran, too. Yep, bran sounds downright tasty at this point.

I guess I didn't need to go grocery shopping on Saturday after all.