Like winning the lottery

​For twenty two years now, I have had one and only one plan for when I win the multi million dollar jackpot.

It doesn’t involve splurging on  jewelry or cars or exploring uphill  cobblestones streets in ninety degree heat just for photo ops   at international landmarks.

It does not involve selfish joy, like winning the jackpot and taking every friend, family member , and Facebook connection( who give me charity “like” clicks)  to a Gilmore Girls convention because I love everything Lorelai.

Joy can’t be felt.. I mean, deeply felt, throughout every fiber of your being, unless it’s vicarious, which is a long, convoluted path to getting me back to my original point:

For twenty two years,  from the time we first came to Woodloch, I’ve been dreaming about gifting multigenerational loved ones this experience.

But the reality is.. it,a large group, can be kind of crazy and chaotic. 

Frustratingly so at times. 

Everyone is all over that smorgasbord line, arriving at different times, too distracted to enjoy any individual offering, too insane to even get a group picture. 

A spontaneous metaphoric food fight doesn’t seem terribly unlikely. 

There were thirty of us on this particular adventure,and I’m not sure I had more than a seven minute conversation with anyone but my husband.

You know what??

Ignore everything I just said.

I’m too lazy to delete but screw it.. I win that lotto, I’m still taking everyone to  this paradise! 

I even know whom I’m going to group with whom, who’s getting a master bedroom, who’s getting more than a quick hello from a very happy camper named Karen Amster.

Ugh.. thirty minutes until we have to check out so let me capture some highlights without too much hyperbole.

I didn’t win a single medal!! 

That’s a first!! 

( but Michelle did, in a Disney trivia game, and Jane’s cousins Corny and Roy did, in a Google game)

Our Thursday night tradition has always been a highlight, as we gather in a small room, after the evening show, for our last night, and play some kind of organized boxed game where hilarity is on  the menu. 

Try that with kids under five and adults over seventy, where everyone is whiny  and distracted and probably in need of a diaper change.

 When the crowd whittled down to a manageable seven of us, Jane’s terrific niece, Aimee, emceed a category game called “Slingz” .. a perfect party game if you want to diagnose how nuts your fellow gamers are.

But there will be laughter!

Gut busting laughter!

Okay.. let me highlight some things from the week.

One of the biggest  happy surprise came when my niece received a text from her bff (since first grade) late Wednesday afternoon.

Michael had a rare day off, and was able to come up for an overnight, and he was a fabulous addition to the cast, participating in all the goofy pool games and savoring every morsel at the cookout. 

Michael is in his thirties, like Marissa, but still knows how to live life as a joyful ten year old here, participating in everything. 

I’m glad he could be part of our private family boat ride, arranged at a nominal cost, as he enjoyed the shimmering lake, and the driver who captivated us with the history of the resort and the latest gossip. 

You’d think a game called “What’s Cooking!” Would be the perfect dish to serve my daughter-in-law, a talented chef. 

A self proclaimed foodie. 

She aced the first round, where ingredients were listed and  teams had to guess what the dish was. 

Another round showed clips from tv and movies centered around restaurants, and she earned a respectable amount of points.

But it was the round all about fast food that did her in.. like it does most Americans who consume it.

Okay, this post is getting as long and as unnecessary as a CVS receipt, so let me summarize as best as I can as we map out our last day.

Woodloch is all about family, and if you have one, and you love.. or even like them.. you belong here.

Whether you’re schmoozing with the gang under the hand hung twinkling lights or the stars courtesy of the universe, you can’t help but smile as you watch the children toast marshmallows over the open campfire, while a small group breaks off to play shuffleboard on the hill above you, or corn hole on the court below you. 

 You sit with the family who share your DNA and neurosises during the theme show, and weep  joyfully as you realize how proud you are to be an American.

You plan an early birthday celebration,  and write a custom song for a member of your adopted family( “Arthur’s Theme” is a fun melody to work with!) and you know the gratitude is sincere and the love is real.

We’ll enjoy this last day.. cooling off in the lake before heading out to a  nearby minor league baseball game with fireworks..

And feel like every day at Woodloch is the Fourth of July!

Because it is!!