Hogfest

Someone commented on my Facebook page, under pictures of our beach vacation, that she would like to be with us because we always have so much fun. We do have fun. But I'll be the first to admit that Facebook only shows the edited version of life.  It doesn't show the meltdowns, the mess, the not-so-admirable qualities all families have. Unless, of course, you're a person who likes to air drama on social media.

What makes our family different than some is not that we lack drama; it's the value we place on the relationships within our messed up family unit.  There may be yelling, disagreements, annoyances, irritations, and general mayhem, but at the end of the day, and the vacation, we're still family and we're not going to let anyone out of that familial contract easily.  Sorry people.  You're stuck with me and I'm stuck with you.

So if you still want to join us after that perfection disclaimer, feel free.  In fact, our group includes several people to whom we are not related except by a history of true friendship.  These ties are sometimes stronger than blood; there's no sense of genetic obligation.  Instead, there is the knowledge that someone's got your back through thick and thin, by choice.

This is day four of our week at the OBX.  Everyone is getting crispy. Some of us are red-skinned and some of us are hot-tempered.  It's time for some comfort food.  It's time for our traditional Hogfest Night.

Hogfest started years ago during our stay at the beach one fourth of July week.  Our rental house was fronting the beach road, the Atlantic mere steps across the highway. A smaller side road ran along the empty lot that skirted the house to the left and it became the source of great entertainment for us.

Filled with sparse weeds, the sandy soil looked more stable than it was. Parking spaces were quickly used up at the beach access across the road and car after car attempted to park in the empty lot.  The fun happened when they tried to pull out. Invariably they sank deeply into the sand and then the rocking back and forth, digging with sand shovels, and swearing at the futility of such endeavors, commenced.  Watching the vain attempts of hapless tourists trying to extricate their buried cars was an unending source of amusement for us, perched on our third floor balcony.  Yes, I know.  We should have empathized more but after the fifteenth car, hilarity took over.

Because it was a holiday, people descended en mass to see the fireworks on the beach across from our house.  Rather than fight the long lines at area restaurants and reluctant to miss all the fun happening at our feet, we decided to send forth several of our party to hunt, gather and bring back sustenance for our evening meal.  One went to Sooey's for big racks of ribs.  One went to KFC for buckets of Original Recipe with all the trimmings.  Another tracked down fresh seafood: shrimp, fish, scallops and crab. When the hunters returned with the spoils we piled it on a long table on the deck.  We ate our fill and continued to observe the action across the way, general merriment ensuing at the expense of the motorists below us. One elderly gentleman, inebriated and not blessed with any common sense, was trying unsuccessfully to shove his sandals under the rear tires of his Jaguar, hoping for some traction. Several of our group took pity and went to help him.

And so our Hogfest began.  We have long since outgrown that particular rental and the empty lot is now filled with two new houses.  We no longer come in July, having found the smaller crowds after Labor Day much more to our liking.  But we still send out the hunter-gatherers to bring back the spoils one night during beach week and tonight was that night.  It's time for some fun, food, and merriment again. 

The ribs are a must. Fresh shrimp and KFC are standard fare.  Tonight Chinese deliciousness and New York style pizza found their way back as well.  We all felt less punchy after the smorgasbord before us was depleted.  Great-tasting, hot food not only comforts, it makes us too tired to get our dander up.  Life is good.