Weekend Hi-Jinks

This weekend Mr. Mary Kay and the Boomerang Boy and I travelled to the lovely college town of Sewanee for a goofy get-together/golf tournament called The Chaney Classic. This tournament, the fourth annual, was organized by our friend Mike, husband of posse member Jinxie. Mike has waaay too much time on his hands, but we love him anyway. Many players in this tournament were Mike’s classmates at Sewanee, but others, like our guys, are just hangers-on. The weekend goes like this: Friday afternoon, we gather for lunch, and the guys play a “practice round” while the wives do what we do best: shop. Friday night is the “pairings party”–an excuse to drink and dance to ’60s beach music, and eat and catch up. Saturday morning, the guys play golf, and we wives engage in competitive retail therapy. There is an actual prize for the woman with the highest receipts for the weekend. Jinxie added a new twist to the tradition this year, by requiring last year’s winning foursome to don the gaudiest, tackiest “ensembles” on earth. They were 100 percent polyester, with matching hats even. As I understand it, anything goes during the tournament, including the launching of water balloons at unsuspecting contestants, and the brandishing of super soakers (by the men in my family). While the guys were golfing, we went shopping in the lovely town of Franklin. This is a beautiful small town with loads of neat shops–including antique shops. I scored many goodies, including a wicker stork–or is it an ibis? Which will go in the beach house. Also, an art deco medicine cabinet, a coat rack for the beach house, and some other smalls. As we were heading back to Sewanee, I spotted a yard sale, which we’d actually noticed on our way into Franklin. There was a gorgeous old painted mantle leaning up against a tree, and some other things. I persuaded Jinxie (our driver) to stop, because the mantle would have great for the cottage at Sewanee. As luck would have it, the mantle was sold, but I did score a great enamel-top table for Maisy’s Daisy. When we got back to our rented cottage at Sewanee, we learned that MMK’s foursome had won the coveted Cheney Classic Purple Jackets, which were presented at that night’s awards banquet/hootenanny. Much hilarity reigned. And now, I’m back home again. Time to get back to the word wars. And by the way–I made my page quota for last week!