Weekend with Friends

In my world, there are two distinctly different types of weekends at the lake.  There is the weekend at the lake with friends and the weekend at the lake with family. 

Weekend at the lake with Friends:

We have some rowdy fellow Harley Riders from our former Quebec life who don't think twice of, not only inviting themselves but inviting a few of their closest pals on a family-free weekend.  They show up either on their souped up bikes or in big manly trucks with sea-doos and cigar boats towed behind them.  The meals are whatever I can conjure up with no advance warning, the language spoken is French (not my language), the jokes are bawdy, bathing suits skimpy and the laughs are many.  The beer and wine is flowing and there is a pungent odour in the air at all times.  Some of them may crash on a pull-out couch and others will loudly depart at all hours of the evening.

Weekend at the lake with Family:

One, two or all of our four children will show up with their little ones in tow.  Beds will be respectfully negotiated. The girls will bring food and help me all with cooking and clean up all weekend.  A few beers may be drank by the lake by some.  We'll spend hours cruising on the pontoon, fishing or swimming.  I'll communicate in my own language, laugh a lot and play with the little ones.  We'll be up early and in bed by 11:00 pm.  We may have bocce ball or badminton tournaments or sing karaoke at night.

We are having more family weekends as time goes on and less rowdy Biker weekends.  I have never really enjoyed these weekends but these are hubby's friends and they ARE nice people.  The family weekends are mostly MY family.  Compromise is the name of the game. 

This weekend was a weekend with friends and I came very close to drinking.