We survived the family vacation, a rare but expected occurrence in family life. We drove to Prince Edward Island for a quick (2 full days, 2 1/2 days) summer holiday. For all of my intentions to plan well (avoiding those nasty annoyances of family vacations such as, but not limited to: feelings of slight, unannounced and therefore unmet expectations, and all-around miscommunication), we did not. Oh, we packed well, but that was about it. Where were we to meet for breakfast? No one knew until five minutes beforehand. What did we want to do? No one knew. So this became the vacation in which I learned to, from now on, clearly articulate exactly what I want even if no one else will. In other words, Colby’s not the only one who is growing up. I guess this is good.
It seems to me like family vacations are like childbirth. You find moments of beauty to remember while the moments of agony fade over the following days, months and years (time entirely dependent upon the amount of discomfort involved). I distinctly remember a family photograph in which my mother is seated with us three (very young) children on a fountain. She looks like she is going to drown us, herself, or c. all of the above in the fountain directly behind her. Somehow, we went on more vacations after that. Whatever happened must not have been terrible enough to prevent further outings.
Our vacation wasn’t, of course, perfect. There were tears (mine) and name-calling (all you Dearest). We were together too much and not enough. We did too much, we did too little. At the end of it all, we went together and we survived together. We had fun!
Here are some of my favorite moments.
Family values are a little like family vacations -— subject to changeable weather and remembered more fondly with the passage of time. Though it rained all week at the beach, it’s often the momentary rainbows that we remember.
LESLIE DREYFOUS
from midnight oil 
I see Colby!!! 😉