Living Large - 24 Hours of Fun!

Until you have encountered life experiences similar to mine, you may not understand how important those 24 hours were for me.  Having cancer sucks.  End of story.  But, some of the other incidental effects from the medications, radiation, and other ancillary procedures just add to what most of us could describe on occasion as cruel and inhumane treatment.  I really do try not to think of it that way, but sometimes you just have to stop and stare at that big 800 pound gorilla in the room and realize, he is really making one heck of a mess.

No need to go into all the details, no one wants to hear those.  And I really don't want to issue a laundry list of all the physical ailments that can annoy to no end.  You quickly realize, the old sayings, "Death by a thousand cuts," and "Straw that broke the camel's back," hold true.  Is my back broken or am I bleeding to death?  No, but all those seemingly minor things can quickly mount up cause stress and make you lovingly embrace any moments where there is no pain, your body is not in distress, you are with good friends and having fun.  Got it?

Which brings me to my 24 hours of fun.  My dear friend, Joan, invited John and me to come down for S.O.S. weekend at Myrtle Beach.  I have only been away from home to spend the night four times since last July when I first realized I was sick, so maybe she thought I would be too ill to travel that far, she was wrong.

 They even have the shagger logo on the water tower there.

S.O.S. is special and some of you already know that, but if you don't, let me give you a quick 411.  S.O.S. stands for The Society of Stranders, a group of people that love to shag (the name for the type of dance) that officially meet at Ocean Drive Beach, S.C.,  part of the Grand Strand, hence the stranders, in the spring, called the Spring Safari, and in the fall, Fall Migration.  And did I tell you it is at the beach!  And it is big business!  You purchase a $35 card, that allows you free access to all the clubs that participate.  There are other clubs around and many that don't charge.  During the ten day event, there is a parade, dance demonstrations, awards, gospel sings, lots of different D.J.s spinning the best shag tunes, BBQs, food, drinks, and lots of old people like me and my friends, that just need an excuse to get together and have fun.  And what fun it is.

 The streets are lined with Hall of Fame dance inductees, and when they walk into a club are announced as such by the D.J.s.

We were lucky enough to be staying within a short walking distance of all the festivities in a four bedroom condo at the Ocean Bay Club which is right on the beach.  And as they say, "When you are lucky enough to be at the beach, then you are lucky enough."

But to make it even sweeter, we were surrounded by dear friends, and, we met new friends too.  Amazing how you can meet good friends of good friends, and within a few hours feel as though you have known them all your life.  The trust is there, love is there, how is that?  Whatever it is, I am thankful for it.  Welcome new friends, Cathy 1 from Detroit, Michigan, and Kathy 2, and Noel from Durham, N.C.!

  Joan and Randal, who happen to not only be my friends, they are brother and sister too.

Randal brought a pound cake he made to the beach and Joan mentioned he was taking lessons from their mother, Cleo, who makes the best pound cake in the world.  (She also cooks the best ham in the world too, but that's another blog.)  As he was telling us about making the cake, I thought it would be good to document the instructions for everyone.  So watch the YouTube video below and see why I love Randal so much.  He is just way too cute and funny.

Mama Cleo's Pound Cake Recipe and Instructions by my friend, Randal

When we went out Saturday night, I shot the video below so you can see how smooth shagging can really be.

Randal and Joan shagging!

You can see by the license plates below there are lots of people who take this very seriously!

 

But soon, my 24 hours of fun was almost over.  Time to pull my wagon back home in time for my chemo treatment #3 Monday morning. But before we could leave, I had few more things I had to do.  And one of them was eat a hamburger (outside by the street, people watching, listening to the beach music spilling out) at Ducks, a.k.a. a Duck Burger. 

And I did!

PCQ