RUNNING A-MUCK IN MONTAUK

Several years ago my NY friends and I spent our first "Girl's Gathering" at Montauk, NY. After one day we knew we had hit upon something! We ran a-muck, blowing our diets, talking about anything and EVERYTHING and laughing till our sides hurt. Since then we try to get together when ever we can for as long as we can. We have run a-muck in NY, Florida, Atlanta and Maryland and we are proud to say we will continue to run a-muck for as long as we are breathing.

This years get together included the almost visit to a goat farm but unfortunately the goats are on holiday on Tuesdays. We will put that on the list of things to do another time. (Why would we visit a goat farm? Because it is there. And who doesn't love a cute little goat? Sharon actually hates goats almost as much as she hates chickens but that is a blog for another time.) So with the goat farm closed on Tuesday our back up plan was a visit to a potato chip factory. (Jeanne was our tour guide. She had gone on the computer and found the most obscure things on Long Island and put them into our itinerary.) The potato chip factory did take some searching but we eventually found it tucked away amid the wineries and potato fields.

(FYI for any of you not familiar with this beautiful and diverse island that extends east of NYC . . . the east end of LI is split like the tail of a fish, divided into the North and South Forks. The North Fork is, or has been, mostly potato farms. The South Fork is and always will be where the rich and famous reside in the summer. Both forks of the island have become home to numerous wineries. It seems that the sandy soil that sustained the potatoes all these years is perfect for growing grapes.)

But I digress . . . we finally found the North Fork Potato Chip Company housed in a large warehouse building and taking up a space the size of my living room. There was one machine pealing and cutting the tatters, a cooker and a bagger. Not much of an operation but it has been there 7 years and we were surprised to find the chips on sale in several places. We bought a case of chips to sample over the next 3 days. (Yep, I said A CASE!) 15 bags of 5 different flavored chips. With our car now totally filled to the roof we set off once again for Montauk. We did need a stop at the grocery store for milk, bread, cold cuts and ice cream and then we were ready to let the rumpus begin.

We arrived at our ocean front hotel around 3:30 PM on Tuesday and did not move the car again until we left this morning at 11. We had such a great time doing what we do best . . . NOTHING.

Our husbands have thought we have done nothing for years but this is REALLY doing nothing. It is a fine art that we 3 have perfected. It involves eating what ever you want when ever you want. No such thing as "A MEAL". Breakfast one morning was ice cream and dinner was a margarita and a bag of chips. (And we still came home with chips to spare.) We sat on the beach, sat on the porch, watched HBO movies and the Weather Channel. We talked and talked and talked and we relaxed in the safe and healing surroundings of friends.

As we drove further and further East we could feel the tensions draining from our souls and bodies. A hour in the car with these 2 amazing women does more good for me than all the pills, therapists and massages could do in a life time. I pray that God will grant us many, many more years of running a-muck together but I think I will have to invest in some depends because now when I laugh that hard I need some extra protection.