Matt Getting Beat Up By A 7-Year-Old, Norwell, MA

Nookie is Adam & Sarah’s Dog, Norwell, MA

George & Dallas, Norwell, MA

Matt, Norwell, MA

LA Dude, Matt, Adam (throwing), Norwell, MA

When Dallas lived in Boston he made some really great friends. And some of his best friends still live in the Boston area. Each year he goes and visits them for about a week over the Fourth of July holiday. I went with him once in 2004 to meet everyone and for the big party at Matt’s parent’s house, but I haven’t been back to Massachusetts or seen any of those friends for 3 years.

This year I flew out and met up with everyone for a couple days of the holiday. Dallas is staying through the weekend, but I came back early. Big things have changed in people’s lives.. new jobs, new houses, new girlfriends, engagements, weddings, etc… but everyone was still just as nice as ever. It was great to see Dallas’ friends, my friends, again. They always make us feel so welcome. Matt & Molly (and Bella & Buddy!) bought a charming old house in East Milford, MA that they are redoing and were nice enough to let us stay in their guest room while we visited. The first night Dallas and I arrived they picked us up at the airport, we drove to their house and then we just talked and talked (and drink cheap beers) into the early morning. So much fun.

The next day we spent at Matt’s parent’s house in Norwell, MA for the traditional Fourth of July party. Lots of friends and family. Lots of dogs. Great food, tons of beer. And, as always the no-name frisbee game that Dallas and his friends made up and are obsessed with.

Here’s how you play: You take these four bamboo rods and stick them in the ground, two on each end of the yard. Then you stick a Solo cup on each rod. The rules are simple. The first, and the most important, is that you must have a drink in your hand. If you don’t, then nothing counts. 2. Throw a frisbee from your end of the yard through the poles on the opponent’s team and don’t touch either pole or cup and you score 2 points. 3. Throw the frisbee and hit a pole, knock a cup off the pole and you get one point. That is, if the no one on the opposing team catches the cup before it hits the ground. And you can’t drop your drink.. very important. Then teams just take turns throwing the frisbee back and forth. Whoever gets to 21 points first wins.

It seems lame, but it’s really fun and a lot of strategy goes into what hand to hold the drink with, which to throw with, different techniques, is there advantage to holding a can over a bottle, etc. One surprising thing – you’d think that the teenagers who weren’t drinking and who were holding Cokes instead of beer would have an advantage, but not so much. The sober team stunk! Another thing – I never realized the game was such a good workout until the next morning I woke up with an aching frisbee throwing arm, sore abs and sore hips. All that twisting with the frisbee throwing. And a lot of dives. I ate a lot of grass. Which explains how I got that huge bruise on my hip too.

Matt’s parents have a big pool in their yard, too, so there’s always a lot of swimming and getting thrown in. I was squirting Matt in the face with a water gun for approximately 23 seconds before I got thrown into the pool. I held onto Dallas and didn’t let go, so he got tossed too! Just lots of sunny barbecuing drinking and eating and summer fun. I don’t think I’ll be missing next year’s party .. or the one after that… or the one after that. I’d forgotten how fun it was and now there’s no way I could miss it.

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