We have a tradition of going out to the virtal grandparents' cabin for Independence Day almost every year.

This year it was sort of a small crowd. My virtual grandpa has been dead for some time. My virtual grandma (who's getting frailer every year) was on vacation. My virtual aunt was there, though, and her daughter (she, Ginger, and I were quite the scary group when we were tiny). Also, my virtual uncle (my virtual aunt's brother), and his adopted son.

My virtual cousin (the boy, who's 14 or so) was playing assorted video games. He's calmed down quite a lot and is no longer quite so dreadful as he was when he was first fostered with my virtual uncle and his (now separated) wife. He was playing Need for Speed: Underground and Final Fantasy X. The Little Fayoumis will like NFS: Underground, though it may be a Very Bad Driving Role Model, given that it's city streets with far more familiar cars, cars like the goddamn one that sets off car alarms.

Eventually we wound up watching the latter half of PotC. FatherSir had never seen this, and neither had Mama, so there was quite a bit of explaining to do. My friend and I started into the Legolas or Aragorn debate. She's for Legolas. I'm for Aragorn. Evidently my virtual aunt is for Aragorn too. I solved that argument: since both of those two are horse-crazy, Shadowfax trumps both Legolas and Aragorn.

A fine time was had by all until my virtual cousin's mother came in, at which point FatherSir decamped and we all followed suit.

Now, I'm at home nursing my mosquito bites. Ow. Itch. Ow. Did I mention I'd gone about four years without being sucked on? Fortunately, FatherSir has strong antihistimine/analgesic cream, and I am making liberal use of same. ...Except on my back, which I can't reach with the stuff.

Ow. Itch. Ow.