## A Summer Retreat to the River
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![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmUfQctWKcAWCaKkVMwxYRVPiL7ppsj8iomJaSK3FXW2Ue/blue_simple_modern_hello_spring_instagram_post_20240403_173610_0000.png)

A reunion and a retreat in one.
It was a hot day but we spent it eating, story-telling and swimming.

My husband's aunt invited us for lunch without telling us the reason.

I told my husband that we should go because there was also a time before that she invited us but we never went.

It is a ten minutes drive plus twenty minutes walk from our house as there is a part of the road that is still not concreted and not well-paved.

While having lunch, we were asking why they invited us for lunch. They didn't answer but our niece found a note which contains a written intention. It says the lunch is for thanksgiving and intended to be a reunion of the siblings (my husband's aunt, my mother-in-law and their two other sisters) and their families.

When we read that, we felt relieved that we went there even when we are actually late.

After lunch and a few story-telling, before they get drunk with the rice wine and beer being served, we went to the river which is a 10 minutes walk from the house.

It was really hot so we decided to go for a swim.



![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmeX3KyAftqfKpDjvWALdPGn8juRE4x69ykTUmzYL6a1cz/img_20240403_174256.jpg)
This part of the river is wide and shallow so it's a good swimming area for the kids. Look at the kids enjoying themselves plus one adult (🤫my husband)



![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmaXJxGWXibBsfUmNt5qbWmjuFUAzXPJfSaDGK9JxDdFR8/img20240330142647.jpg)
This is the way going to the river. Look at the stack of fallen leaves. It's summer and the trees are shedding.



![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmeivdCStCTuQjv3SyvZqFNfVYj6UCCLzxUsEgPyaQBxH8/img20240330132441.jpg)
This is the picnic area just beside the river.
We are actually planning on camping overnight some other time.

We like to stay longer in the river but we fear it might rain because the clouds are turning darker so we decided to go home.

We bid goodbye to my husband's aunt. My mother-in-law and her other sister stayed.

Along the way, we passed by the piggeries and the roosters tied beside the road.


![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmXajmD6AQKb9F7urMPCWBVdDfVTFCV8JjhyCfPi6fs2jf/img20240330153642.jpg)
Oink Oink! *Bye bye* says the pigs.

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmS7xkFkuv6C99AT5CMTWe9mNgUPzwQjDVdB7K9fPPyjh4/img20240330153752.jpg)
This rooster is curious. *Why is she taking a picture of me?*

We were really tired but we enjoyed the day. We spent the rest of the afternoon resting.
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📌Hi. This is Cate. This is a story of our summer retreat to the river. Let's picnic there sometime.