Chapter 52 - The New Year's Doings

It's all fun and giggles until someone gets hurt.

And, unfortunately, that someone could be me if I keep on winning Cribbage games like I did this one. It's hard to see but I was pegging Green and, Hahahahaha, I was winning this game pretty easily.


I do loves me some Cribbage. More to the point, I do loves me winning some Cribbage.

Hooah!!

Now I do know the date for this picture. December 30th. Quinn's Sixth Birthday. I know this date because we walked (once again) downtown to the Old Spaghetti Factory for her Birthday Dinner!!

And, of course, I took the opportunity to take pictures.

It's my thing.

And, we made it. What a nice restaurant. They've done a credible job of decoration...it looks warm and inviting as well as a bit ritzy.

And, because Mom called and reserved it for the Birthday Girl, we got to sit in The Trolley!! How cool is that, right!?!

Ahhhhh, taking pictures with a 3-year old.

There was this and then, after an appropriate amount of threatening and cajoling...

...there was this.

I will touch on this theme again later on in this screed, but it's tough getting a diverse group of yahoos to pose nicely for a picture...all at the same time.

A proud and happy Mother with her Baby Girl.

I didn't take pictures of the meals so you'll have to take my word for it that what I got was very good. I cleaned my plate and was looking around at the others. 

Oh, and the bread. Ahhhhhhhhh, the bread with some butter was ... dee-lish!

Hahahaha, it was a tasty Chicken Piccata with some equally tasty angel hair pasta. I'd have me some seconds of that. It were good.

A candid of Quinnita and Max figuring out the Hot Wheels Race Track they got for Christmas. Hahaha, there's another money-making franchise. Lotsa things are perennial I guess.

OK, it's the last day of the year. We're saying 'Adios' to 2017 and getting ready to welcome in 2018.

And, for me, that means it's time to don my Nifty New Mighty Aggies of New Mexico State apron and starts me some serious cooking.

First up is to lightly brown the diced bits of Heaven on Earth otherwise known as ... SPAM.

I know, Mmmmmmmmmmm...

I'd already gotten the Baby Red Potatoes ready. Washed, cut in half and scooped out and then lightly coated with a film of olive oil lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and placed, face down, on the baking tray.

They're ready to go in the oven and bake for 35 or so minutes.

Next up was to mix up the diced bell peppers, Pimento Spread and other seasons in a bowl with the SPAM. 

Blam!!

After the potatoes were baked, they were filled with the pimento/SPAM/Bell Pepper concoction and then garnished with chives and the rest of the diced SPAM and allowed to cool.

Mmmmm, Mmmmm, Good!!

No, seriously, it was good. Hahaha, even Amy snuck in six or so while she was plating them.

I could hardly tell there was SPAM in there.

Well, the Brownies didn't quite turn out. Seems someone can't follow instructions while purchasing ingredients.

Hahaha, it was supposed to be NON-Instant Pudding. Unfortunately Instant Pudding was purchased and, obviously, it has some adverse affect on the end product.

It was edible...really, really sweet but edible. Me and the boy knocked down a couple of them but the rest here ended up in the trash can.

NON-Instant Pudding, dammit!!



Part of the kids Christmas presents, or was it birthday presents? Anyway, part of the presents was a freshly repainted bedroom and some new decal decor. 

Now there is a distinct forestry feel to the room. Amy put up decal trees and then accentuated them with decal leaves.

Quinn approves.

It's not yet done. Still needs the leaves.

And Quinn got a bulletin board to display her art on, too.

And since someone, no names, no recriminations, no blame (But you know who you are!!), couldn't find any Pimento Spread, I had to traipse off, on foot, to the local Mercado to see if I could find the elusive but tasty and totally necessary spread.

Turns out I could. It was pretty simple. I just stood in one place until I saw someone that worked at the Safeway and asked. They took me right to it. There weren't many bottles and they were on the very top shelf but they were there.

Anyway, that's why I was, reluctantly, walking to the store that last day of the old year.

And I got to see the signs of our modern culture. Ahhhh, it's a good life. He's, obviously, a professional.

Hahaha, I admit that I really love this sign. It's so cheesy it's great. I imagine I would take a picture of it every time I passed it if I lived in RWC.

And this monster. 

I guess the attraction for me is that it is out of the ordinary. A train wasn't a part of my life until my later years and then just a very small, tiny part.

The other attraction, reason why I gravitate to any moving train is the absolute power; the over-whelming noise; the fear these behemoths cause in me as they totally engulf me as they speed pass me.

I really do enjoy the sensation, and, yeah, the fear, these monsters cause with the noise, the unstoppable force, the totality of the experience when they zoom past me.

And, yeah, I will keep on taking pictures of them nearly every time I see them.

Hahaha, I finally made it into the Safeway. Got my pimento and other things and then made my way back. 

Oh, while I was walking back I was accosted by one of the Valued Homeless. Seems I crossed his path and this angered him for some reason for he stopped, fixed me with a righteous stare and demanded to know, "Are you CRAZY, Bitch!?! Are you CRAZY walkin' in front of me like that!?!"

OK, I admit I am not good with the quick responses. I was, literally, taken aback. I thought I'd just been walking and well ahead of him but evidently not.

Anyway, I was halfway through the parking lot before I thought of the response I should have given him when he asked me that polite question. What I should have said was, "I'm not crazy. My mother had me tested!"

Hahaha, dammit!! I missed my chance.

The first day of the new year is made for mimosas and knoshing. And we had plenty to graze on.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

And it was a beautiful mild day.

That evening everyone got together for Mimosas and snacks.

There's Michelle and her son, Max, Quinn, Kristi, Sandy and Amy.

And, yeah, they're all spread out. People who don't easily cooperate with simple requests to pose should never, ever complain about what the pictures look like later on.

I'm jes' sayin'

More Mimosas equal more fun, right!?!

Right!!

So, c'mon, let's do something logical, adult and appropriate. Let's arm-wrestle. 

Booyah!!

This can only work out well.

More mimosas and, AGAIN!

But everyone had a good time.

It was kinda silly.

Whup!! 

Then it got real!!

You do what you have to do. Along with some more mimosas!!

Believe it or not, everyone had a good time.

And no one challenged me.

Hooah!!

The games lasted well into the night.

It was a good finish to the first day of the new year.

And so it ends. 

I had a great time and got to do exactly what I wanted to do. Laze about and see the kids. I especially got to spend some quality time with each one of them, individually.

For me it was a great vacation and a wonderful way to spend Christmas and ring in the New Year.

Life is, when you think about it, pretty good.

Hooah!!


And what better way to close this Chapter than with some appropriate witticisms about Cribbage.

P.S. A couple pictures from the night before I left...

These were taken by Amy and sent to my phone which doesn't send them to my e-mail. So I had to send them to Carol's phone and have her send them to my e-mail.

Crazy. But I finally got them.

Another late addition. I just really like this sentiment.