What the Front Door?

Wow, this is going to be a short year, based on the fact that today is the third, already.  Where did it all go, and why so fast?  Think that's part of getting older.  The time flies by, and maybe it's because I have CRS (can't remember shit), but I'm not sure what happened.  I do remember New Years Eve.

Here are a couple of pictures...

Gary was the "official" photographer.  That's enough said right there.  Here we are playing Black Jack.

Left to right.... Carlos, Mark, Me, Sue (Carlos' wife)

You can just barely make out Sheila's profile, then Joyce and Ralph and ditto from above on the rest of us.

 You can just barely make out Margie's head on the left of Sheila.

 Mean while, here's one one at our table.  Thank You Don K. for making sure we had a good one.

 At one time that evening, Mark had to go potty (maybe it was smoke) and he asked Gary to save his seat.  Mark then placed his hat in the chair, and Gary sat down.... on the hat.  Oh well.... it's the thought that counts.

 Getting close to midnight.

 The dynamic duo...

 You know how it gets at midnight.... everyone kisses someone...... whether they like it or not.

 Finally, a good shot of everyone.... well almost.  Sorry Sheila.

Okay, about New Years.  I was probably the largest money winner at our table.  We each started out with chits that got us $2500.  I managed to tip the dealer better than everyone else, and I won the most money.  I probably won about $20,000.  We all cashed in our winnings and got tickets for drawings for give away gifts.  I had the most tickets, so I SHOULD have won something.  Man, I even put one ticket in for some Avon products (I hate Avon products), but thought my 50-50 chance would win me at least some crappy Avon products.  Well, 4 other people had the same idea, and there were 6 tickets in the pot when they drew for that prize, and NO, I didn't win it.  As a matter of fact, I won NADA.... just like the ex-lucky Storey's.  Carlos won a gift certificate to Spring Creek Bar-B-Que (famous for their hot yeast rolls), and Sheila won a trip for two to Sam's Town in Louisiana.  Just what she needs, and excuse to gamble.

I do want to say that the dealer was extra helpful to most of us.  She seemed to fancy Carlos, cause every time we turned around, he was winning a $500 chip.  I think Mark has the game down to an exact science.  He really knows how to play.  I was so good, because of my tipping.  When she asked if I wanted another card, say I was sitting with a 17, and she had an 18 (unknown to me, but not to her), she'd ask if I wanted another card.  If I said no, she'd give me another card anyway, and voila, there I'd be sitting with a 19.  If I said yes and she knew I would bust, she'd just ignore me.  I also impressed Mark and the dealer with my sitting with a 16 and double downing (or whatever it's called) and asking for one more card face down.  It didn't work out very well, but every now and then, it would.  Gawd.... what fun.

We danced, and drank til midnight.  Oh what fun.  At midnight, we all drank our complimentary champagne, hugged and kissed a little, then we went to Margie's house for breakfast.  I had prepared a breakfast casserole of hatch chili peppers, eggs, and hot sausage, along with some Orange-Grand Marnier-Pecan French Toast.  Margie made a warm fruit compote.  Ralph made Mimosa drinks for all.  It was a great breakfast, and lasted for most of us until 2:30.  I won't say who left early, but a couple of people left early, and I don't want to embarras them by mentioning their names.  After they left, Carlos, Sue, Margie, Ralph, Gary and I continued on with a political debate.  All in all, it was great fun.

New Years Day, I'm not sure what all we did here, but Angie and her clan came over.  Gary and I ended up taking the two g-daughters to see The Life of Pi.  I liked the movie, til the end, when I found an alternate version of the story, and it was left up to the audience to decide which story was the real story.  Crap... there went all my fun.  Morgan thought Pi was a cry baby (all his family did die), and Chloe liked it.  Gary loved the 3D, and could have cared less about the story.

Yesterday, Gary and the girls all went to the Ft Worth Museum of Natural Science.  I stayed home.  They were gone all afternoon and I sort of enjoyed the quite.  I did have to walk Stella (by the way, she spent New Years with Morgan babysitting her).  Yesterday, I attempted to clean up some of the mess, pay bills, etc.  I didn't do too bad, but didn't finish.  I did manage to make a ham dinner for everyone.

Today, I took my car in to the repair shop at 7:30.  Then no car for the rest of the day.  Angie came over and I made her some blueberry french toast, then we headed to the beauty shop.  I got a hair cut,and she got a hair touch up.  After that, we went to the drug store, and I bought MORE supplies in my attempt to remove the gel polish Angie treated me to.  That stuff does NOT want to come off.  Then we came home, and Angie left.  Gary took the two g-daughters to shoot bow and arrows.  They have place in the PGA Super Store to do it, guess from what Gary said they converted some of the golf driving range into a bow and arrow shooting range.  While they were gone, I finally got all the gel off my finger nails.  Then, around 3, I had Angie come pick me up again so I could go to the new gastro doctor.  All is well.  Then, she and I went shopping at Sam's Club.  We each bought stuff, but both bought baked chickens for dinner.

Angie then dropped me off to pick up my car.  Then I came home and cooked (reheated the Sam's chicken) for Gary, Chloe and me, while Morgan went home and had chicken with her Mom and Dad.  After shooting at the bow and arrow place, they all came home and played Rock Band on the Wii.  After dinner, we played some more Rock Band, til it was time for Chloe to go home.  I finished up the dinner dishes while Gary drove her home, and decided it was high time I sat here and got current on the blog.

As of now, our next event is tomorrow night at Sheila's house.... the OU vs Texas A&M football game.  I am going to root for OU, but since A&M has the Heisman Trophy Winner on their team, we may not win.  Oh well.  I have to come up with something to take with me.  I'm not sure what it will be, but I think Margie is taking chili.  It will be fun.

That's it for now.  Sorry about the delay.  It seems like I just can't keep organized enough to blog in a timely manor.  Please forgive me.....later...p.s.  spell check is down right now.... I'm going to hit publish anyway.  Excuse the typo's.