6/7/08 Games Night in Albuquerque

I think my parents originated Games Night. I remember friends of theirs coming over and playing charades when I was little. My sister and I would sneak down the stairs and watch the fun when we were supposed to be in bed. Two different groups that my parents belong to have a Games Group that meets one night a month and they are in both. One of those groups met while I was in town, so I got to go.

This particular games group asks everyone to bring something for a potluck and to bring any games they might want to play. Can you say, "Sequence?" Looks like that's a popular one tonight.

Our host and hostess have an amazing house and a way-cool backyard:

With an incredible view:

Can you say trains? How fun is this??!

The food was yummy, the company great, and the games a blast.

And then our host gave me a tour of his collections. Oh my! Native American art, Civil War models, Circus things, . . . he had many collections and MANY items in each collection. I couldn't even absorb it all but I hope to get to return and see them all again because it was most amazing.

6/7/08 Saturday Breakfast at Millie's

Breakfast at Millie's is a Saturday morning tradition for my parents and their walking friends. You'd think after walking together Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings that they would see enough of each other, but they obviously don't 'cuz they get together on Saturdays, too (and often go to the theatre or dinner or other fun things as well). Everyone on staff at the restaurant knows all of them by name and all of the walkers know each of the staff by name. I'm not sure who enjoys whom more but they all have a great time.

One of the things that cracks me up about this group is when they walk, the women go one way and the men go another. Then they all meet up at the coffee shop in the local grocery store and visit (a well-deserved reward) and the men sit together and the women sit together. When they go to Millie's they sit the same way. It's almost like junior high when boys sat on one side of the dance floor and boys on the other. But it works. They all have a great time and truly enjoy each other's company.

6/6/08 Happy 80th Birthday Ric!

A Civitan buddy of my dad had his 80th birthday while I was in town. I got invited to the party at his daughter's house. Wow. Does she have beautiful gardens. Somehow I didn't get enough photos of the gardens, but trust me. Every inch of both the front and back yards was covered in beautiful gardens and landscapes. It was quite the setting for a great party.

Ric's grandkids:

Ric helping to light his own candles so he can blow them out:

6/5/08 More silver polishing

So I arrive in Albuquerque on June 2 and guess what's on Mother's list of things to do while I'm there . . . Polish Silver!! How fun is that?! Who else gets to polish silver in two states in one week? There wasn't as much to do as there was at Cathy's and Mother and I polish silver pretty frequently when I come visit, so there's never much tarnish buildup, but I just thought it was pretty funny that this would be a silver polishing trip. :-) In about an hour working together we got it all done. It's always fun to polish silver in Albuquerque because each piece has a family story that goes with it.

6/1/08 Sunday with Betsey

After the wedding, I spent the night at Betsey's house. We had a very leisurely Sunday. She and her husband Jim worked in the yard a little, she and I got her set up on iTunes plus we figured out how to make her Bluetooth headset work for her cell phone, Jim cooked a delicious dinner, we got a load of laundry done with all those stinky hiking clothes, and I got to see some of the amazing work by Betsey's artists. I can't wait to come back after she and her mom figure out how to make her living room work as a gallery so she can really show off some of those pieces that she now owns. Wow, were they ever beautiful.

Super Shuttle came at 3:30 Monday morning (6/2/08) and I was off to BWI and my next adventure: a week in Albuquerque with my parents. I can't wait.