Looney in Laughlin...

You may have seen back in 2019 - I'm in a bowling league.  It's called Looney in Laughlin.  I had to stop bowling for a while, but started back up this season.  Tim and Libby joined up and we're the "Striking Hornets" (The three of us went to grade school together at Handy and were the Handy Hornets).  Anywhoo - the last game of the season that they refer to as sweeps (even though it's not really sweeps) is in Laughlin Nevada.

Laughlin is not my cup of tea.  It's basically for River Rats and Gamblers.  That's all there is to do there.  But figured it'd be fun - all the spouses were coming along and we'd make a weekend out of it.  It was def a mixed bag.  I'll always have fun with this crew.  It's a great bunch, but man Laughlin is so weird and kinda sad and pretty gross.  We did have some lessons learned for next time though (We'll all be bowling again next season).  

 

The food is not good.  I will do much better research to find out where to eat. I'm bringing allergy meds.  The smoke is so bad in the casinos. Don't drink so much.  I ended up in bed most of Sat missing the bowling after party because I think I was hung over. I need to be careful with my body now that it's revolting against me and I'm old. Find some stuff to do to get out of the hotels.

 

But we did have fun!

The Shouse and Avery Caravan

Nice view from our hotel room

Pat bet on the Tyson fight

Probably the least crappiest meal

Got one geocache in!

Watching the Tyson fight

Jenny and I lost in our hotel

Lupe!

I will say this - the desert can be very pretty and there was some really pretty views throughout the weekend.

Bowling games begin!  9am on Saturday!  Oooof

The Striking Hornets

I was not doing well here...

These fools got drunk while I was recovering

Feeling better in the evening and got out to play cornhole!

Was really pretty Sat night

The one time I gambled.  I spent $2.

So there you have it!  We certainly got Looney in Laughlin!

Oh and PS - on the way home we stopped at Del Taco (bad idea) but they had the most perfect little sauce baskets!  LOL!

And someone was very happy Mom and Dad were home!

Almost hopeless...

I feel very heavy this morning. Exhausted. Sad. Heartbroken. Disappointed. And worst of all - hopeless.  Don't worry, I'll come out of this, but I'm allowing space to feel defeated right now. 

I'm so sad that our country is majority in favor of a man who fuels hate like wildfire. Whose an arrogant, delusional, hateful billionaire that for some reason people stand behind. Don't talk to me about the media skewing what I see. Don't talk to me about you actually believing that this horrible person gives any sort of shit about anyone in this country - including you who voted for him. I'm so fucking tired of people saying "Don't let politics interfere with your relationships". If you voted for this beacon of hate that says something about you as a person. That says to me, that you don't care about the rights of everyone in this country and I'm never going to be ok with that. It tells me that you would rather put someone in the White House that has turned politics upside down and into a hateful circus.

Don't get me wrong - I'm perfectly aware that politics is it's own monster. It can be shady, deceiving, I can go on and on.  But I always held out hope - that my vote, my voice would be heard in things that matter. Things like equal rights for every damn one regardless of gender, religion, sexuality, color. We're all humans and we're all equal. My priorities and passions are to help others, to care, to be equal.  He is the opposite of all of that. He has brought out the ugly underbelly of hateful, angry, racist, fascist people of this country that has broken my heart to see how many there actually are.

I've lost faith in our country.

I was losing faith in humankind, but I see the messages of hope. I see the heartbreak and feel the sadness. There is still so many of us out there who care, who want to help, and that let's my tiny flame of hope still burn.

Do not try to change my mind, or how I feel, I will walk away. I'm absolutely done.

My focus now is going to be re-centered and trying to continue to practice kindness in these difficult times. I am hear if you need to grieve, if you need an ear, if you need a hug, if you need some wine. 

Take care of yourself my friends.

 

October Photo Dump...

Usually there would be a Halloween blog, but this year it just seems Halloween isn't really happening.  Super bums me out, but I guess some years things just don't work out.  We're having construction done on our condos, so no decorating outside and it just seems the usual stuff just wasn't in the cards this year.  But none the less - October!

 

I did catch some decor around!

In our complex

Well done neighbors

Chris always does the cutest photo booth

We didn't decorate outside, but we did inside!

Passed a cool Beetlejuice House!

The Rhodes had us over for dinner one night!  Such a cute set up!

Their insane Halloween Village

They decorate like my mom!

Poe met Willy who promptly wore him out

The Rhodes outside

The Rhodes outside

How cute are they

The Rhodes outside at night!

The Rhodes outside at night!

 

Rad car at our grocery store.  Chucky is in the back!

Loved that this one little apartment decorated

At Julie's sisters house!

On Oct 30th in the evening, Pat and I took Poe on a walk around our favorite areas that decorate! Pixley Street and Palmyra Street!

Only one new dish this month...

Garlicky Chicken!  Yummy!

Bowling.  Also Pat joined Libby & Glen's Pool League so I get pics sometimes!

Striking Hornets

My balls itch too (Yes that's their team name)

 

One Saturday Owen and my dad came and gave Libby and I tips!  It was so awesome!  We're going again in a few weeks.  Owen is amazing!  Frances and Patrick joined the fun.

Tim and his "Turkey"  Our league let's you hold on to a stuffy when you get a Turkey.  I think this was like Tim's 4th one that night...

We did get to Knotts Scary Farm this year thanks to Taylor hooking us up!  That was a fun night!

Grabbing a pic before it gets dark

The Haunt Foursome!

Pat couldn't make our Temecula Wine Pick Up Day this month, but I took Julie with me on her birthday!

Pretty Fall Decor at SouthCoast Winery

Happy Birthday Jules!

Our Supper Club this month (sans Tianna) was at Julie's sisters house because they have a pizza oven!  It was so rad!!  We made different pizza's all night.  Terri made 2 desserts that cooked in the oven and I contributed a Antipasto Salad.  Such a fun night!

Julie supplied the dough

Pat's Pistachio Pesto and Honey Pizza!

The desserts - a Pazookie and Banana/Nutella Calzone!

 

Halloween this year was pretty low key.  We jetted over to the Chapman Pumpkin Contest and Pet Parade, but sadly it was actually kind of a let down.  But we did wear the cutest family costume and everyone loved it!  Then we took Poe with us to Twisted Vine for dinner.  When we came home we saw a big group trick or treating so we scurried inside to catch them.  2 kids came up to our door - I was so excited! Then we chased down the big group and handed out candy.  It seems on the main drag of our complex there's some activity - so Pat and I thought maybe next year we'll pop a squat somewhere out there with a little set up and hand out candy!  We then popped on a favorite horror movie and called it a night.

It's like a Fairy Garden!

Maria looks good as a red head!

The cutest lil garden right?!

Dinner at Twisted Vine

 

So there we are folks.  My favorite time of the year flew by. Sadly didn't do much to celebrate, with health and family drama it just wasn't in the cards this year.  But hopefully next year we'll get more Spooky Fun in!  I'm sure the next two months will fly by - seems after Halloween a fast forward button is pushed on time!  Enjoy the moments!