Back from Blogorado

Miss D. and I arrived home late this afternoon, tired and stiff after three nights trying to sleep on the Bed From Hell (Miss D. described it as feeling like a velvet-flocked board, which is a pretty fair description of how soft it wasn't!).  We'll be trying for something much more comfortable next time!  It'll be very nice indeed to settle down in our own, softer bed tonight.

Blogorado was as awesome as it usually is.  The food continued to meet FarmMom's ambrosial standards.  Following Friday night's feast (which I described earlier), Saturday night produced copious quantities of fried Philippine-style lumpia (which I'd never tasted before, but to which I'm now officially addicted), ably prepared by Jennifer;  pot roast with vegetables;  four different kinds of pudding plus an enormous birthday cake to honor two of the participants;  and cases of beer home-brewed by the Atomic Nerds.  (Strange to relate, many of those who imbibed of the latter have somewhat hazy memories of proceedings . . . )

Stingray, the male half of the Nerds, had offered to undergo a Brazilian wax hair removal (or at least the male version thereof) of his nether regions as a fundraising incentive for the recent Kilted To Kick Cancer campaign among various gunbloggers.  Saturday night was the night to pay the piper, and he did so manfully (how else?).  There weren't too many screams, although some of the words floating out of the bedroom used by the cosmetologist for the 'procedure' sounded . . . interesting.

Other Blogoradans (if such a word exists) put their heads together, and asked Ambulance Driver how much he would charge as a donation to KTKC to undergo the same procedure.  Thinking himself secure, he said off-handedly, "Oh, say, a hundred and fifty bucks?"  It was raised in less than 2½ minutes, which says something both about the motivation of the Blogoradans and AD's naivety where such things are concerned.  Nothing loth, AD was then asked how much it would take to wax everything from the neck down.  Somewhat shakily, he doubled his demand - and that, too was raised!  Sportingly, he went along with the deal.  He proceeded to fortify himself with half a bottle of Jack Daniels, and went in to the bedroom clutching a bottle of peppermint schnapps to restore himself in between applications of wax and its forcible removal.  There were some epic screams and invocations of the Divinity during the procedure, so much so that I wondered (aloud) whether he was requesting my professional services:  but I was informed, in words of approximately one syllable, that any clergymen, active or retired, trying to enter the room would incur his severe displeasure.  Reflecting that discretion is supposed to be the better part of valor, I duly refrained.

(Gigglesnort!)

Sunday began with an enormous breakfast at the town diner (which probably makes a bundle out of our annual visits).  The rest of the day was spent out at the FarmFamily's property, shooting all sorts of weapons at all sorts of targets.  The ammunition Miss D. and I had brought disappeared at high speed, and her PMR-30 produced many admiring smiles.  Somehow that little pistol just captures people's imaginations . . . definitely one of Kel-Tec's better ideas.

Sunday evening was spent consuming leftovers (solid and liquid), but everyone was a bit worn out by now, and most of us adjourned to bed early.  Miss D. and I were up shortly after 4 a.m., to pack our gear and hit the road for Denver, where we returned our hired car and caught a flight back home.  Most of the others planned to leave at intervals during the day, although a couple will be staying on for a couple more days.

As always, FarmDad, FarmMom and FarmGirl put on a wonderful blogger rendezvous, for which we all thank them from the bottom of our hearts.  For all of us, I think this was one of the highlights of the year.  The economy may be in the gutter, politics may be lousy, but an annual reunion of good friends somehow makes everything feel better.

I'm busy doing laundry and suchlike now (this post is being written in between trips to check the washing machine).  I may be able to put up a couple of posts later tonight, but most will have to wait until tomorrow.  Please enjoy yourselves in the meantime in the archives.

Peter