So, I slept in on Saturday. I had planned on going over to
Vicky’s house in the morning and digging the horseshoe pits for Yanessa’s
birthday party. But, when I told her that, she said, “No, just come an hour
earlier and do it then.” So, I figured they had things to do in the morning.
Sidebar: I later learned that her brother, Luis, told her
that it would just involve pounding a stake at each end. Puerto Ricans just do
not understand horseshoes!
So, I went to Home Depot and got a hook to hang the horseshoes
on (they tend to go missing if you leave them in the field) and two three-foot
lengths of 3/4-inch black pipe with end caps.
Sidebar: Yeah, I know. Regulations call for a 1-inch solid
steel bar set at a forward 70 degree angle, but come on. Mine are 3/4-inch
pipes with end caps, pounded in straight up in the pit and we had fun with them
for years. But I couldn’t physically pull them out.
Then I went to Meijer’s. Vicky had mentioned maybe asking
people to bring a dish. I gave it some thought and decided mayonnaise-based
sides like potato salad would be deadly today (it was supposed to be super-hot).
So, I thought their Greek pasta salad would be perfect. But, when I got to the
deli counter, they were sold out of damn near everything! I’m guessing
graduation parties, BTW. They apologized and directed me to a cooler out on the
floor that had tubs of potato salad and coleslaw. I grabbed two tubs of coleslaw.
It was already seriously hot, BTW.
When I got home, I stripped the bedding and began the
weekend wash. About noon, I took a nap on the naked bed.
I woke up and got ready for the party. I dressed in my
Puerto Rican clothes as it was too hot for long pants and a shirt. Yeah, people
will see all my scars, but it was just too damn hot. I also took a handkerchief.
Sidebar: we had a heat advisory posted from noon to midnight,
targeting old people like me and kids. They said to stay inside in the A/C and
drink lots of water. Right.
I put a shovel and a spade in the truck, along with my present
and card. I also put in a box with my hand sledge, a tape measure, the
horseshoes and my yellow marking paint.
I left at 3:00 p.m. (the party was officially from 5:00 p.m.
to 7:00 + p.m.) Evy and Vicky were in full pre-party mode (Evy was making rice
with pigeon peas and Vicky was setting up tables, etc.)
I greeted them and then ignored them all. After consulting
with Vicky, I laid out the horseshoe pits next to the fence.
Sidebar: Regarding the fence, its six feet tall. Seems like
overkill right? But every house on the
block has a fence and most of them are six feet tall. You do what you gotta do,
I guess.
I got the first pit dug with help from my handkerchief and
bottled water. But, then they fired up the bounce house. Yanessa and Myla tried
it out. So, on the second pit, I was constantly interrupted by Yanessa, who
kept calling, “John! John!” who wanted me to watch her bounce.
So, I did… You can’t ignore a birthday girl.
I finally finished up, sweating like a pig (I completely
lost my first “fresh feeling” and my handkerchief was soaked). I used the
marking paint to lay out the foul lines; three feet from the stake for ordinary
players, 10 feet further for women, children and men over 70).
I tossed all four horseshoes. They broke right, but landed
about 10 feet from the stake. Damn this fused spine!
Sidebar: Apparently, Vicky’s dad was watching me. He told
her, “This has to be a white person’s game.” LMAO! He’s from Ecuador, so I can’t make a Puerto
Rican joke here.
People started showing up and soon the place was packed.
They divided themselves into two camps (Evy even mentioned it to me): Daniel’s
(Yanessa’s father and Mexican) family sat under the wood structure and Vicky’s Puerto
Rican family tended toward the tent area. I, being an ambassador of peace, sat
with both and frequently introduced myself.
Most of them remembered me from Yanessa’s first birthday, so
I got by and I “mingled.”
Vicky’s dad and her oldest brother tried playing horseshoes.
I explained the point scoring and tried to explain how you throw the horse shoes
(you throw them as you step forward). Her brother got it right off. Her dad
never did. He just stood there and threw
them. (Sigh) I tried… Ecuadorians…
Finally, it was time to eat.
I happened to be in the house (going to the bathroom), so I offered to
carry out the rice with pigeon peas. Evy has a huge pot that she made them in.
Sidebar: I think both Jake and Carla would be jealous. I
know I am! It’s like three feet wide, cast iron, with a massive lid on it.
So, I carried two big bowls of it down the stairs, one step
at a time. I walk up and down stairs these days like a dork.
I went to the tent and had a long chat with Vicky’s uncle
Jose about her “flip” house. Then Evy rushed up and told me I had to go and
eat. Huh? She said I had to be first in line. I still don’t understand that,
but I went up and got a plate of food.
I had a chicken leg, some coleslaw, a little pasta salad and
a lot of rice.
Everybody followed me up, BTW. I guess I was the Judas goat.
While I was eating, I noticed there were two Detroit cops in
the yard. Wow, I thought, they are taking these recent block party shooting seriously!
Later I learned that one of them is dating one of the ladies at the party. She
brought his kids here and they just stopped in to visit.
Finally it was time to open presents. I got what I thought
was a perfect spot (it was very crowded) but then Vicky gave her phone to her
cousin Karlita and asked her to take pictures for her. Now, Karlita is short, of
course, but she has big boobs (seriously). She stood in front of me! So every
photo I took had either her head or her boobs in it. (Sigh)
Yanessa opened my present last. Now, Vicky has asked me if I
would make her a Time Out chair (it’s a stool with a five-minute hourglass
timer in it). I agreed, but never found the time. So, I just bought one.
I’m sure Yanessa will not like it, but Vicky was pleased.
Then Yanessa blew out the candle on her cake. Regarding the cake, it was absolutely beautiful when the bought it in. But, they left the lid down, An errant wind flipped it up and it smashed the two Sesame Street characters faces!
Vicky, Evy and Yanessa’s other grandmother (I think her name
is spelled Crisi, She’s a lovely woman and totally devoted to Yanessa) went
into full cutting the cake mode.
It was almost 8:00 p.m. and I thought it was time to make my
goodbyes. Both Evy and Crisi insisted I have some cake, but Vicky explained I
have diabetes and can’t eat the sugar. So Evy asked if I wanted to take some
rice home. Hell, yeah!
So, we went into the house and she gave me a big bowl of it
to take home. I ran into her dad and shook his hand goodbye. Then I ran into
Karlita. I called her Karli and she laughed at me, saying, “You just can’t get
my name right, can you?”
Sidebar: I called her “Karlito” on Facebook once. In
Spanish, that designates a male.
Without further ado, I left.
I got home before 8:30 p.m. I spent the next couple of hours
processing my photos. I posted the best ones on the log and then went to bed.
Sounds like you had a good time even though no one knows how to play horseshoes.
ReplyDeleteWell, the people changed in and out, but the game was busy all day long. I was glad I thought to volunteer it.
ReplyDeleteNow I can't decide if I should just pull up my stakes (I could do it with my bottle jack), or if I should buy more horseshoes. Maybe I could get my back to cooperate. I do like playing horseshoes, even just with myself. Been doing it since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.