First Day of Arrival on my Mini-Vacation

Greetings Readers

I arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico about 4 A.M. on Saturday and waited about an hour or so at the bus station until my Dad came and picked me up in Downtown Albuquerque.

We then headed across town to go to my brother’s place on the East side of Albuquerque.

We got to my brother’s place and this was the time that I actually look forward to when arriving in New Mexico. I am not home, but I am home. My home is Dallas, Texas, my actual home is Denver, Colorado and then perhaps my Native American Indian home is New Mexico.

Anyway, sitting on my brother’s couch early in the morning, smelling and hearing the Starbucks coffee brewing, the television on and our family together is a nice feeling. This is usually only one of the times that are family is together and in harmony.

Though, perhaps I think this is my time that I enjoy the most. For me this is the time that I get to give gifts to my brother, Mom and Dad. I have to say I like this time of the day and moment when arriving in New Mexico.

This time I was able to reward with gift to my family the Coca-Cola gifts that I just redeemed a week or so ago. I gave my brother and Dad the Coca-Cola lunch bags and then I gave my Mom the Coca-Cola tub. Then, I gave my parents the Mountain Man nuts (Corn nuts and Almond nuts) I bought a couple days before at work.

Before giving out the gifts I pulled out two VHS tapes that contained the recordings of Ice Road Truckers – Season Two. I knew that they loved the first season I brought down for them last year so I was excited to bring down Season Two for them since they all liked the first season. Unfortunately, I never fully saw the first season and I did not see the second season since I was just really recording for my family since they watched the first season. Anyway, my brother started up the first tape and they immediately got into the show.

While this was going on my Mom was getting cold and asked for a towel from my brother in order to put over her legs since she was just wearing a night gown. Lo and behold this perfect. Since I bought two US Open towels – one for me and one for my parents they did not know that the US Open just happened and that I bought another US Open towel for them.

Actually, I think it is expected of me to buy a US Open towel for them, but not really. Hell, it was my fault for starting this new tradition of buying them a US Open Towel. Yet, I have no problem buying another expensive US Open towel for them – since they are my parents.

So, when my Mom asked that question to my brother. I reached into my bag and pulled out the plastic wrapped US Open Towel and said here you go.

She opened the plastic bag and saw that it was this year’s US Open towel and she said “Thank you.” She immediately covered her legs.

Lastly, I pulled out the Obama Buttons I bought during the DNC convention and gave them to my mother. “Oh Daryl” she said, but I said this is gift and I am not for Obama. Or McCain. This is just a gift from the DNC that was in Denver last month and perhaps this might be worth something should he be elected for president. I gave a rubber bracelet to my brother, just like the one that I was wearing.

My brother asked about the DNC and I told them what I told you readers when I blogged about the DNC. I told them what I did and of the experiences I had during the DNC. I basically told them Denver, in my opinion only, had become one of those countries in the Middle East.

With that it was the end of gift giving and story telling it was time to get ready to go out for our customary breakfast tradition when I get to New Mexico.

Breakfast was nice – we ate at Village Inn.

After breakfast we hit a few garage sales and then we dropped off my brother at his place. Soon, it was just my parents and me and we had a long drive to the Ranch ahead of us.

Before going to the Ranch, a hundred miles plus away, we had to stop at the Grocery Stores. We stopped at Sunflower and Smith’s and in between we stopped at our Hatch Chili place we buy our Chili from.

Let me tell you Readers it is now the season for Green Hatch Chili in New Mexico and this year the crops did not get destroyed like they did last year. When I stepped out of the vehicle I smelled the Hatch Chili being roasted nearby in the roasting containers. Ok - the smell was fucking intoxicating. That roasting is the smell that I love to smell. I compare that smell to the smell of the fragrance Woman’s Escape and the smell of French Vanilla Roast Coffee brewing. Those smells make me gaga. I love the aroma.

I walked around the store and took in the different Hatch Green Chili and the roasting. I was in heaven. We bought a bushel of Green chili. We do our own roasting so they gave us our burlap sack full of Hatch Green Hot Chili. Hot.

At Smith’s that is where I shopped for what I was going to cook and make for meals while I was at the Ranch. I bought Steaks, fish, 2 pound bag of shrimp, King Crab Legs, Brats, Spaghetti materials for making spaghetti sauce, Coca-Cola and Clover’s Chili Potato Chips. The bill came to about $ 133.00 for which I paid one hundred of and then my Mom paid for the rest. I did ask her if that was okay and she indicated yes. After all, most of it was mine, but it was all for us.

At Sunflower, I bought supplies for making my Salsa for my parents and brother. At Sunflower the supplies were cheaper and fresh. I could not wait to get to the Ranch and start my famous Salsa.

After the shopping was done we left Albuquerque and soon headed for the open road to the Northwest of Albuquerque. I pulled out my cassette adapter for my ipod and soon we were listening to my new Johnny Cash CD’s that I bought a few months ago. I was waiting for this moment to play Johnny Cash for them since this is what I listened to when I was a young child. I knew my parents loved Johnny Cash’s music and for me to play his music to them I knew that they would enjoy this. I was right. And they loved the live recording from New Jersey – The Lost performances.

On our way home to the Ranch we stopped at a local store and I bought the traditional Ice Cream we have while going home to the Ranch. Nestle Crunch Ice Cream bars and pop if anyone needs some pop. This was also the last store before going home not to mention that this is the closest store to us - 20 miles or so away from the Ranch. When I say store, it is not a store – more like an A & P of the old days. Only the necessities are available, nothing else.

An hour later I was driving up to the first gate to the Ranch and I knew I was truly home. I saw the damage the rains have done to the road I fixed last year. It was kind of sad to see all the work I did last year get washed away. Yet, I knew that later I was going to have to fix the road. I was already thinking of when and how to fix the damage to the road.

Then, I reached the second gate and I saw our dogs welcoming us home. Goofy was smiling, just like Bullwinkle did (when he was alive). I saw Koko hesitantly approach the truck since he sort of did not recognize me, but as soon as I jumped out the truck Koko jumped back scared and then saw it was just I and came to greet me. A dog never forgets his family owners. I saw most of the animals and I saw my car. I saw my parent’s home.

I was home

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Garage Sale-ing this Weekend

Greetings Readers

Well, as the title of the blog states, me and my mother went to the Saturday garage sales in the local South of Denver area. Of course, we brought along our driver, my father-her husband. Saturday was a nice day to do the Garage sales. We have not done this together for about two years and since this past weekend was Mother's Day this was something that she/we wanted to do. We decided to switch Sunday to Saturday and that way it was her day.

Not much was out there, but we did find some of this and some of that. Granted, there were some items that I wanted, but I was not going to pay that amount that they wanted the item(s) for. It is a garage sale. I can not tell how many of those Garage sale operators wanted this amount and they won't budge. Sorry, their loss. I always offer half or some lower price if I think I can get the price I want. Yes, there are some times when the price is right and I will paid the price with no haggling at all.

We got out the door about 7:00 AM and started the day with a quick stop at McDonald's. Hah hah. Not the same one that I had my "almost" incident last week. Dang 2 McDonald's visits in two days and before that it must of been 6 months since my last visit to McDonald's.

Anyway, we started going to visit the garage sales about 7:20 AM and we had followed two signs, but they were not even set up. So, we pulled over in an empty strip mall parking lot and had our breakfast while we waited for the clock to strike 8:00 AM. We were surprised that people were not set up at 7:00 AM. Perhaps the garage sale season has not started. Who knows.

There was not a bargain that I can blog about that I was excited about. I did buy some old cassette tapes, computer games, and misc this and that. There were a lot of TV that looked good, but I was not going to pay 50 dollars for a 12 inch TV. I do not care if it is a TV/VCR combo.
I did find a camper's backpack for my brother. I would keep the backpack for myself since the "Dos Equis" logo is on the bag. But, I guess I better give it to him since he does use this sort of equipment. And if I were to keep the backpack, it would be for display.

Now on Sunday, there was this new restaurant that opened up the road from me called "Oscar's Smokehouse and Saloon". Every time that I rode by the restaurant I can smell the good aroma emulating from the place. So, I decided to take my parents to the place for lunch. I also wanted to eat there since I love BBQ.

The place was empty at 3:00 PM. Our waiter was a Mexican guy and his dialect needed some work. He asked my mother

"What would you like to read?"

My mom says "read?"

"What would you like to drink?" Our waiter says a bit more clearly. Yes, me and my father thought that was what he also said to her.

From there our Oscar's visit went downhill.

We could hardly understand what he was saying throughout the visit. I asked what came with the meals. Of course the waiter points to the menu and reads off what I just read. I then asked

"Does anything else come with the meal that is not listed? Salad? Bread?"

"No...." mumble. Mumble. our waiter mumbles.

I look at my Dad and he looks at me and we just knew that asking anything more was just wasting our breath. We could not understand our waiter and to ask him to repeat again is going to piss him off or make him nervous.

Flashback - Before we even got into the Smokehouse. There is this life size cow plastic statue that is in front of the restaurant. Yes, I see the connection. But! Readers. The cow status was a fucking Dairy cow (black and white) statue. Yes, there was a "hefty" Udder ready to be milked. I would like to say that anybody who is anybody would know that a Dairy cow can not be associated to a smokehouse. Of course, the average Joe would thought to themselves "that is pretty cool. A cow in front of a smokehouse" However, my first reaction was why do they have a dairy cow in front of smokehouse? Smokehouse/BBQ meat comes from other types of cows, such as our Black Angus cows that we raise, not a dairy cow. So readers keep that in mind - a dairy cow does not belong in front of a smokehouse. I guess that a diary cow could be associated to the butter that is served with bread.

Returning to the restaurant experience - Me and my father ordered the combo and my mother got the "hot links" platter. Two coffees and and Iced Tea. Well, we made the waiter nervous before and up to the point of ordering. Perhaps he was thinking that we would be like "dairy cows" come in, sit down, order, eat, and go. Not this Family! We are accustom to asking questions and basically getting things our way, within limits of course....

Readers, my time is up so I had to stop here. I will have to pick the conclusion tomorrow...

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day.

until the next time readers.

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete