April 21, 2026 – Bunco Babes

Yes, those are real people. There are 12 members and a couple of alternates that are called on to fill spots when someone can’t make a scheduled play date. Those happen once a month. If you attended school, and paid attention, you might have performed a little math in your head and realized why there are 12 members. If not, then you’ll just have to travel down this path with me in the dark, wondering about that.

One of the members is blessed with the responsibility of keeping their membership information up to date. To do that it’s imperitive that the annointed one must be closely attached to someone to whom that responsibiity is passed. If that doesn’t happen, chaos steps in ensuring the result is that no one will know who’s turn it is to make Pu Pu Platters.

Yes, Pu Pu’s are a real thing and whether or not you’ve heard that name, you’ve certainly had them once in a while during your time on earth.

During Diane’s time with us she was the Keeper of the Names. Consequently, I was the one to whom she delegated the responsibility for keeping the names current because I have a better computer than she did and I can type stuff. Also, I’d do anything she asked me to do. I’m a handy guy to have around. It’s true, I am.

The Bunco Babes gather en masse at the location of the member designated as the hostess for that month. Generally, this schedule is determined well ahead of time, like in November, for the following year. That’s a rule. Though most of them don’t remember, they voted on it in 2004.

Since Diane was one of the 12, everyone showed up at our house on the designated Monday to roll the dice, drink wine if they wanted, and partake of whatever Pu Pu’s are served. Since Diane left us early, Lydia has assumed her role for this household. At this point, I’m not sure if anyone has designated the delegated responsibility of keeping the schedule. If that vacancy is still open, I suspect that someone will be chosen once at least one of the Babes reads this and goes, “Huh! He’s right. Who does that now?”

In the designated house, the hostess sets up 3 tables at which the 12 will sit to start the game. If you’ve done your math, you’ll have figured out that 4 members sit at each table. This simple formula ensures that no one remains standing.

On the main table there is a bell which is used to alert all players of various events that happen throughout the game. The really important one is if someone has to go to the bathroom, a member at the main table rings the bell, yells “Break!” and all activity is stopped until that member returns to her seat. Then, play resumes with the bell and, “Play!”

The play consists of each member at the table puts the 3 dice into a cup (provided) and dumps them, looking for the current number that ranges, oddly enough, from 1 to 6. The roller does this as quickly as possible, counting how many of the dice show the proper number. If all three dice turn up the proper number, everyone at the table yells, “BUNCO!” There’s a scoring process for each roll that escapes me for now, but I may remember later. Or not.

Multiple buncos can be rolled throughout the game and the one who has the most is a winner. She gets the big prize. There’s also a Boobie prize for the worst game. If there is a tie for any prize, there is a roll

off between the potential winners. For #1, the best roll wins. For last place, at this time, the same rule applies. However, I think it should be just the opposite for last place. The worst roll should be declared the winner. Just a suggestion. Lydia thinks it’s already that way, but she isn’t sure since she’s never had to roll off for the Boobie prize.

That’s about it for this session. I’m tired and need to rest my weary bones.

Good night.

Letters to Diane – 24

Good Evening, Sweetheart,

It’s 2200, an hour past my bedtime. That’s not entirely true because I don’t really have a bedtime. I’m sure Lydia would agree. She and Sanchez spent most of the evening dying a dress black for Lydia to wear for her part in a Christmas Eve service at their church. I’ve been told that both she and Jeran have speaking parts so I may have to go to them as well as Bethany’s 2100 service. The Walters family plans to attend Bethany’s, too so it’s going to be a busy day for everyone.

Today there were 30 people in church at Bethany and we had over two full settings for communion. That hasn’t happened in a long time. It was truly good to see all those folks.

After that I came home to rest and walk Max. I took him down to the river because he really likes it down there. Sadly, I forgot to bring his leash, so we had to go back home. He’s almost to the point where he will stay with me off leash, but that’s just in the back yard. He’s really good with me, there. I don’t quite trust him to be that good in a busy environment. I wound up taking him around our block because the 3rd Sunday Lunch scheduled for 1500.

I made fudge for my contribution for lunch. That was Jennie’s suggestion. I probably mentioned that yesterday. It’s really good. Jennie was happy.

Lunch was excellent. Jen made pulled pork and sourdough bread. It was pretty awesome, and I ate more than my share. After everyone was done eating we had our gift exchange. It was loud and a lot of fun as Siah got everyone’s attention so he could pass out the gifts. As you know, we drew names. I got Herther and Jennie got me.

After all the gifts were in place the wrapping started, one at a time beginning with the youngest. So, Siah started the festivities. He did a great job.

I got Heather a very busy puzzle to hopefully challenge her prowess at the puzzle table. I also got her two candles – one smelled like dinner rolls and the other was something with chocolate. As it turned out, Baylee’s name didn’t get drawn because it would have been Tiana to do it and she wasn’t there. So, the candles went to Baylee. She was very happy about that. Jennie got me a mini art supply set which means I’ll have to get busy painting. Jeff got one, too. Her thought was that since I’ve had painting dates with her on a number of evenings, I could have some daytime art dates with Jeff when time permits. I think that’s a stellar idea. Now we just have to make it happen.

People trickled out of the Walters’ home until all that was left was me and Lydia. She brought Sanchez along for the aforementioned dying project they did. Huh. How about that. I didn’t think “aforementioned” was a real word, but the spell checker seems to like it.

Now it’s late and time to dream of you. I’m disappointed that you don’t show up there more often. I really miss you. The bracelet you got for me helps a lot. Thanks again for that.

Good night.

ILY

Just me …

Day 146 – Friday – Route 66

Diane took Max and me a little bit southwest of Barstow to visit a couple of places that caught her eye. Both are on iconic Route 66. Before going to those places, however, it was unanimous that we stop for lunch. Diane pulled off the road so we could search for a likely place to eat. The only place to pull off the road was to the left because to the right are railroad tracks, lots of them, where trains whiz by going 100’s of mph. Some of the places were within a few miles of us but the one that caught her eye was the Cross Eyed Cow Pizza in Oro Grande. She looked up from her search and saw a sign for that restaurant about 100 feet ahead of us, pointing to the buildings directly in front of us. To get there she had to pull onto Route 66, drive about 50 feet, then turn left into the parking lot behind the buildings.

From the parking area we entered through the back door.

Once inside, the young lady behind the counter told us to take a menu and sit anywhere we wanted. So we did, and studied the menu.

The menu was interesting, with lots of choices, and the area on the right (black on white) was a list of everything that’s on the menu. Interesting. We ordered a 12″ pepperoni pizza and 2 root beer floats. Though the place wasn’t full, it took a long time to get our order. Sadly, I failed to take a picture. The pizza was one of the best we’ve had in years, and we ate it all. The floats were pretty awesome, too.

The booth dividers are adorned with butter knives.

Max watched me take every bite and managed to get a number of little bites for being such a good boy. He spent most of his time laying under the table watching everyone else.

After finishing lunch, we went back to the parking lot where I got these photos.

This was actually the highlight of the day because it was so unexpected. Then we proceeded to the locations Diane had on the calendar.

The first place was called Antique Station. From outside the building looks like a strip mall of sorts where there are numerous individual stores, side by side. But. no matter which entrance you choose, you wind up in one huge store that’s full of an amazing amount of stuff and it’s all well-organized.

The second stop was Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch. Somehow, Elmer either inherited an unlimited supply of bottles he had no use for, or he drinks a lot and needed to misdirect observers away from that thought, he had a momentary flash of insanity and decided to make a device on which he could stick his various bottles to make them look like trees. These might also be what’s left over from when Elmer built the bottle house in Calico. I doubt it, but who knows? I’m pretty sure Elmer didn’t build that house.

Elmer spent a lot of time building his trees and adding the bottles.

And he has a stockpile of jars and bottles to keep him going for a while.

As we were pulling out of the parking lot Diane spied a white box laying in the gravel that was totally out of place. so she stopped and I retrieved it. Turns out it was an unopened pack of Japanese cigarettes unlike anything I’ve ever seen for sale here in the good old USA. Of man interest to us was the warnings they put on the package. All the writing is in Japanese, but they make it very clear that smoking isn’t good for you. They use pictures.

Kind makes you want to light up, sit back, and relax, right? I’ve done a bunch of research trying to find photos of the pack we found but they just aren’t out there. They do, however, have these.

Very graphic, huh?

Moving on, we joined the crowds on Route 66 and headed east back to Barstow. There actually wasn’t very much traffic, so the trip was very pleasant. We stopped at the Walmart Superstore about a mile from the base so Diane could get some essentials, then got back home in time for this.

Drilling in on this photo reveals what appears to be an airborne tornado. That, or it’s an alien elevator created on demand so they can get from one cloud to another. Isn’t nature interesting?

That’s it.