This weekend was like living a scene from The Big Chill, sans dead guy, of course. Although Scope came close to eating the crab dip that had overnighted on the counter and that might've killed him.
On our way there Zellmann and I stopped at a surprisingly good little fish shop in Porter, IN because we were both starving and I really had to pee.
Who am I trying to kid? We stopped because of the name.There was no heat in the tiny cinder-block building nor was there a potty. Thankfully, my internal organs froze while we ate thereby eliminating the pressure in my bladder.
But the fried perch sandwich was yummeh in my tummeh!
Once everyone arrived we went out for dinner.
And apparently had mussels.
Later on, back at the house, we opened presents and someone had a pants-off dance-off, Christmas style. I've decided this is going to be next year's card, captioned "Merry Christmas, assholes!"
These two are always in charge of making the obligatory stupid gag jokes using household items and they do excellent work.
The paper towel-holder phone is ringing!
Our gracious host had stocked the house well - the ham and the booze were plentiful, and much appreciated when I woke up at what felt like 3 am but was probably 1:30 and went to the bathroom and somehow ended up scavenging in the kitchen with the other vultures.
Drunkenness and lack of clocks aside, there really was a time warp in that house. The setting was idyllic, the company was side-splitting, and time melted away even if the ice and snow didn't.
The guys started breakfast as soon as we got up Saturday morning - WHY were we up that early? WHY? - and the rest of the day was spent sipping mimosas and bloody marys and homemade hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and grazing on the last bits of the 9-pound ham we had started eating a mere 12 hours earlier. We lounged and played Christmas music, told stories and raunchy jokes, picked on and laughed at each other, and played games like Yahtzee! and "Jumbling Towers", a generic Big Lots version of Jenga that came with the house.
Zellmann and Johnny B even started a game of table-top football using the wine corks scattered around the house from the night before. At some point they must have decided to incorporate the biscuit basket into the game and needed to empty it because I found the left-over biscuits in my purse when I went to leave. It could also have been Jeannie, but she doesn't generally put buttery things in it.
I told Scope earlier that I don't have the right words to express how comfortable and funny and generally awesome these people and these visits are but I've watched this video a couple times and I think the warmth and general awesomeness of the weekend comes across nicely in it.
The rest of my pictures from Chicagoland Christmas 2008 are here.
13 comments:
At the restaurant Saturday night, we ended up with a buffer zone around us (go figure), but sadly the food portion of the bill exceeded alcohol portion of the bill. That's a shame that will need to be addressed next time.
And the "Scabby Cabby" and "Scabby Cabin" and "Scabb'n Cabin" were being used before the weekend.
Oh, and Dr. Zibbs, Sunday morning, I about threw a slice of bacon at Gwen's butt, but something told me that it wouldn't turn out the same.
Michael Z gets credit for the Scabby Cabin. I trashed it online by calling it Scabby Cabby, but that's a carry-over from my last NYC trip. I suggested MacMurray Ranch to match the wine we delivered, but Z thought it best to give Nicolay's place a name that more appropriately represented his personality and hygeine.
Nice story to go with the pics, Gwen. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much - Laura and I did, too. Can't wait for next year's Christmas card - my ass is on the line for that one.
And Scope, Gwen already had bacon strips in her pants, so you wouldn't have changed much.
I saw your pictures over at Scope's... he is right you look very nice! Sounds like a fun weekend...
Love the name of that joint too. Also, I love how laid back Zellman is in the presense of a place like that.
Zellman IS fairly unflappable.
SHUT UP, Porter, In is literally in my backyard...well not literally but damn close. :)
I got your little surprise in the mail yesterday, you are HILARIOUS! thanks for the giggle...and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Awww... looks like a really fun weekend! Good times, good times...
:)
Loved your photos!!! They are great and looks like you had a BLAST!!
Merry Christmas!
- Jennifer
That really sounded like awesome fun! But you're braver than I am. I'm thinking I would've taken a pass at eating seafood at a place called Shrimp Alicious!!
:-)
Looks like a great time was had by all! But of course! Love the deer video. I've got lots of them in my backyard (maybe you'll get out here some time?? Open invite, anytime)
Got my awesome xmas card today! Three words-FAB U LOUS! Thank you so much! You look awfully cute amongst all the wonderful greetings. That was so sweet Gwennie, Thanks again.
Is there anything booze can't do? Looks like magical times indeed. My reunions with people I went to college with are calls like, "Hey - you live out of town now?" "Yeah." "Well, I'll never see you again."
There aren't a lot of good pictures that come out of that phone call.
SHRIMP
A
LICIOUS
The absence of punctuation is what makes it art.
merry christmas, gwen. hope your day is, uhhh, shrimp a licious. :)
xoxo,
becky
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