Saturday, March 26, 2011

Gunz a Blazin' at the EIEIO - March 26, 2011

Whoa horsey! Wow what a day we just had. Although my feet are still cold I just HAD to tell you about this immediately. Norm said we were going to Brock's house so of course I made sure he took me with. Little did I know that I would be spending little time with Brock. Instead we are outside SHOOTING GUNZ!!!!



I SEE YOU!
 Norm told me I had to stay back and be the spotter.
They didn't know I am a certified specialist that can teach them a thing or three. If I could only figure out what they were saying.


They had all sorts of stuff.

The way they were talking about the names of the gunz I thought they were talking in Greek. All numbers & letters and gibberish about rate of fire. They were talking like little girls at a tea party.







What can I say? These two are supposed to be the "stable ones" out of the bunch. I didn't dare say anything that could get me shot. But I kept hearing banjo music...









Safety first! Always wear hearing protection.





Finally, gun powder in the air! This is Frank. He is one of Jason's buddies. He's kind of quiet. I think he was nervous around me, but it was our first meeting. Maybe he's just not as outgoing as me. But he can shoot!



Norm went inside for a minute so I pounced on my opportunity! This is Ed, Norm's youngest brother. Just giving him a few pointers. Ed's pretty cool. He thanked me and said he would buy me a beer later. Ah, tasty beverages...


Here's Norm III and his H&K P7M8 but its a 9mm (see what I mean? Gibberish! Gives me a headache). That's Frank behind Norm III. He already finished his magazine. But I didn't see him reading anything, just shooting the gun. I gave Norm III a couple of pointers too. He said he was going to give me a pointer if I didn't quit talking while he was shooting.

Sheesh, you would think it was golf or something.

The whole crew
Frank, Jason, Norm III, KC, Bob, Ed, Jim & Tony. You have to wonder how only 7 people (KC doesn't own a gun) could have 15 different gunz. Norm said they didn't bring all of them. These guys worry me.
Jim & Tony are Norm's other brothers. Just John was missing. Bob is a brother-in-law.




Eat your heart out Sly.












Don't ask me why Norm wore that goofy hat all day. You would have to ask him. Maybe he thought he was styling... Or maybe its to contain his ego.





KC & Joni. These girls are B.A.! (I don't know what that means but Norm III kept saying it and it sounded like they were really good.)  KC had 8 out of 8 center mass hits.

Joni shot 3 rounds. Two in the chest & one a bit low in the center. It hurt just looking at that target.



Do NOT make these girls angry, especially if they are armed!!!



We were having a great day...


UNTIL...






This was just before I got hit.



Norm said it was an accident. I figured it might have been an accident too. But when I heard him snickering I couldn't help it. I chased him down and BIT HIM!!


After I bit him he pummeled me.







Then he said we were done. I really didn't plan for it to go this way.








Luckily everyone else intervened and stopped this. Norm had to take a time out and I had to promise no more biting. We both apologized and shook hands. Then the sheriff's deputies left and the day finished on a high note.

We start anger management classes next week. Well that was our day. Talk to you soon!
Travis

Friday, March 18, 2011

A Milestone - KC is 21! / March 2011

We celebrated KC's 21st birthday the first weekend in March. Everyone was making a big deal out of this. I guess my new family doesn't realize that we gnomes don't even start growing facial hair until we are 90 years old. At 21 we can barely walk and haven't been weened yet. 

We started the day with breakfast where KC works. She was our waitress, so Norm & Jules could over tip her. I'm not sure who the clown was but he showed up with balloons.


Since I had never been to this restaurant I got a cup of coffee and began studying. I think it's important to know what a place has to offer before ordering. It's embarrassing to ask for an eel sandwich only to be escorted out and accused of being a troublemaker. Sometimes they just don't understand a true delicacy.
  

Jules took the time to explain some of the many goodies on the menu while Joni & Jason were getting Brock's order. Jules also didn't want me ordering anything "strange". I think eel sandwiches are great, especially with jalapenos!



Brock decided a photo op was at hand although he wouldn't stop sucking on his lemon. 
Brock offered me some of his lemon. When I told him I didn't like lemons, he told me that anyone who will eat an eel sandwich HAS to like lemons. What could I do? I ate lemons.

Later, after KC got off work, she decided to return to the scene of the crime for her big birthday dinner now that she can legally drink "tasty beverages". The family always gets together at a restaurant for birthdays. The birthday person gets to pick any restaurant that they want. KC has always liked Applebee's. This is KC & her boyfriend, Kyle. You already know the good looking guy behind them...

Anyhow, like I said, KC has always liked it so we went there for dinner. That was when I found out another thing about these crazy people and why it is the scene of the crime. As the family legend goes KC chose it for her 9th birthday too. She liked the virgin strawberry daiquiris.
That day the bartender must have been in a rush and served KC a loaded, non-virgin strawberry daiquiri! Since nobody noticed KC was just drinking it. After drinking about a third of it she told Norm that it tasted funny and she was also feeling funny. Norm tasted it and about fell out of his chair. Seeing the look of sheer panic on the bartender and manager's faces when they found out they had served a 9 year old kid was priceless! The whole restaurant staff was in a tizzy. The family still laughs about the reaction of the bartender and manager from that day.

Ok, back to the dinner party.
And there was Brock. That guy is SOOO cool! I had to ask him where he got those shades! He told me not to worry about it that he would "hook me up".
I got real worried that I had somehow offended him and he was going to skewer me on some sharp object and leave me dangling in a warehouse.

Norm III explained to me what a hook up was. When the rest of the family saw me blushing they explained that Norm III's definitions sometimes don't mean the same as the rest of the world.




Anyhow, the hook-up Brock meant was he was going to get a pair of shades and GIVE them to me, for free! What a guy!




KC opened her gifts.

One of the gifts you don't see here are the airline tickets. Norm & Jules are taking KC to Las Vegas! Of course they said I can go too. KC's boyfriend and his Mom and Norm III are going too. I know that is going to be one fantastic trip. I just can't figure why they all kept telling me "what happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas" though. Clearly they aren't aware of my blog! Stay tuned for the Vegas low down!


All in all it was a pretty tame affair. Mostly eating and chatting and a few times ducking flying crumbs when someone chatted while eating.

We ended the day with a toast of homemade cordial at home. Cordial is a family recipe passed down from Norm's grandmother. I HAVE to get that recipe! Norm said it can be made with any fruit and after a short nine weeks is ready to go, but is better after it has aged a few years. Like the batch Norm's mom made in 1982 that wasn't opened until Norm III's 21st birthday, 19 years later!! This batch was blueberry that Joni made for KC for her birthday. Norm showed me he has "Monster Punch" from Brock's first birthday and he is currently brewing a batch of black raspberry. I can't wait to taste all of them...