Bitter-sweet

Coming home from Blogorado is always a little sad. Since we are among the last to leave, this sadness begins as friends start to head home. The numbers dwindle until finally it's our turn. And today it was back to the grind.

*sigh*

That being said, WE HAD A BLAST. As always. :)

It's so wonderful to spend time with all our friends, especially the ones we only see once or twice a year. The food is spectacular, the conversation by turns contemplative and raucous. Not to mention hilarious. Also, watching Kelly get waxed (don't worry, I rapidly decamped when the depilation progressed to South of the border, *ahem*) was memorable. (Yeah, wouldn't exactly call it "enjoyable". Heh.)

Jennifer and Michael were costumed to honor promises made for Kilted to Kick Cancer. May I just say that BOTH of them were feasts for the eyes. In a totally objective, platonic way. No, really. 

The Nerds are always a delight, and Stingray certainly put his money were his mouth was, anteing up for KtkC, himself. LabRat had fun with fragrances, matching ladies (and gents?) with the best possible/most appealing scent. Yum.

Aepilotjim....hmmmm. Let's just say that he really rocked his footie pajamas. :D Sorry about your chair, we'll either get it fixed or replaced, at the very least before next year! And I think you need to remember your blankie. And get a teddy or a binky. Or BOTH.

Salamander, you need to hang around for more than a day, we hardly knew ye!

Spear, we were like ships passing in the night, wish we could have hung out more! Your gunsmith buddy, Jason (J.? Jay?), was a hoot. Does he blog?

The Texas contingent was out in force, too. Holly and Johnny, Phlegm Fatale and Lawdog, and the gentle gaint, Matt G. (All of them former "neighbors", I MISS THEM. Once a year isn't enough, y'all need to come out East to Beantown, you hear me?!)

 Jay G. and Kelly shaved off their face-fur; it was somewhat traumatic, I believe. Speaking of Jay G., it was an invasion of the Massholes this year! I'm a Masshole now (shocking, no?), the SCI-FIs were of course there (with delicious lobstah in tow), and Weer'd and Mrs. Weer'd were part of the crew as well. Mrs. Weer'd, Phlegmmy, and I had an enjoyable hour browsing through a local antique store. I found a 1946 copy of Redbook I'm determined to send to my daughters...to show them the proper way to treat their (future) husbands...*snerk*. It's more likely to make their heads explode. Hey, just doing my job as a mom!

GayCynic was an awesome traveling buddy, and he brought the SCHWAG (from SAF.) Yes, I'm courting beaucoup vandalism because I WILL plaster the Blue Zephyr's bumpers with epic stickers supporting the 2nd Amendment.

I got to meet NEW friends, too! (Or at least, meet them in meatspace, the intarwebz being such a fantastic connector of people.) Peter, Wing, it was truly a pleasure to finally meet you. Hope we can get together again soon!

Crap. I KNOW I'm forgetting some folks. Please don't hate me if I left you out! I'm still processing the weekend, plus I dove right back into class today. Ugh.

Shooty goodness was indisputably had. This time I had my own guns with me, and I used up all the ammo for my CZ82 in a few hours. I'll know to bring MUCH more next year! I was a bit under the weather on Sunday, our range day (Saturday being rained/frozen out), so I didn't get to try out all the other boomsticks available (though Tam shared one of hers with me, squee!). (BTW, "under the weather" is likely a euphemism for "ZOMG, I think I ate too many lumpia/too much birthday cake/drank too much St. Brendan's [aka 'low-rent Bailey's']/had WAY too much caffeine!") I also tried to bag some prairie vermin dogs, but the only one I had in my sights scampered to safety, curse the nasty beast!

The undisputed STAR of the weekend was only 10 weeks old. Butcher, the WonderPup! I'm positive I'm not the only Blogoradan who almost succumbed to the temptation of smuggling the sweetheart home. What a cutie!

Old NFO was greatly missed (though we did call him during the Ambulance Driver Waxing Adventures). I hope he can make it next time!

But of course, none of the fabulousness that is Blogorado would be possible without the FarmFamily.
Thanks to Farmmom, FarmDad, and Farmgirl,  those most congenial hosts. If home is where the heart is, then part of me considers Blogoradoville home.

I'm honored to be your friend.