As
I write, there are about 17 people sleeping here. I am not one of them. It is 7:30 a.m. , New Year’s Day, and so far I am the
only one up. I went to bed at 12:30 ,
woke up at 4:30 , and got down here
at 5 to answer some e-mails, write this blog, and work on a book.
The
trip to Ohio was great. I
surprised my two sons, Gabe and Paul. My sister Kelly arranged to meet them,
along with Paul’s new girlfriend Sarah, at the Cheddar’s in Mansfield ,
Ohio 9:30 Sunday morning, and got to Mansfield
at around 2:15 . The plan was for
Kelly to text me when everyone was situated. That happened at around 2:50 .
Were
the boys ever surprised! I had not seen either of them since April, so it was a
great reunion. I loved meeting Sarah, who is a very sweet person. I also got to
see Kelly’s boyfriend Rick, whom I’d only met once. Here are some photos
of the good times, as they rolled:
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| At the table. (Click photos to enlarge.) |
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| My youngest son Paul and his girlfriend Sarah. |
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| My oldest son Gabe; a shifty one. |
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| Checking for broccoli in the teeth of the president of Starke & Hartmann, Inc., publisher of the best book on the apostle Paul on the planet: The First Idiot in Heaven. |
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| Removing broccoli from the teeth of the president of Starke & Hartmann, Inc. |
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| Me with the president of Starke & Hartmann, Inc., also known as my sister Kelly. |
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| Paul and Pops at the mall in Mansfield, OH. |
I drove the hour to
My
goal was to get back here by around 6 p.m. for the New Year’s Eve festivities. I did
it, and it’s a good thing I hadn’t had much to eat. Wow. What a layout of food:
chicken wings, two kinds of chili, corn bread, breaded chicken, a veggie plate,
49 bags of different kinds of chips, and various samplings of adult beverages.
Have
you ever played “Apples to Apples” with 14 people? I have. Last night. For the
first time. I did not win, but I had fun.
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| I have no idea who this is. She was not here last night. |
I
am lousy at poker, so I was one of the first ones out on “Indian Poker,” which we played after, “Apples to Apples.” Indian Poker has you dealing out one card to each player, putting it face-out on your forehead without looking at it, and betting
on it without seeing it. I am no good at bluffing. I’m not even good at
not bluffing. I’m no good at any kind of poker, period. I am such a “face value”
guy, that I don’t get the tricks of poker. Somehow, in poker, you are supposed
to trick people several times a minute. I don’t know how to do it.
Additionally, you are supposed to figure out other people’s tricks, and facial
ticks, and eye movements. I’m no good at any of it. I’m too much of a
literalist, I guess. I am too honest for such subterfuge. I am too slow to
figure out 16 people at once. Therefore, last night, I bet stupidly and lost hugely. This
did not bother me in the least. In fact, I was delighted. It was
fun watching everyone else try to figure out everyone else.
I
lost all my poker chips, but gained several Dorito chips.
Our
Indian friend, Harsh Bhavsar, was driving up from Virginia,
where he was visiting his parents. He threatened to arrive before midnight —and he did! He walked into the living
room at 11:57 . We all
watched the ball drop on Time’s Square, and had a champagne toast. What a wonderful bunch of
people to bring in the New Year with.
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| Martin Zender, Harsh Bhavsar |
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| The whole gagne, with champagne. |
Oh! A friend sent me a photo of Hobbes (of “Calvin and
Hobbes” cartoon fame), reading my book, The First Idiot in Heaven, on
New Year’s Eve. Hobbes is even smarter than I thought.
I
don’t know what 2013 will bring, thank God. I can only walk one day at a time.
Right now, that day is January 1, 2013 .
I
am glad to be walking it with all of you.
©
2013 by Martin Zender
