I thought I should update so, as I said to Robbie yesterday, all you guys don’t think I’ve been lying around for weeks riddled with canker sores doing nothing. I’m doing much more exciting things really. Right now I’m sitting in the basement office of Andy’s professional poker player friend drinking Polish Cherry brandy. I’m sitting on some crazy sort of curly, brown and tan, fuzzy matted fur couch throw being stared at by the sockets of an eyeless fox pelt. I tried to refuse the brandy because one, I don’t drink brandy and two, it’s 3:07 in the afternoon. Unfortunately I tried to refuse by trying to be polite and saying, “maybe later” and Steve “Rogo” took it as a yes and poured us both a glass, not halting the stream of liquor when I said, “thanks”, “okay”, “thank you”. I learned my lesson and gave a straight “no thanks” to the homemade fermented cabbage salad.

We just came back from lunch with Pat, Jarrett and Rogo three of Andy’s friends from “back in the day”. Jarett was the manager at one of the poker rooms that Andy played at as a young poker playing upstart. Jarrett tried to talk him out of playing for a living. Pat is a poker playing friend and Rogo was a prop player with Andy. Ask Andy about his days playing prop poker in Colorado. They’re some entertaining stories. A prop player is someone who gets paid by the casino to play poker with their own money to make the games fuller.

It’s turning cold again tomorrow. We’re spending a few days at Jarrett’s house before we shove off to New Mexico. We’ve been staying at Cherry Creek State Park again for the last few days. There are deer everywhere. A few days ago we came home and there were six or seven of them standing around munching grass right in front of our windshield. It’s funny to be getting to feel that the the beauty and grandure of nature is commonplace. While driving the Jeep into the park, three or four cars were pulled over on the side of the road looking and taking pictures of deer. I was impatient thinking, “Geez people, quit blocking the road, it’s only deer”. Like living in the middle of the forest and hanging out with herds of deer had become just as commonplace as looking at a squirrel or a dog in someone’s backyard.

In other news, I bought a replacement wedding ring yesterday. If you don’t know the boring story, I lost the original about six months ago at the gym. I took it off because I was going to lift weights and I didn’t want to hurt my finger and scratch the ring. I think that I left it in the locker. Four months ago I bought a “placeholder” for three dollars at a silver shop at an outlet mall. I ask Andy occasionally if it bugs him that the symbol of our everlasting commitment is a plain piece of metal that I got at the outlet mall. He doesn’t care. I really don’t either. I actually like the ring. It’s light and doesn’t irritate my skin so I never feel the need to take it off.

I’ve been meaning to buy a replacement to wear on a chain. Before I lost it I mostly wore it on the chain, it was my favorite necklace. It’s a beaded chain. The chain as described by my mom while slamming my fashion choices would be, “Cynthia, why are you wearing a toilet chain around your neck?” The chain is doubled around and connected by the ring with a star pendant in the middle. There was only one place in Denver that sold this brand of ring.

(…..let me interrupt her to say, “Oh sweet Jesus, now, in addition to the cherry brandy, Rogo’s wife just brought down chocolate. What are these people trying to do here! They keep trying to feed us dinner too.

interruption over.)

I went into this high end diamond shop that I had to be buzzed into. The lady was so snotty and obviously unapproving of my not high end choice in jewelry if there were another place to buy the ring, even if I had to drive an hour, I would have done it. I was going to write all about it but now since I’m plied with brandy and chocolate, it’s just not that funny anymore. I will tell you though that I’m wearing the necklace right now and I love it. When I put the ring on the chain and snapped the clasp closed it made my heart feel warm and fuzzy. I will also tell you, and not only because I’m drunk on chocolate and brandy, that I’m madly in love with my brilliant, talented, sexy, smart, funny, wonderful and considerate husband. I would not trade that guy for anything.