A Christmas in Reno

Written by Tom Being Tom

We woke up early and hit the road on Saturday, to meet our friends in Reno. The roads were remarkably clear of traffic, and nearly clear of snow. Mrs C and I talked about life, as we do on drives. We decided we’d done enough Christmas buying for this year. We also decided that money is better spent on experience than on things.

Except for the Egg McMuffin stop in Susanville there were no delays, and we made good time. I made it just quick enough to have a beer with my favorite Reno bartender before heading off to the puzzle room. Just like in June, a group of us decided to solve a Reno Puzzle Room while in town and, just like in June, we beat the room. This time it was pirate-themed. Blackbeard had stolen some golden chalice and we, his captured slaves, had to escape confinement, find the chest, secure the chalice, and escape the ship. We did. All of our dreams came true.

So we all went for more beer.

That evening we ate a divine, if ungodly expensive, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse dinner and then went for a change. Once in costume we all met up at the usual haunt, lost each other in crowds, and dispersed wildly for an evening of fun. Most of what happened next was a drunken blur but I distinctly remember a group nightcap after midnight. I don’t know what time I slept, only that I woke up early as I always do and went to church.

“Church,” for our group (as you might recall), is the name of the beer session in the morning after a night of fun (or any Sunday morning where we meet for beers). After such a late night I was early for church. By about 90 minutes. So I played some slots. Being early cost me $100 so I think I’ll start being late for church.

Not a morning person?

The roads were decidedly clear of traffic again on the way home, but we did hit some snow over Bogard Pass (I don’t know what others call it, but I call it Bogard Pass). That slowed our crawl home, which was already slowed when Mrs C lost her phone and we had to double back just after leaving. The phone was found and turned in at Eldorado, so we lost a couple of hundred dollars gambling over the weekend but we found a chalice and a phone.

Upon arriving home the Rams lost in terrible fashion to the Eagles. If you have to ask what the worst part of my weekend was you haven’t been paying attention.

The days following can be summed up fairly quickly. The new Hallmark Peanuts Holiday Collection arrived. They are so boss. Our new appliances are being put in this week. We’re stoked. I caught a head cold. Hanging out with 15,000 Santas has a price.

It was an absolute blast, once again. Worth every penny, every delay, and every frustration. For 24 wonderful hours I live like there’s no tomorrow, and I do it with the best people on the planet. In March we’ll do it again, with a decidedly greener theme.

I hope your weekend and week have been wonderful. I hope your life is, too. Hopefully you don’t have a head cold, you do have $100 and a phone, and you have amazing people in your life.

And hopefully the Rams can beat the Cardinals, at least.

Merry Thursday, everyone. Every day is Christmas when there’s beer.

felicia
Or Rum. 😉

44 thoughts on “A Christmas in Reno”

  2. Now I’ll never look at a Denver omelette the same way again, knowing that settlers cooked their old eggs with peppers to hide “that unpleasant rotting flavor”.
    Still cross-country, or at least very long, road trips are always fun and should have an element of risk to add to the adventure. I’m glad you made it safely over Bogard Pass–although I think they’re missing an opportunity by not naming it after Humphrey and telling people, “Don’t Bogart the lanes”. Or something like that.
    Welcome back and here’s hoping the Rams and you have a happy solstice.

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    1. Thank you, Samantha! This was our 4th year doing the Santa Crawl, and it will be my 6th year of the Leprechaun one (perhaps the 5th with the big group). Amazing fun. Quite the whirlwind. Merry Christmas to you as well!

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne! Can’t believe how quick the ensuing week got away from me … life happens fast! And that new collection quotes the Peanuts Christmas as well as playing music with a dazzling light show. Money well spent!

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  5. Those are wonderfully happy pics and it looks as though you had a great time, although maybe not as great as you had on St. Patrick’s Day, which I have to say is probably my favorite pic of this post. As long as the leprechauns stayed sober, you were probably fine to get around.

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      8. Tom, can I get you to try something for me on my site? We were not able to fix it and connect so I caved and let them move it back to WP.com. I want to test something.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s like I said in my previous post, I can’t be held responsible for the Rams wins and losses. 🤣 And those Peanuts collections? They are miles different in person than in pictures or even YouTube. Simply awesome!

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    1. Hopefully they get back on track this week! So disappointing! 😖

      Reno is my “artificial lifestyle” time. It’s just pure debaucherous fun with no limits and no outside influential expectations. Pure joy. Vegas is like that but more so, which is why I don’t go to Vegas all that often. 😉

      But, even so, when asked where I’d like to go if I could go anywhere in the world with unlimited funds to “get away” my answer is always “Vegas.”

      “But … but … you could go ANYWHERE!”

      My getaway is always someplace of pure fun (with room service). I really don’t like itineraries. 😁

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      2. No ma’am. There was a time, and I enjoyed it, but not overly much. I still prefer the chaos of clatter and turned bed to the blow up mattress, quiet sky, and muddy toes.

        I also appreciate the elevator ride to the room when maybe I shouldn’t walk. 😉

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  9. Every bit of this is Wonderful!!!! Pure Joy!!!!! You are the catalyst for so much goodness!!!!

    Sorry I am late to your last few posts. I am not getting notifications, but am working on working it out. Anyway…..

    Happy Christmas to you and Mrs. C and the boys!!!!! You really do make all of our lives brighter, Tom!!!!!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thank you, Susan, and Happy Christmas to you and Joe, as well! ❤️❤️❤️

      No notifications? Hmmm … I thought, with WP hosting me now and such, a lot of those issues would dissolve. I guess I should know better; issues don’t just “dissolve.” 🤣

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      1. I think it’s totally on my end. My stubborn refusal to give up Safari leaves me with a sea of technical issues. I did get the notifications for the comments, so maybe it was a temporary glitch.

        Liked by 1 person

  10. 15,000 Santas? FIFTEEN THOUSAND SANTAS??? Now THAT’s what I call Christmas 😉 My Christmas was somewhat low key in comparison, what great fun. And fabulous photos too. A very belated Merry Christmas to you and Mrs C and all the best for 2019 🙂

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