Elk do their thing in Rocky Mountain National Park.
This must really be my summer to meet women from RBL Romantica — known affectionately as the Rebel Board.
First there were the AAN awards in Portland. I got to meet Linda T. for the first time. We had dinner in the best restaurant I've ever experienced. And the very next day, I met a very pregnant Ronlyn and had hamburgers, fries and shakes with her, her son and her DH.
Next came RWA. I got to hang with Leiha and Su again. RBL author Gennita Low was there to help me get into trouble (as always). But I also met Emma Holly for the first time — a thrill — as well as Debbie H, who is both funny and very nurturing. That was a wonderful experience.
Then Gangsta Bitches paid me a visit — Evil Libby, KrisTAY and SueZAY. We had a blast, nearly laughing ourselves to death over three days of great food, fun company, alcohol and a bit of Rebel debauchery. The pygmys — that's Kristi and Sue — got their first view of the Rockies, while Libby and I got to show off our home state.
This past weekend, I was lucky enough to have three more Rebels pay a visit when Linda, Beaty and Ann came to Colorado. I'd met Linda in 2005 in Reno, but I'd never had the pleasure of meeting Beaty and Ann. Ann arrived first by perhaps an hour. Then Linda drove up in her new car with Beaty. And Ann, Beaty and I went shopping (an experience Ann said would be akin to herding cats). We were actually pretty organized, I have to say, and came home with lots of goodies.
Ann stands with Mount Meeker in the background beneath a wide Colorado sky.
Ann cooked her world-famous ziti with lots of delicous Italian sausage and ricotta cheese, while Linda put together some delicous bread recipe using rolls, Lipton onion soup, butter and parmesan. We gorged, and it was delicious. We stayed up late that night talking and talking and talking.
Ann must have 10,000 friends — no surprise given that she's an absolute sweetheart — so I feel like I've met at least a dozen of them. She shared stories of their exploits, making us all laugh. Linda, too, had lots of stories to share. Beaty was the quiet one of the three (at first), but she's the expert with the one-liner. The three of them know each other so well that they ought to be part of a sit-com.
Long's Peak — the big one with the flat top — dominates the skyline as a storm moves in. I can see Long's from my front yard.
On Saturday, we drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park. Ann had been there before and remembered much of it. We saw elk and a bunch of human males (distinguishable by their lack of antlers) crossing the street. It must have been a vacation day for a rugby team or something. Then we drove home and had 'za. (That's PIZza.)
Libby drove down from her home in LaLa Land, about 25 minutes away, and brought a batch of lemoncello. Now, don't ask me how it happened, but we didn't drink it. I think it was some kind of Jedi Mind Trick Libby used so she could take it home, chug it in the garage and then tell her DH that we drank it all. Sure, Libs. All I know is that I had to either be really tired or under some kind of spell NOT to drink it. The stuff she and her DH brew in their still is yummy!!! It was great to see her, but sometime after midnight she decided she had to go home (to drink the lemoncello, I'm sure).
I woke up Sunday to discover what a bunch of SNEAKS these three are. There was a card with TWO Starbuck's gift cards in it, one of which I had placed the order for in the Starbuck's drive-thru the day before. Ann said her cat needed to get a thank-you gift for her roommate for cat-sitting while she was away. And I believed it. Turns out it was a sweet gift to me. Thanks, you three!
We had breakfast Sunday morning and spent most of the day talking until it was time for Ann to leave to catch her flight. Beaty and Linda stayed for dinner — I made a pot roast — then headed back to their hotels in A-Town (that's Aurora for the uninitiated).
So now things are very quiet here at Pamela Clare Inn and Eatery. Rebel Summer is coming to a close. No more visits on the horizon. (WTF?!?) But it sure was fun while it lasted!
Thanks, Ann, Linda and Beaty for making the long trip!
A photo Ann took of some of my sunflowers. Good-bye, summer.