Walt and Terry and Ed and Kelly and Sam's Club

So let me see, my excuse for not blogging this weekend is ... well, I guess I don't have one.

We arrived at Walt and Terry's Saturday afternoon in a freezing rain, and by evening wet snow was sticking to the ground. Our first experience with the white stuff in a long, long time - but we were happy on Sunday when the temperatures went back up and the sun melted most of it. Enough is enough, after all.

Saturday we were invited to be Walt and Terry's excess baggage and went to a lovely dinner at their friends, Ed and Kelly. We've spent a couple of evenings with this great couple before when they came over to Walt and Terry's while we were visiting, but it was really nice of them to put on such a nice night and ask us over.

I do wonder about our reputation, though. LK and I have been in Freehold twice in the past three years - admittedly for a full week in August. We have never visited Ed and Kelly, yet when we walk in they don't even ask if we want a drink. They simply pull out a bottle of Johnny Walker and a bottle of vodka - which, come to think of it is what my mother does, too.

Sunday was, for obvious reasons, a little bit lazy. Very disappointing football as the Patriots showed they probably won't go deep into the playoffs this year, and then a great dinner with some of Walt's homemade goulash - the genuine article from a guy who knows.

Then yesterday LK and I talked Walt and Terry into taking us to Sam's Club. Starting with Robert and Jaki and then Walt and Terry, we have been hearing so much about this store that we just had to check it out.

For the Aussies reading this, Sam's Club is a Walmart-owned store run like a buyer's club. It has everything from electronics to groceries to booze to a pharmacy, and the prices truly are amazing. For example, in a belated attempt to kind of cover some of the expenses of offering us hospitality, we bought Johnny Walker and Absolut in the extra-large bottles. The 1.75 liter bottle of Absolut cost $30. Which, compared to Australian bottle shop prices, means I was getting a free liter of the stuff.

Most of the grocery items tend to be super-sized but amazingly good value. LK loves cooking pork loin, but the ones we get at home are about 1/6th the size of this cut - which cost a grand total of $13 (about $14 Aussie dollars). Such bargains - and Walt tells us the quality of the meat is excellent.

By the way, Linda didn't want to pose for that picture. She said you're just going to make some wisecrack about me holding a piece of meat. Which hurt my feelings a bit. I think most of you know that this blog is just one long love song to my sweetie. Can't imagine why she feels I might make fun of her. Besides, now that I've planted the idea I know most of you are coming up with your own wisecrack. Feel free to share them with me.

Anyhow, backtracking today - bus to New York to catch a train to Rutland - for a couple of more days with my family. Having a ball.