Abilene in April

 

… is lovely. We haven’t had our air conditioner on for over two months now. It’s sunny and warm during the day (love it!) and the lesser humidity makes it chilly as the sky grows dark (not thrilled, but helps make the house not need A/C).

Our neighborhood is beautiful! (see above neighborhood house). Not only do the older homes offer pleasing architecture, but the bulbs that have come up are GORGEOUS! Some people have huge areas covered in irises!

And now… the roses are blooming! Gus and I love walking the neighborhood!

We’re seeing growth in the garden. Check out the beans! Now, I understand the phrase “growing like a beanstalk.” These things grow fast! Each day it’s taller and has more leaves.

So, I want to share one of my very favorite things to eat ever (it ranks slightly lower than a Dublin Dr. Pepper frosty – which I don’t have a photo of because it’s just so good that it makes my brain loose track of everything and focus only on the tremendous happiness it’s getting from the amazing tastes entering it’s mouth… mmmm…. but that’s a post for another day.)

Anyway, I love potato and chorizo burritos! I’m not sure what it is – but the combination of homemade tortilla (a little smoky and doughy and chewy) wrapped around spicy chorizo sausage  laced between grilled potatoes (it’s like they absorb chorizo flavor and diffuse and magnify it). Mmmmmm! I may have to figure out how to make this when the best burrito hole-in-the-walls are no longer two blocks away! This one is from Alfonso’s and I believe La Popular is equally good. (and both are maybe a mile from our house!)

PLUS – you can order in Spanish, if you wish! Which I think is awesome! It goes something like this: un papas y chorizo burrito y un carne guisada burrito para llevar, por favor = one potato and chorizo burrito and one beef in sauce burrito to go, please. Pay your totally worth it $3.50 and enjoy!

On another note, Rob and I played Monopoly recently… actually, it was Lord of the Rings Monopoly. A little history: I never win Monopoly. Never. Either I get tired of playing (c’mon people, the game can last FOREVER!) or I simply lose. And Rob never looses Monopoly. Ever. Although I haven’t known him in childhood to verify this claim, he’s not a boaster so I believe him. Therefore, when Rob and I play Monopoly it is just for the fun of it because I know I won’t win.

Well, this time… I WON!!!! That’s right, people! McKay has won Monopoly! It was so exciting!! Even though Rob got the free parking space (three times, by the way! – two with huge piles of cash) my slow and steady empire expansion prevailed over his purchasing fortresses and strongholds (that’s what they’re called in LOTR Monopoly) whenever he got money. With the help of some very kind dice (that didn’t let me land on the scary-fortified spaces), I actually won! Horaay!

Here’s me winning LOTR Monopoly.