#The Garage Bar The Saloon and Hopper's

[trivialbob]

Friends, Relatives, Countrymen, we come to play bingo.

Yesterday I went out to Sheila's hometown to play bingo with many of her relatives and other people we know. It was an annual get-together to remember one of the cousins who passed away from cancer a few years ago.

My BIL's dog had been at my house. I started the day by bringing Stella home. She howled with happiness when she saw Bill. A friend of ours was at his house. Bill made pancakes before we headed off to the VFW for bingo. Sadly, Sheila was under the weather and missed the day's events.

The last several times I played bingo it was with Sheila. I didn't win any games. Yesterday, without her, I won $99. Hmmmm.

My SIL Paula and her daughter were at bingo. The daughter just turned 18 and is new to bingo. Paula knows I like to do laundry and gave me this box of wonderfully scented detergent strips to try. My washer is broken (repair person comes Monday). I'm more than eager to use some of these strips. To thank Paula I taunted her when I won a game and she went home empty handed.

I sat with a monther-daughter pair of relatives I've seen many times over the years but never really talked with at length. We had a lot of fun at our table. Our laughter might have been a tiny bit loud. The daughter got a friendly warning from the bingo caller. After the session the mom told me she enjoyed getting to know me. I was flattered. Another of Sheila's cousins was at our table along with her husband. She won a round of bingo too.

Afterward most of us barhopped in the small downtown. At the first bar a waitress with a small computer on her wrist worked the open floor area. She did an excellent job alleviating thirst.

I didn't drink at the second bar but joined everyone in conversation. Our final stop was the bar with the best food. My BIL ordered several large appetizers and told me to help myself. I grazed on chicken and onion rings as I talked and talked and talked.

When I got home my brain was still in talk mode. I passed along the many well wishes that had been offered to Sheila. We settled in for the evening and started season 5 of Fargo. I saw the movie but none of the previous TV seasons. Someone told me season 5 is excellent so that's why we started it. So far it has not disappointed.

I may need to try some of the older seasons (they are all unrelated, so it doe not matter to watch them out of order). The petite actress who played Keely in Ted Lasso is a main character. She's English but does a good job doing the North Dakota/Northern Minnesota accent.