"The Day After"

While there's still time to commit to a "day after Christmas" post, I figure, "might as well". I only get to do this once a year; and while I was hastily celebrating the random birth of a random stranger with a bunch of other random strangers, I just as quickly went shopping today. I have the receipts to prove my shopping spree (like the Targus Pro Series 3-Way Panhead and Bubble Level Tripod because my Kodak finally kicked the bucket.. after 15 years of service. *sad face*) and the pictures to prove debauchery yesterday.

I do have to admit, I plugged my laptop into the third HDMI port of a Sanyo 39" TV (a television you can not find anymore on Amazon. Closet I came to searching was this and this.. all "previously loved"), so the colors of the pictures will be skewed on different machines, as I was going off the vibrancy of the television, instead of my not-so- calibrated laptop monitor (another defunct product - a Dell Inspiron N5010).

As per usual, I did some exploring around my community. Not as much as recent years, due to the fact it was an in between time - that moment when everyone was feeling too full to continue eating, and too tired to play another round of Farkle.

While the company enjoyed a humid sunset on the lanai, I enjoyed walking to the front gate.

Seriously; go back to which you came. No one can let you in.
Place is emptier than a funeral home.

Front gate

Sometimes you need a little time to see the sun go down by yourself.

However, prior to that moment, I had some pretty nice subjects to focus my attention on: Peanut and Sophie.

Peanut is ready for his closeup

Peanut's ready for action! Front and center!

Sophie can help too!

Sophie has a couple secrets that she will never share...

Due to the fact the people I visited face a lake, I was able to catch a bird hanging out, trying to cool itself from the 85 degree warmth (it felt 90).

I used a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 zoom lens
on my Canon EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera

I think it caught on people were watching it, because it flew away and didn't return the rest of the night.

sunset from lanai

another sunset

What did transpire, was a lot of drinking, a lot of dice, and a lot of merrily drunken people singing too many Christmas songs.  Did I enjoy any of that? Sure I did; except I know enough not so sing a long (because someone always has a recording device.. he-he), and I was just bursting at the seams from too much good food. 

We all needed a walk afterwards, but we didn't. Good times were had by all at any rate and there are plans for making this a yearly deal - we shall all get together for the party and the game again... not that we don't do it at any other time of year, but certain holidays make it better... more special.

(... doesn't help the fact half the group doesn't celebrate the holiday, but the attempt was made and fun as had...)

Be good, be safe, don't run anyone over this week. Relax and enjoy the ride, tip your waiter and pay for your cab. See you soon.

Cheers;