9.16.2007

Not A Real Good Showing; But, Paella

Time again for the New Mexico division's annual fencing tournament, the New Mexico Open. Last year it was right here in town. But Santa Fe can be a bit extra difficult to get to, with a lot of fencers coming from Colorado, Arizona, Texas, and California. So it moved to to Albuquerque, to the UNM campus.



I went down to Albuquerque last night to stay with one of my teammates. Was up around 7:15 to make it to the venue for 8:30 registration. Fencing in the pool of 7 started around 9:00 and continued to just about 11:00. Then there was about a 45-minute wait, and the direct elimination bouts started, and I got eliminated around noon. The less said about what happened between 9:00 and noon, the better. Got one bout in the pools, probably shoulda had another.

Made it back home, washed, put on a heating pad. And then it was time to head over to Monica's co-worker's house for a cookout. Jamie and Betsy are also recent transplants. They're also both musicians (banjo and mandolin, respectively), and have a ton of bluegrass musician-type friends. They also have an outdoor fireplace that they've taken to cooking paella in.

Jamie and Betsy, as it turns out, live in Alan Stamm's (the developer of our neighborhood) block-large prototype neighborhood, Casa MaƱana; they're in his plumber's house right behind his own. The house dates from the late '40s. They have a basement, porch, and all sorts of great original built-ins and details.

 

Met some new folks, visited with some of Monica's co-workers. Grazed on all the various treats everyone brought. And listened to the music, which went pretty much nonstop all day.



Sometime 'round sunset, Jamie got the fire going put the paella pan on its rack in the fireplace. And added the ingredients to get it going

An hour or so later . . . mmmmmmm.

2 comments:

Mars said...

Looking forward to Paella when we come for our visit.

Bram said...

No outdoor fireplace.

Yet.

Gotta get the indoor one fixed first.