Winding Down On A Lazy Day Saturday In Connecticut

Among The Costco Bears

Sunday Morning At The Albarrans

It's 7:15 and I have been up for an hour with Cody.  I made the coffee, a neat brewer that first grinds then makes the coffee. It looks like a fine day, our last in Darien, a busy one for Marisa who has a soccer game at 2:00 followed by a two hour Irish dance class at 4:00.  She will be a tired girl by dinner time.

We really did not do much yesterday but that was the plan, hang out, enjoy being at home and work with Rami on fixing my computer so it works more quickly.  So, Mitch was up off to the Yale Bowl for a football game by the time Evie, Rami, Marisa and I took the traditional excursion to Costco, for free appetizers, a good walk around aisles of stuff, and a hot dog and coke at the end of the trip.  Of course, we went in without a list but came out a hundred plus bucks lighter.  And I didn't want a thing.  Typical day of shopping though at Costco.

Shopper Frenzy

We came home for lunch, and Beth took off for a meeting in town for a couple of hours.  So, while the computers were downloading files, from computers to hard drives, Evie, Marisa and I went to Pier One Imports to look for things for the treasure box, stuff that's usually half price and to find a few more things to decorate the Albarran's house for Halloween when they have a street party, where everyone on their street is invited.  We had been to a couple, when we happened to be here for Halloween, and it's fun and most of the neighbors seem to make it.  They usually have drinks and pizza, easy but perfect for after trick or treating.

We were all home by 4:00, though Marisa and I took Cody out for a walk, on a beautiful day here in Darien and I couldn't help thinking why it couldn't have been like this when we were in Acadia Park in Maine.  I have to admit it felt good to just do nothing but hang out, a few short excursions and that was it.

We decided to go to a local Mexican restaurant, not part of a chain, about 15 minutes away in Stamford called Casa Villa.  Nothing fancy inside, just a frenetic staff because there were lots of people waiting to be seated the entire time we were there.  When the maitre'd said  there would be a ten minute wait, he said, "Just stand here until your table is ready."  Obviously, there was no bar so we stood by the doorway as the line went outside.  It was a warm place, lots of people, many families, enjoying the night out with good food.  Marisa loves the place, especially the appetizers. We all had different meals, mine was three tacos, each with a different kind of meat, one roasted with pineapples one a carnita, the other crisp pork cracklings (chichuarrones).  We had tres leches cakes for dessert and waddled out of there, even with a doggy bag.  The ambiance reminded me of our eating places in Turkey, nothing fancy, just good food, a noisy crowd, enjoying themselves.

We were home by 9:00 and Marisa was tired so Evie took her up to bed.  We watched about fifteen minutes of the Ohio State football game, then some other shows until 10:00.  Evie and I went up to bed but Rami had to pick Mitch up at his friends house, so he did not get back until 10:30.  Another good day in Darien,