Suntana's Blog Trek

So I went to this birthday party on Saturday afternoon. It was a surprise birthday party for a 1st Grader boy, son of neighbor. Things were already NOT looking conducive for a Suntana great time since even earlier in the week. It was the boy's grandparents who were going to be throwing the surprise birthday party. There was already word on the grapevine that with the boy's grandparents being more deeply Mexican traditionalists, the party food was going to be something much more traditionally genuine Mexican … NOT the Mexican food to which we're more accustomed on this side of the border. Around Wednesday or so of this past week, I did hear from the boy's Mom, what the menu was going to be. Granted it could have been worse, it did still end up being something I for one don't eat, don't like. The main course was going to be Posole. Posole is made from Pork & Hominy. Of course, you also add some additional fixin's & seasonings to taste. It is similar to Menudo, which I do eat, but Menudo is made from Beef Tripe & Hominy. I've tried Posole like ONCE before, maybe twice. It wasn't horrible, but it just wasn't going down easily. Apparently I must have been eating it so slowly and unenthusiastically that time that my Mom even noticed it. I recall her going at the time, "You're not enjoying that very much, are you?" I had to admit, "Not too much."

With the main course already a turn off, attending the party was not exactly something to which I was looking forward. I did hear that they would additionally have Nachos, Guacamole (Avocado Dip) and Chicharrones (Pork Rinds) for the kids. Some of us were going, "WHAT? That's it?!! Where are the Hot Dogs and such for the kids?" Since the boy's Mom had personally invited me, I felt bad about just up and NOT going to the party. So, I figured, "Okay, so I'll eat something BEFORE the party and then just snack on the Nachos, Guacamole and Chicharrones."

The party was scheduled to start at 2:00PM. It was going to be held at some little Hall at the local Fire Station. Some other people and I decided to get there early so as to get the table of our choice. We got there at around 1:40PM. We were the first ones there. We chose what we thought was the ideal table. Later on though, they turned on the radio … FULL Blast … with Fugly music. We couldn't even hear ourselves think, much less talk. I personally got up and lowered the volume at least 3 times. Some phantom obviously kept turning up the volume because, while I never saw anyone, by the time I realized it, the volume was again blaring. The people were very late arriving. More realistically, the party didn't start until around 3:00PM. I was like, "Well, Shit! There goes my plan." I had thought after a quick party, I would go Work Out. Then I'd shower and write my weekly Post. The boy's Mom finally came to our table and asked if we wanted some Posole. I was upfront. I said, "No," explaining that I didn't eat Posole. I said, "Yes" to some Nachos. The other people at our table, while they did normally eat Posole, were ambivalent because they had heard in real Mexican tradition, they made Posole differently than the Mexicans over here in the USA. But, with a little bit of trepidation, they said, "Yes" to some Posole, with the thinking that it'd be a little bowl and if they didn't like it, they'd courageously eat a little, enough to be respectful … and leave the rest. Lo & behold, the boy's Mom comes back with these … these GIANT Bowls of Posole, which would probably feed a family of 4 … Tyrannosaurus Rexes! Okay, so I embellished a smidgen. But, the people were like, "OMG! These are too BIG!" And their dreaded nightmare did come true. The Posole was NOT prepared in the manner in which they were accustomed. So, they did have to end up adding as many fixin's as possible and VERY courageously eat enough to make it respectful and then leave the rest.

Meanwhile, I was sweating up a storm. Since Mexicans love spicy food, all the snacks at our table were HOT! I was munching on my Nachos with Jalapeños, scorching Guacamole, Chicharrones dipped in some Red Salsa and Hot Peanuts. Even with drinking plenty of Dr. Pepper and Sprite, at some point I had to cease my munching because I was now officially Enchilado … Spanish for my Mouth was now On Fire and my face was sweating.

The Wrestler Dude Piñata was finally set up out in the back of the Fire Station. The kids had a good time whacking away at the Piñata. We got a kick out of how some of the kids appeared to have some anger issues as they looked like they were seriously taking out some built up anger, frustrations and stress on that Piñata with some powerful, flailing SMACKS and facial expressions that practically made Wrestler Piñata Dude grimace. Shockingly enough though, once the Piñata was clubbed to pieces, there was no candy in it! WTF? I hadn't seen that before. The kids were instead given some bags of candy.
O --- Kay. Whatever.

The kids were then treated to a Magic Show in some locked up room there at the Fire Station. This while we adults started to get seriously bored. WTF? Heyyy! I'd have liked to see the Magic Show as well, as I'm sure everyone else would have as well.

Time started to really drag as not much of anything was going on. We at our table were now officially in --- "We want cake … we want cake" mode. But, to drag things even more, we kept seeing late-arriving people. I mean, it was already 5:00 to 5:30PM and some people were barely showing up … when the party should presumably be wrapping up. So, the hostess would have to go feed those people. There were no micro signs that the cake cutting was anywhere in the near future. All kidding aside, I was officially Glaze-eyed out of boredom and hunger for cake. After seemingly a couple of geological eras went by, FINALLY the cake was cut. We felt all rejuvenated, about like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz when they get told that they WOULD get their wishes.

The birthday gifts hadn't been opened yet, but we had had enough. Everything had dragged that afternoon. We weren't about to stay there for who knows how much longer. Some people having left already, we also left. Heck, I got home, there close by, at like 6:40PM. So much for my Workout and weekly Post writing after the party. Ehhh, the kids had a great time as they also had a Jumping Balloon outside in addition to the Piñata, Magic Show, candy and cake. They were the priority after all. I just wish they would have had something like Pizza … Hamburgers or Hotdogs instead of Posole. And that things had moved along a bit more quickly.