February Taco Night

It was Karl's idea to revive February Taco night. I liked the idea of doing it, so I did a mass text message to everyone whose phone number I had. It was about ten or so people. I got Nancy's reply, both the girls, Nastia and Elena's reply and Amanda saying she couldn't make it. That was it. Two weeks pass and no one else has replied. At this point I'm thinking it is not going to happen and I am on the verge of texting everyone to say it is not going to happen. On the Thursday before Saturday Taco night Karl texts he is going out to the grocery and he is picking up stuff for Tacos. I reply I still have no idea who, if anyone is coming, expecting someone to say they are coming. I get silence again. A little later I text I am bring three pounds of chop meat spiced, hoping it is enough.
     Nastia and Elena were looking forward to going to Taco night until they realized that Jessica, their friend had scheduled her birthday get together for the same day. I let them go without hesitation. I had decided to schedule taco night for this day and I wasn't going to change it for any reason. And it was starting to look like no one was going to be there. As of Karl's text on Saturday morning, I knew Karl was coming because he was going to the store to get stuff for tacos.
    Saturday Teri, Nancy and I get to my mom's about 5. The House has a good crowd in it and I am wondering if three pound, no I know three pounds of meat will not cover this crowd. Thank God someone else bought a few pounds of plain meat.
     In addition to Nancy, Teri and I, Karl and Madeline, Kristen and the two Matts were there. Eric, Lynn, with occasionally Billy and Denis, both don't eat tacos. They must be adopted. Hey wait, my girls both love tacos. I guess Billy and Denis are just picky eaters. My Mom and Harriet round out the group and it was a pleasant night. The Food was good, the shells were a little sparse, as in we didn't plan for enough of certain types of shells. I guess I should go into that a little more. Someone bought the hard shells that you buy in a box and just stick in the oven. They are good and tasty, but they alway crack down the seam every time I eat them. Karl made up some shells, corn by just heating them in a hot cast iron pan. It seemed a little sacrilegious, him and I both grew up on shells fried in a small pool of oil preferably in a cast iron pan. Those were the shells I liked best and started with. Usually I'd make up a half dozen to start with, tonight I started with two.. Shells and meat disappeared quickly. Cheese soon followed. More is bought out, I had some of the oven shells and yes both cracked down the middle dropping everything on to my plate. Cracked shells make good scoops and after about twenty minutes of eating everyone was finished. Tacos are not a slow eating food. Of the three pounds of spiced meat, there was enough left to fill a few taco shells, you know  almost enough to make a six ounce burger with, a little too close for comfort. Shells, there were a few left, I guess, I just didn't see them.
     It was a fun night. I have been writing about my life on another blog and I went around asking a few people for good memories of upstate. Karls said he had few good memories  growing up. I could understand, remembering how he and our Dad used to go at it when he'd come home at night. I tried to spark some memories from him by giving him some of mine. He had nothing. I asked Eric and he came up with a few, more from recent times. The Conversation went in another direction and I felt no one really wanted to reminisce about the past, much less the farm's past. If You ever read that other blog, you'll know why.
     It ended about 8:30, 9:00, everyone helped clean up and we all went our merry ways with promises of doing this again in a few months. I have already planned a May or June BBQ. If June it will be a Elena graduation party, hopefully, (english class young lady!) Let's see if We can communicate better this next time.

















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