I'm Crabby

Nobody would ever say I didn't get enough crab today. The morning started off with another breakfast at the Madeleine, where we ate yesterday, and then a leisurely stroll up about 6-8 blocks to Steamers, where the party was to be held.

We weren't exactly sure where we were going and the one who knew (Walt) had gone off to find an ATM machine. After listening to grumbling and speculation about how much farther it was, I reminded Norm and Olivia that they had iPhones.

We found out we were only 3 blocks away, after we turned down a side street.

At first it was just us and the teams of Norm-Jeri and Walt-Phil had a good game of pool.

The first guests to arrive were actually my friends, Mary and her husband Joe.

As Mary explains our friendship, "I have followed Bev since I started journaling back in 2002; she had already been doing daily entries for several years. But we started conversing through guestbooks and comments and realized that we were kindred spirits. We finally met in person in 2005 and it was like we'd already known each other for years." It was so delightful to see them again. She's right...we are kindred spirits and Joe is a real sweetheart. I was thrilled they could come!

The two of them stayed for most of the afternoon, at least until the end of the winning Redskins game, not until the end of the winning Giants game and they certainly were not there when the 49er game started.

Eventually others arrived and soon the party was in full swing.

A great time was had by all and there was great food--an fabulous crab dip and crab quesadillas among them.

At one point, Mary ordered a huge soft pretzel with some amazing crab sauce on it and shared it with me.

In about Hour 6 or 7, when the Baur spouses (Melissa, Olivia and I) were sitting off marveling at the how much our spouses can find to talk about, we saw Vanessa, who is young Ernest's girlfriend.

We asked her if she was familiar with the Hour Baur phenomenon and she rolled her eyes. We introduced ourselves as the Hour Baur widows and told her she was welcome to sit with us whenever she felt the need!

After the Redskins won their game, Phil and Olivia sat down to watch Game 3 in the National League playoffs

And then there was the unfortunate "chair incident"

Eventually things began winding down and I looked around and realized that for the last half hour, the only people there was us!

I thought we were going to go home...but no. After much hemming and hawing (because this group never does "a bit" of hemming and hawing), it was decided that it was so late, we might as well have dinner in the place too. So we moved out of the TV/poker/pool and onto the outdoor porch.

(all the people in the white boundary are ours)

Walt and I each had a crab soup and then an appetizer portion size of Snow Crab legs. I think I finally got my fill of crab for the day! I am definitely "crabby."

Finally Hour Baur started in earnest

A couple of people actually DID leave.....and the rest of them sat down again!!!!!

By this time we had been at Steamers for TEN HOURS. Melissa had actually almost made her escape, deciding to go back to the hotel alone, but, like the Corlione family, just when you think you're out, they pull you back in again. I was ready to order breakfast, figuring we were going to be spending the night. (I do like crab eggs Benedict!) But no, it appeared that this time we might actually leave the restaurant.

So after all this good bye-ing at Steamers, we finally were on the street and what do we do? We walk together back to the hotel.

I went right upstairs. The others stayed in the lobby for awhile, and then moved to Norm & Olivia's room to watch the end of the 49er game. Tomorrow, because we haven't had enough of each other, we are moving to the home of the bride's parents, where we will have dinner, spend the night and start saying goodbye before the flight the next day. Walt and I have a 7 p.m. flight and we might possibly be finished saying goodbye by then.

Incidentally, I may not publish an entry tomorrow night, so be advised that if you don't see one, it means there will be two the next night.