Last night, my roots grew a little deeper into the desert town I call home. Invited to an amazing Election Night Watch Party, the day drug on until 5 PM when my chariot arrived. Chivalry isn’t dead in my little town. The Mysterious Marine would not let his date drive on the wet and potentially icy roads. It could be a very late night.
With Oliver tucked in for the evening, I decided that hearing MM’s voice would be too disturbing for him. Oliver absolutely adores MM, losing his mind in his presence.
Layered and bundled, I decided to wait on the front porch to enjoy a little fresh air and the new blanketing of snow. With my purse in hand, I opened the door to find I had visiting friends. Three mustangs were sauntering across my yard in the calmest way. Just as slow as you please.
Clip.
Clop.
Clip.
Clop.
The first two horses were in good shape except for the fact that their winter coat hadn’t filled in yet. It’s early for the first snow. The third horse was the one that made me sad. Wasting and extremely thin, it followed behind the other two. A hard winter will take a toll on the herd. That guy might be a casualty. Only where I live can you open your door to find mustangs in the front yard. It’s sometimes hard to remember they’re wild animals and wild animals get old and die. Just a fact of life. That being said, I hope they do it in my yard.
The party was held at the Golf Course Club House. Impressive and perfect in size and amenities, everyone arrived to turn the place into election headquarters for one very nervous mayoral candidate. Red, White, and Blue were the colors of choice. In a very short time, the food and decorations were in place and the waiting began.
The local grocery store had done an amazing job with the cold cut trays. Ham, turkey, and roast beef, sat along side several types of cheeses. A variety of crackers and dip rounded out the food choices for the evening. With enough food for an army these were the perfect snacks for a very nervous crowd.
A school board candidate, a city council candidate, and the mayor all stood waiting with the rest of us for results. Voting ended at 7 PM, with an anxious crowd waiting to find our results at Silverstateelection.nv.gov. After an hour of waiting with not one vote counted, it was time to call it a night and head home. In the day and age of computers, there is no excuse for a broken system. It should be the best in the world. Not what we found last night.
This morning, as I anxiously brought up the site, I was happy to see that our candidate is indeed the new mayor of our town. With opportunities for growth surrounding us, we need a strong man to bring businesses and industry into our area. I’m not sure at what time last night the party ended, but now, the real work begins.
Wandering about with the Mysterious Marine last night, it was exciting to meet so many lifelong friends. That’s something that’s missing when your childhood home is hundreds of miles away. MM went through school here still holding track records that remain unbroken to this day. He remembers when our town had one flashing light for a stop sign at the center of town. A time when a man’s handshake sealed the deal. I met people he knew from that time in life. Good solid people that came to celebrate with the new mayor and his family.
As for this very special family, there are so many adjectives to describe them. They are loyal, tight, funny, unique, opinionated, informed, educated, and community oriented. There were so many brothers, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, (and relations I know I’m forgetting), it will take a while to remember all the names and faces. Mr. Mayor alone has 25 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. There are four brothers and wives. That should give you an idea of what I’m up against.
The children that were present last night were adorable. From the tiniest little great granddaughter to the 26 year old grandson I talked with awhile, this family is a hoot. One grandson just adopted “Pigly”, a little piglet in the process of being housetrained. Whether we were at the bar watching national election results or eating at the table, everyone made me feel special and one of the gang.
One guest last night has a special place in my heart. J works for the sanitation department. It was he that came to my rescue some time ago to fix my ailing sewage lift station. I didn’t talk to him directly, but to his boss, (another relative of MM). Seeing this man reminded me that I owe a pizza lunch to this crew. They helped fix a situation that twirled my world. It was nice to be able to tell a boss what a wonderful bunch of men he has working for him. I doubt the sanitation department ever gets many compliments.
As all parties do, this one came to an end for us around 8 PM. With work today for MM, and early morning writing for me, we called it a night when election results were still not available. Not sure what time they were posted last night, but they were up this morning.
It appears the bickering and back biting will continue. That’s what national candidates are known for. My state has a new governor and a new senator both of whom we so desperately needed. Will they be able to change very much? Probably not, but it feels good that our candidates won.
Personally, I can’t wait for an invite to the office of the new mayor of our town. He won’t start until January, but I’m sure he’s already planning his grand entrance on the scene. These five brothers are just like that! There will be more parties and events that will be new and different. All the while, this town becomes my home more and more each day.
Whatever you do today, enjoy the fact that the political commercials are over for now. Get outside for a little fresh air. With Thanksgiving just two weeks away, we have so much to be grateful for.
More tomorrow.