So, we should be looking for ND under the table, then?

I stayed until the scores were announced -- sadly, there were teams in this bar smarter than (or sober-er than) we Buffistas, and thus none of us won, or even placed. (Though we remain convinced that this happened ONLY because our powers were divided. The combined brains of nine Buffistas* working together surely would have been unbeatable.)

*technically, 8 Buffistas and ND's friend Dave. But Dave is clearly a Buffista spirit baby, and we accepted him as one of our own.

DH and I left around 11 because we both had work today (and see how busy I am? I barely have time to post...oh wait), but ND, Dave, Hil, Trudy, Megan Walker, and Kristin were all still going strong.

A huge thank you to the nyistas for including me in the festivities yesterday (and to Trudy for putting me up again)--I had more fun than it should be legal to have. Ever. Also, finally meeting Megan Walker (who is fabulous beyond words) and ND's friend Dave (who is definitely a Buffista spirit) was most excellent.

But...and I am ashamed to even admit this...I missed TWO LITERATURE QUESTIONS. I am so lame. SO LAME. I blame the red wine.

I rolled out of bed fairly early to catch a train back home this morning and am now snuggly back in front of a fire with DH, who is safely back from Iraq after the USO show.

Thank you everyone!

ETA: Oh, and I forgot to add my own little Christmas miracle to this--the reason I got to go down in the first place is that we had a snow day yesterday! I was supposed to be working Monday and Wednesday, but now I only have to work tomorrow and then a week and a half of vacation. Woo hoo!

Best snow day evah.

Go snow days!

You just waking up, ND?

Yay for Dave's safe return from Iraq!

Hey Jon, do you still need me to send you money for the Illuminations Tour ticket, or were you able to find someone else to take it?

We're fine, Kate. VW and Nutty had gotten tickets for the wrong trolley, but then VW couldn't make it either. So Nutty got your ticket, and sold off the two extras she'd bought. I think. In any case, it all worked out.

By the way, thanks to everyone for coming on the tour. I agree with Nora that it's not the best way to really get a good look at the houses, but it's fun to go as a group, you help support the Arts Council, you learn stuff and hopefully I point out a few things you might not have otherwise noticed. It serves as a nice introduction. That's why we give out the maps -- so you can go back and get a better look at your favorites.

I'm glad a couple of people got my Bronski Beat joke. When I told the same joke on the second tour (where no one I knew was on board), I could hear crickets.

At least it wasn't thirty years old.

We're fine, Kate.

Oh good, thanks!

At least it wasn't thirty years old.

Ha! He didn't tell that joke on the second tour. Said (good-naturedly) that he didn't want me giving him crap about it again.

For those who weren't there, before the trolley driver introduced me (the tour guide), he told a joke involving Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, a priest and a hippie. When he handed the mic to me, I told the passengers that I couldn't promise my jokes would be as funny, but at least they wouldn't be thirty years old.