Wednesday, August 31, 2011

BEDA 31: Fake babies.

Today is the last day of BEDA! My grandma (who reads my blog) actually asked me tonight, "have you blogged yet today? You'd better hop to it!" So here I am, on strict orders from Grandma Horner.

I will admit, I am a little sad this month of blogging is over. I've had a lot of fun writing every day this month - through all the craziness and traveling and tiredness and adventure, this blog is the one thing that's stayed constant and that was really nice. But, as usual, after BEDA is over I'll try my best to go back to a normal blogging schedule. I'll try not to let more than a week go by without an update, though I say that every time.

Anyway! Monday was kind of a slower day (basically it wasn't jam-packed with relatives, so it felt less eventful than the rest of the trip so far) but it was kind of relaxing to just "hang out" in North Dakota with my parents. We got up and went to Kroll's Diner for breakfast, and not a single one of us could help ordering a big bowl of Knoephla soup. It's so bizarre to me; foods like that are just 'those things my mom and grandmas make', you know? No one in Seattle knows what the heck Knoephla is. But in North Dakota, you can totally just find it on a menu in a diner and that is always strange to see. Anyway. The soup was good.

Then we stopped and visited with a family friend named Vern for a little while, and on our way back to the hotel we passed the old bar my dad use to own. Yeah. My dad owned a bar. You guys wonder why I have such a cool life all the time? I have a LOT to live up to, haha. Anyway, the bar is called the Midway Tavern, and it's still called that even though my dad hasn't owned it in over twenty years. I'd never been inside, so we stopped for a little while so my dad could show me around. We ordered beer and tomato juice (the only way I think beer is even tolerable to drink) and my dad chatted with the new owner while my mom and I played one of those electronic bar games. I think we tied. Then my dad told me all these crazy stories from his days of owning the place. I really love hearing new stories about when my parents were my age. Sometimes you forget that your parents ever WERE your age, so it's nice to be reminded. Especially when my parents were actually pretty cool in those days.

My mom and I stopped at the mall briefly (mostly to check out the few stores they have in Bismarck that we don't have back home) but then we went back to the hotel to get my dad and head out for BAR BINGO. I can't even tell you what a quintessential North Dakota pastime "Bar Bingo" feels like for me. We went to "Main Bar" (which is, wait for it, the bar on Main Street) and they told us they would only play bingo if at least twenty people bought in. My mom and I were on a mission then, going around to all the old bearded dudes sitting at the bar, convincing them they needed to play bingo with us. We finally got enough people, bought our cards, borrowed the bar's green bingo dabbers and settled in for a couple of action-packed games.

Guys, I freaking love bingo. Part of me cant wait to be old so I can just play bingo all the time without anyone judging me. When I get back to Seattle, I'm going to make it my mission to find a place that does bingo near where I live so I can drag my friends there and play all the time. I don't know why I didn't think of this before.

Anyway, I won! In the second game, I got straight bingo (half the fun is getting to yell out "BINGO!" especially in a dingy little dive bar) and I won four whole dollars. Pretty exciting. I was really close to blackout too, afterward, but I didn't quite win that one. I made friends with the bingo-caller; he went to the same college as me, weirdly. I have no idea how someone graduates from UW and ends up calling bingo numbers in Mandan, ND, but to each their own.

After bar bingo ended, my mom took my dad and I out to her favorite Mexican restaurant, "Fiesta Villa". I guess she used to go there with her girlfriends all the time when she was younger. We ordered a big plate of nachos and some margaritas, but the real highlight of the night was my parents being totally goofy and making me laugh so hard I couldn't even breathe. This might not be as funny to you guys as it was to me, but I am going to try to explain it.

So we're sitting out on the patio and this family walks in; one of them was a woman carrying a baby in a little baby holder on her stomach. The whole thing was covered with a blanket. As they walked by, my mom leaned over and whispered to me, "I bet that baby is fake." I rolled my eyes at her, but a moment later my dad (who hadn't been listening) leaned in across the table and said to us, "That's probably not even a real baby." At this, I almost spit my drink out, right over the table. "Why," I asked them exasperatedly, "are you both so convinced that woman has a fake baby? Why would anyone even bring a FAKE BABY to a restaurant?"

My parents were cracking up, and they both kept spouting nonsense about fake babies and how rude it is to bring a fake baby to a restaurant and how we weren't going to fall for it, and I said again, "GUYS. It's not like there's a BABY DISCOUNT at the Fiesta Villa! There is no benefit to having a baby here!" My mom just sat back in her chair, crossed her arms and said, "Well, there's no way I'm letting someone have a fake baby in here."

Then she got up out of her chair and waltzed over next to the family, pretending to be interested in the plants behind them but was obviously looking to see if the baby was real. Her eyes got wide and she came barreling back to my dad and I, saying, "It's real! It was definitely moving! It's a real baby!"

Needless to say, a few minutes later the family moved to a table inside. I overheard them say to the waiter that it was because of the bees flying around, but I think they were afraid my mom was going to steal their baby. Or something. Because I was afraid for them.

...though it would have served them right if it had been a fake baby.


I still need to write about all my time with my other grandparents, but I'll finish my North Dakota write-up in the next few days. I can't believe I am already flying home tomorrow. I definitely wish I had more time with my relatives right now... but I guess this just means I need to make sure I get out here again soon. It's so tough to plan a trip strictly for pleasure/family time when I travel so much the way it is, but being here reminded me very vividly how important it is. So I just need to make time, like I did with this trip. :)

Thanks for joining me for BEDA, guys! Have a great September and I'll talk to you all soon.

Flights taken: 21

15 comments:

Ellen said...

Your parents sound hilarious! And they BOTH came up with the idea that the baby was fake? That's amazing. I've really enjoyed reading your BEDA'S this month Kristina! :)

SM said...

Your family sounds so cool. My parents are boring :P
Your BEDA posts have been great, so glad you decided to do them! :)

Brandon said...

Thanks for an amazing month of blogs Kristina! This was a great one to end on. I can't say I've ever heard of someone cutting beer with tomato juice, although I do have a friend who mixes Guinness with Sprite. *shudder* I also loved how you included "...if that had been a fake baby". Those skeptical genes are hiding in there somewhere, no matter how much you claim the baby is real! Can't wait to hear more about your trip. Have a great September!

comelygrace said...

Heyyyy what was your disaster plan with your mom?? :)

Holly and Greg said...

Your blog is one of my favorites and I'm so sad BEDA is over- hope to keep hearing from you frequently.

I went to college in Bismarck for 1 semester (didn't last too long there) but probably my favorite thing about the whole experience was the Knoephla soup from Kroll's- so freaking delicious and it is unheard of anywhere else! I also have been to that Mexican place and it sounds like you had so much fun there with your family!

Anyways, thanks for all your lovely BEDA posts- look forward to more as always.

The Teacup Monster said...

Okay, what is BEDA? All I know is that you blogged every day in August. Your parents are halarious. I see where you get your sense of humor. You should definitely go to ND more often for two reasons: 1. You can spend mmore quality time with your family 2. You can blog about it. Don't forget to post! And sometime can you update the ALL CAPS website? Pretty please! Love your blog!Keep blogging!

Danielle said...

Haha that baby story is hilarious! Your parents sound so funny!!!

Shelby said...

The title to your blog post should be "BEDA 31" not 30....just sayin'....

Unknown said...

I loved reading your blog everyday this month. Keep up the great work!

Alex Dahlberry said...

haahahah. The baby thing does sound amusing.

Maybe this will change with age, but I always get so freaked out when my family try to tell me crazy stories from when they were younger. Like, I don't want to hear about my uncles drinking and partying and all that stuff. It freaks me out, cause I still see them as I did when I was a little kid: pure and innocent and fun. So it's weird. xD Maybe one day I'll get over it.

Sigh. I miss my family in Finland. :(

Manar said...

I just want you to know that I actually snorted (quite unattractively) from laughter. Which, of course, only made me laugh more.

Hurrah for BEDA. :) I am so glad that you do do it, because reading your blog makes my day (even though I sometimes get behind and read them a few days after they're posted).

LOVE YOU KRISTINA. :D

I'm not unique, I'm Monique said...

I love hearing stories from my parents, they were both very strange when they were younger. But the baby thing really is VERY funny, I'm just imagining your mom looking at a fake potted plant and it's just so wonderfully strange.

Anthea said...

Isn't great to have parents that are fun to go out with? I went back to IL from TX this weekend and made sure I left a whole evening free to go out to my favorite bar with my parents.

I thought I was cool when I walked in the door and one of the girls behind the bar said, "Welcome Home!!" Then, I found out my mom has HER OWN SPECIAL DRINK they make just for her!!! haha, I felt like she one-upped me! Parents are the best. :)

Unknown said...

Thank you for for sharing so great thing to us. I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post nice post, thanks for sharing.

charlesdusty10 said...

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