Unit 8A residents celebrated 100 happy hours!
Hot Dog—We Made It to 100!
Ernie Nedder
Camaraderie and community spirit were palpable as Unit 8A celebrated a remarkable milestone: their 100th happy hour. An afternoon of fun, food, and games was enjoyed by nearly all Unit 8A residents who were not traveling or away for the summer.
A welcoming atmosphere: Gene and Chris Lee’s home was a perfect venue for this special occasion. The hosts went above and beyond to ensure that every guest felt welcome and comfortable.
The theme was: Hot dog we made it to 100: Poncho and Lefty’s Patriot Hot Dogs, owned by Ranch residents John and Nancy Hardy, set up in the hosts’ garage due to the possibility of an approaching rainstorm. They served New York hot dogs and bratwurst with all the trimmings. Yes, they were yummy. Best of all, the rainstorm went around Unit 8A.
Laughter and stories: If you listened well, you could tell the atmosphere was filled with laughter and lively conversations. Members were sharing stories and memories from past happy hours, reminiscing about the many wonderful moments they’ve experienced together. It was time to reflect on the strong bonds of friendship and community that have been built over the years.
Aerial memories: Capturing the essence of the event from above, aerial photos were taken by Steve Weis. His stunning photography provides a unique perspective, showcasing the lively gathering and beautiful setting of Gene and Chris’s home. These photos will serve as a cherished memory of this special event.
A grateful community: All members wanted to give kudos to the team responsible for planning and facilitating the afternoon—Judy Townsend, Chris Lee, MaryJo Stastny, and Janelle Authur. They put together a wonderful event.
In conclusion, the 100th happy hour by Unit 8A was a resounding success, marked by yummy hotdogs, wonderful company, and cherished memories. It was a celebration of community, friendship, and the many happy hours yet to come. Thanks to all who over the years either planned, hosted, or attended happy hours, persevering through cold, heat, monsoons, bugs, inside, outside, crowded spaces, loud spaces, rotating driveways, hauling chairs, playing games, bringing munchies, posing for pictures and, of course, Covid.
How high can we go? Here’s to Unit 8A as we “Keep on Rolling!”
This is what a bunch of happy brunchers look like.
Unit 16C Sunday Brunch and Bloody Mary Bar
Lucy Lange
Unit 16C is a small unit compared to the rest of the Ranch units, so we see each other at the mail boxes, on our driveways, and walking our dogs. Early in June, when we had our first monsoon rains and it was hot and humid, the conversation turned to “what are we going to do for our June get-together?” “It’s too hot and sticky to be outside for an evening patio party.” “Garages are too hot, even with the door open.” “I don’t want to be stuck inside. It’s summer and we should be outside enjoying our desert weather.” “Ok,” I said. “Let’s do a Sunday brunch with a Bloody Mary bar.” “Great!” they said. “You brought it up so let’s do it at your house.”
So in late June we had the first-ever Unit 16C Sunday brunch hosted by Lucy and Hans Lange and Glenna Matthews and Jim Hoagland. It was hot, humid, and muggy. So it became an inside/outside event. Lucy found two of the best bartenders ever, Rob Smith and Audrey King, who live in the Ranch. We bought shrimp, bacon, stuffed olives, cherry tomatoes, cocktail onions, celery salt, pepperoncinis, gherkins, Worcestershire sauce, Cholula hot sauce, horseradish cream, celery, and cucumbers, plus had homemade pickled green beans. There were lemons and limes for the rims and a choice of Tajin, lemon pepper, chili lime salt, or coarse sea salt for dusting and two gallons of Mrs T’s Bloody Mary mix. There was ice tea and fruit flavored seltzers. Rob said we had everything except the kitchen sink, but it was there holding the ice.
We set up tables inside and out so everyone had a choice where to eat. Everyone brought brunch appropriate foods and Lucy and Glenna made the quiches and strata. No one left hungry and as neighbors were leaving there was a chorus of “Let’s do this again next weekend” to which Glenna and Lucy replied “Not in our lifetime.” Maybe again next year. It was a great change of pace for our monthly gatherings and a guaranteed “wait until next year” event.