Desperate Housewives – February (a) Edition

I’ve always been hooked on photography but ever since I received a camera for a gift, I have been really hooked. I began my little blogging journey back in August and I wish I had more time to spend on the internet! I’ve been looking at other blogs and enjoying people’s perspective, expertise, and creativity. One of the things I love doing is looking at homes. Most of you who know me, know that I love to decorate, I can do it all day. I found Julia on Hooked on Houses during my wanderings over the internet. I enjoyed her tour of models home last week. I’ve been through every model home in the county by the way.

So if I didn’t have to work, didn’t have to feed the family or the pets, didn’t have to do laundry, and didn’t have to go on kids field trips, I would be taking pictures, while peeking at other people’s home, spending an exorbitant of money I don’t have on decorating my own home, and surfing the internet. That’s what I would do.

Next week, the husband is on vacation. Instead of going on a fantastic and exotic trip to the Caribbean, he’s going to tile the kids’ bathroom floor. For any neighbors reading this, beware. He’ll be knocking on your door to borrow tools and recruit your expertise and muscle. Because we’re not the handiest people on the block.

Here’s a sneak peek at Neighbor Kaishia’s home. I’m apparently not the only one in the neighborhood who is hooked on decorating. She’s got the eye! So today, I’m combining Desperate Housewives with House and Garden. I can do this because Neighbor Kaishia’s home is so pretty.

During the “intermission” of the game, we set the bell aside and went on a tour…

Quincy’s room is reflective of her personality, bright and cheerful and really really girly.

The playroom is adorable. Every girl should have a pink refrigerator.

And here’s where AJ The Star hangs out.

I love that everything is so colorful.

There’s her guest room, so calming and so soothing. She may never get rid of her guests.

Here’s Neighbor Janet behind the bar, she floats like a butterfly and stings like a beeeee.

We actually played bunco too…

Desperate Housewives – January Edition, Prayers For Neighbor Mary Ann

Today Neighbor Mary Ann goes into surgery. I believe with all my heart in the power of prayer.

We wish you well today Mary Ann.

Desperate Housewives – January Edition, No Men Allowed

There’s no men allowed at bunco.

An exception was made last week for Ironman.

We would subject men to cat whistles.

And a small amount of ridicule and abuse.

Trust me guys, you don’t want to come.

We may just do this to you.

Then Neighbor Theresa’s boy, Little Ryan, came home.

And said “Hey, what are you doing to my Ironman?”

He rescued Ironman from our clutches and ran upstairs.

You can never trust those bunco women.

Desperate Housewives – January Edition, Always A Bridesmaid

I’ve been playing bunco with this group for about four years. And I’ve only won once, once.

Not that it’s just about prizes.

But it would be nice to winning something every once in a while.

Always the brides maid.

Never the bride.

Wait a minute – is that Neighbor Suzanne again?

Then, miraculously, it happened.

It was my turn, finally!

It was the most beautiful set of dish towels I had ever seen.

I’m just beside myself. And everyone else was really jealous, really jealous. It was really getting old watching everyone else win.

Desperate Housewives, December Edition

Nothing gets me in the holiday spirit more than a good game of bunco.

And all the goodies you can eat.

Neighbor Kay has the most beautiful home. I think this will be House and Garden week on Life Signatures.

Neighbor Kay thought of everything, right down to the Christmas cactus.

We also love the Christmas wine.

Not even Boone can look ridiculous in a pink boa.

When are you leaving my house? I want to take this off, pink’s not my color.

Please don’t put anything else on me. You can leave now…really.

Desperate Housewives September Edition

This may be predictable but the song in my head is “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper.

For the last four years, our neighborhood gets together once a month at each other’s homes to play bunco. There are 16 of us. Although we have had people leave the group and we’ve added new players, the majority of the group has remained together. This is not stepford wives stuff. We have an engineer, a veterinarian, a government worker, a small business owner and several teachers - among others. All of us are or were housewives. And we’ve all been desperate at one time or other I’m sure. The reason I believe this group has stayed together for so long is that we like each other. It’s that simple. We all know why we get together, community is important to all of us.

My neighbors are the nicest people. Really. Our little town should be in Money Magazine’s best places to live. It’s because of the people who live here. You can’t find that in any MLS listing anywhere.

We take the summers off so this is the first time we’ve met since May. We are very happy to see each other.

My guy friends and the husband will sometimes rib me. One guy actually took the time to explain the history of bunco to me. Because he’s like that.

It actually started back in England during the 18th century. It was introducted to the US in 1855 by a crooked gambler during the Gold Rush. It became a form of organized gambling and an efficient way of separating hard working citizens from their money in establishments called Bunco Parlors. Yikes.

Hence, the word Bunco came to be a general term that applied to all scams, swindling and confidence games. Oh my.

Through the Victorian era and prior to WWI, Bunco had achieved permanent placement as a traditional family or parlor game, promoting social interaction.

During this period Bunco groups consisting of 8-12 people and as many as 20 people enjoyed an evening of food, drink, conversation, and friendly competition.

During prohibition and the roaring 20’s, the infamous Bunco gambling parlors resurfaced in various regions of the US. The most notorious speak-easies and Bunco dice parlors were located in and around Chicago, Illinois.

The term “Bunco Squad” referred to the detectives who raided these establishments! Hands up lady!

After prohibition, Bunco group activity declined in the major cities of the country, but spread to the suburbs as housing developments and the migratory population expanded nationally. Probably because the suburbs found ways around the prohibition rules.

Since the early 1980’s Bunco group activity has increased due to a combination of circumstances; a return to traditional family values , a sense of neighborhood and community and the desire and need for social interaction. Thank you Ronald Reagan.

And we have great prizes.

I will look out the window next month for the Bunco Squad. Especially since it will be at my place!

I’ll also explain the chicken next month. By the end of the night, it was no longer called a chicken. I used Get Totally Rad’s Super Fun Happy action on all of these photos. Because it was that kind of night.

Thanks Tim for the history lesson.

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