S H A N N O N K E L L Y ! ! !
It's official. Shannon Kelly, the only Louisville transplant in Stratford besides myself, is the official 2015, spur-of-the-moment, Derby Party horse winner, taking home $100 dollars (of which, Edrik reports, 50% of it will go towards toys).
The goal all week long was to get on top of the academic work so I could find a place in my life to host a post-Henry the Hernia, housewarming party (with horses). I decided two nights ago that I'd go for it, and was finished grading by 11 a.m. Saturday morning. I ran to my office to print out the horses and Chitunga and I went to get deck chairs and an umbrella. The guests began arriving (well, they arrived all at once) at 4:45.
Sauteed shrimp. Hoffman hotdogs and salt potatoes (thanks to Ginette Piehl), beer, mint Juleps, hamburgers, salads, and more. The good thing about hosting is there's food for the week, too.
This marks a change of season for sure in Connecticut and although it wasn't as warm as Louisville, it was a great day to be outside (until we all moved inside for the race - 25 people, including kids, in a very tight place in front of the t.v.). It really is awesome watching a horse race in the eyes of children. Their excitement is contagious.
It was also great to see a variety of friends, including new neighbors, showing up for the celebration. I still get chills and choke up when I hear My Ol' Kentucky Home. And now that I have a home - a real home again - I hope to make this tradition a Crandall ritual (yes, that's a Louisville photo hanging between the two windows).
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