Blah blah

So I bought these fancy wine glasses at Pier 1 and tonight I put one into the sink to wash it and the fancy thin stem broke right off. So I bagged up the other three to return.

After not getting any cooking done Sunday, I went to Kroger tonight and made some butternut squash bisque and stuff to make chicken mole and lasagna. Although I am having cheese and crackers for dinner tonight.

After coming home from work all disgruntled, I pulled myself together and realize I should be making a gift list. It's not like I have a lot to buy, but some stuff must be purchased. Like the kids at work need some gift cards. And an ornament for the work gift exchange (potluck Dec. 22). And my mom needs an answering machine. But what can I take on the plane for my chillens?

And Christmas cards. Hmmm, I've got a ton of them. Let's see if we can get some in the mail.

Reading The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. I always like them post-apocalyptic themes.

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Catching up

Today, Santa was at the Toledo Botanical Garden, so I had my picture taken with him.


Here's an email from Sal:

Duck season opened last weekend and we took Chuck Motley on Saturday. Didn’t BAG anything but it was nice being out there. The boy, Willie, smiled and wagged his tale non-stop (5 hours) much to our amusement. Went again on Sunday with a river bud and I bagged a beautimous Woodie. Willie did the same and jumped and ran endlessly while we were picking up decoys.

Later in the day Willie seemed to be bothered by his butt and was then experiencing muscle spasms in his intestinal area, or so we thought. Thinking he may have ingested something horrendous on the island that he could not expel, we took him to the Emergency Animal Hospital. Very depressing place. After several hours and examination and x-rays we found that he had broken his tail and amazingly, his penis!!!! Poor Willie, the best and worst weekend of his life. He is resting comfortably on pain pills in his kennel, which we had to drag out of the depths under the house.

Also this is what's wrong with the world today (from some news media blog):

“Say you’re a sports fan at a college football game, and another game that’s really important to you is on at the same time,” he said. “While I’m watching my team live in the stadium, I’ll want to be watching the other team on a handheld portable device.”

OMG I do not even want to watch one thing, let alone 2 at once. If you're watching, you're not DOING anything.

Speaking of which, I have been doing for the entire weekend and now it is Sunday evening and back to the slave pit tomorrow.

Friday night Ginger and Amy and I went to the Wood Co. Historical Society holiday gala, where we ate Korean noodles and grape leaves and tamales and mashed potatoes on stew and hummus and kibbie balls and a variety of desserts including Mexican bread pudding and 2 kinds of baklava. So we didn't make it to Polka Floyd.

Yesterday I went to get new lenses put in my current glasses frames but after I was read the disclaimer about how if the lenses or frames broke during the process, I would have to pay for it ALL, I decided to get new lenses which I hope are not Sarah Palin-ish. So I ate at the Corner Grill and did a few other things and then it was time for the radio show. After which I went to Les Robertson's birthday bash in Toledo and then went out for sushi with Stubbs and Gus and Chip.

Today Amy and I went to see Dr. Sue's photos at the National Photography Center at Secor Park and ate at Cafe Marie beforehand and after went to the Botanical Garden and Pier 1 where I bought more wine glasses. Always looking for the perfect ones at a good price. And where I shoulda bought the gift for the ornament exchange at work. Duh.

A big weekend of chow and no exercise. Good job. And 5 weeks to Mexico.

GNO was here Wednesday and it was a good turnout considering the events of the week and the crappy rainy weather. Much wine was drunken. The last guests left at 12:30. AM.
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Almost December

What a wonderful weekend. Wednesday, I went to my mom's and bought the requisite supplies for a Thanksgiving dinner which I made: cole slaw, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, stuffing, ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce in the can. Then I cleaned it all up and drove home, listening to Bailey White on NPR. Had a fun evening.

Friday I sat around all day reading T.C. Boyle's Water Music. Later, we went to Kim and Jim's for cards which was a fun time.

Saturday I did some errands, went to Pemberville to try to retrieve my glasses I left in the opera house during the play (no could do) and a radio show and then had a turkey dinner with sausage stuffing and brussel sprouts and cranberry in the can. Mmmmmmmmm.

Today I put up some Xmas decor for GNO on Wednesday and bought some wine for that

Today, I uh did something. Washed, ironed, hung the kitchen curtains. Bought some groceries. Talked to Miss Annie for an hour and a half. Made some sweet potato corn chowder. Laundry. Cleaning. Greenery wrap on my outdoor lights. Etc.

And now back to work. Monday night, radio meeting. Weds., GNO. Friday, the gala at the Wood. Co. Historical Society AND Polka Floyd at Grumpy Dave's.

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the weekly rag

Well, thank heaven that play is over. I will NOT be trying out for the Wizard of Oz. My, that stuff really sucks up your time.

Another beautiful weekend, weather-wise. 50+ and sunny and not so windy. I got the rest of my fence down and stowed in the garage and moved chairs inside and under cover and took the last of the leaves to the yard waste. Made a meatloaf. Did a pilates DVD. Yesterday I did not get in my car once except to clear out the detritus. Walked to the library, visited the OSU-UM party at Martha's in the final quarter, had a lovely dinner, slept today til 9:30. Although I still look tired. Really looking forward to the long weekend. Although this week there is something almost every evening.

Going to Delaware Wednesday night and back home Thursday as soon as can be done.

Did not view the BG holiday parade for probably the first time in 20 years.

Today, I wake up pretty darn cold and after fiddling with the thermostat, no heat will come on. I start thinking hmmm, new furnace, but alas when I went to the basement, I see the cover panel has fallen off the side where I installed a new filter Nov. 1 and when it was replaced, furnace on.

GNO chez moi Dec. 2.
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Hell week almost over!

The theater from the stage and from the back.




Play practice every night, Friday opening night, tonight is over and after tomorrow's matinee, I'm free! Free! Pretty much. I still have to launch the new web design Tuesday but thanks to the kids, everything's pretty much done! Still planning to work a 12-15 hour day Monday if need be, but hey! Almost done!

Tomorrow morning I will review various things the kids made for the website and make sure everything is in order.

Today was a BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL day. I raked more. Still quite a pile in the back but I'm sure I can finish it off before it turns to a soggy slurry. And I mowed today. Now if the city would just come remove my leaves....

Also removed one sagging fence section. Need to get the other three down before the snow flies.

Thursday night I went to the ClaZel after play practice where Josh Garrett was opening for that guy from Wet Willie and they were all amazing and played their hearts out for all 8 people who were there. Sad. Barker was in town so we had a couple of bevs and when I went out to get in my car, there were 3 cop vehicles out there and about 60 people surrounding my car so we went into Beckett's for a drink and they were saying LAST CALL. I had no idea it was so late. From Beckett's we could see a rescue vehicle had showed up and various non capacitated people were being loaded in and at last I could get to my car. Got home at 2:30 so it was a tiresome day Friday with Bob the sales manager pinging into my office like a pinball asking questions. My part-timer Jen said she could never do my job because she could not be nice to a crazy person like Bob.

I got 2 books out of the library, Water Music by T.C. Boyle and Plain Heathen Mischief which I am reading now. I also requested the new Margaret Atwood and the new Nick Hornby, for which I am in waiting position 31.

Got an email about volunteering for the Holiday Parade which is this Saturday. I will be a bay coordinator, which means I will be lining up the bands and horses and floats for YOUR enjoyment. That day is also the OSU-UM game which will mean drinking and eating inappropriately. Love that. From last year's parade report: Saturday morning Amy calls at 9 and we agree to go to the holiday parade. It's 18 degrees.

Will have to rest up Friday night. Not.

And the next week is Thanksgiving week and only 2.75 days. Ahhh.

I have heard these rumors that my son is moving to San Francisco. Not that he's told me.

Jumpin' Jimmy co-hosted on the radio show today. He is becoming quite good, except for the typing, and will be able to teach me some new tricks like playing from an MP3 player for your radio show. And now I see I will not have a show Dec. 12 OR 19 so maybe there will be no Christmas show although I have some stunning new Xmas music. I'll sprinkle it in from now til then as apparently, the retail world believes you should be shopping NOW for the holidays.

The Happy Badger is having a party:
"There's a countdown to our Ribbon Cutting with the B.G. Mayor Friday Nov. 20th (1 PM). It's also the day our new sign gets dedicated. The party goes all day 'til 10 pm with bands, Fairly Handsome Band, Sarah Cohen, Estar Cohen and Corey Howe, Irish Step Dancer Lois Snaveley, Native American flute player, Anthony Two Feathers and many more. Also, there will be a book signing by a Japanese Anime author, henna by Caitlin, free Reiki by Andrew and more!"

Free Reiki. I could go for some of that. Because: "A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance and has many benefits for both client and practitioner, including altered states of consciousness and spiritual experiences."

We should attend. I need me some o them Mucklucks.

Listening to Lyle Lovett "Natural Forces." Drinking Old Zin Vines from Oak Ridge Winery. "Tall, dark, strong, sleek, bold, full, dangerous, striking, intense. Razor sharp, yet soft as feathers. Arresting, dazzling, raging, exhilarating." There's some wine talk for you.

Friended a guy on Facebook I went to grad school with, Gary Cohn.

Bought some napkins for the holiday Xmas GNO. I think this will be a fine time. Dec. 2.

Weather report from blog Nov. 16 last year: "Plus today was supposed to be eave-cleaning day but alas it's 32 and snowing and windy. " This year the forecast is "Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56." Also from last year at this time: "got gas for $1.76."
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Hell Week

Let's recap:

Renee's Halloween party was largely attended and Rod's Collision plus Joe and Bob played. Hard to believe that was only last weekend.

Then Monday it was the heinous radio meeting, Tuesday fun, Weds. and Thurs. play practice, Friday wine, Sat. Neko Case at the ClaZel. Where we astounded to find there were no seats. We grabbed a booth in the back and sat there through everything until the headliner came on around 9:15. There was no re-entry so once we were inside, we couldn't decide to come back later when we all would have been standing anyway to see her. It was sold out although I don't know what this means. She played 1.5 hours flat. She and her band were very good. I ended up getting onto a balcony but it was VERY hot up there and you couldn't see much better because the light set was in the way and there were probably too many people up there.

I had a radio show yesterday during which Jumpin' Jimmy, the new blues breakfast DJ (good luck on that test Monday) took over the board and CD players for his first radio broadcast. I am so proud. Now if he could just learn how to type....

So today it was incredibly beautiful weather so after screwing around til almost noon, I raked the side yard. But not the back. Went to Kroger and made some mac n cheese and have stuff to slap together chicken enchiladas and chicken corn chowder when I get home tonight from play practice which I have every night this week, culminating in opening night Friday at 8. So I will not resort to eating fast food which, combined with long days, could spell trouble, health-wise.

Worked on the redesign in theory for a couple hours today and have many lists of new pages to make which I believe me and the kids can slap together this week and be ready for Nov. 17. So, much relieved about that. Having a couple kids work extra hours. Last week, my full-time assistant Erin got some flu and was out 2 and 2 half days. Taxing. Hope she is better this week.

Kim and Jim are having cards Fri. Nov. 27. GNO in December is at my house. Dec. 2. Polka Floyd is at Grumpy Dave's Fri. Dec. 4.

This weekend is also the 20th anniversary at Grounds for Thought where they are having a special guest in concert Thursday, Sat. Bob and Joe play 6-8 and there are many other festivities.

K almost time for the drive to Pemberville...

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And so we say farewell to October

Suddenly. Where we did have several days that qualified as beautiful autumn. During which I have not blogged for nearly 3 weeks.

And I can't blame it all on play practice as I've only had seven in that three weeks. Hardly seems enough to put on a play, now does it?

My mom is all settled in her apartment and we got her phone hooked up and aside from still many boxes unexplored but once again stowed away in a closet, she's all set up for business. She is going to have her phone number changed as she is getting bill collector calls for my sister.

I haven't had a radio show in several weeks due to in part football and in part a misunderstanding, but I have one Saturday during which I will play a selection of Halloween and full moon oriented tunes. The full moon is Monday afternoon around 2:15. There are 2 full moons in December, one on New Year's Eve. When Amy may be throwing a cards.

Next week play practice is only Weds. and Thurs. for me. Which means I will probably miss GNO which is at Wynn's.

Today we had the annual Halloween potluck at work where we had cheese ball and bean dip and deviled eggs and meatballs and wienies in sauces and cookies so I am full of bad food.

Next week, the redesign starts for 13abc.com which unleashes on Nov. 17.

Tonight I saw for the first time the whole first act of the play which is pretty good. There are 3 kids in it who look to be about 11.

My daughter visited last weekend. We had some good talking and hanging out. She is a fine offspring. We watched some YouTube including the Best Cat Video Ever.

Tonight I raked all the leaves off my driveway and front walk into the yard because I just kept driving over them and thought they would become compacted. As I was raking a young girl walked by and said she would rake my leaves and said she lives in the blue house in the next block of Curtis. I told her I would pay her to rake and she said she would do it for free, just call her. Which will be difficult as I don't know who she is. I planned on raking this weekend anyway. Which may be a wet mess if we get the inch of rain the NWS says.

I see the Circle K across from the DQ has gone out of business. I see this leaves us only six.

Last Saturday Rod's Collision played at the ClaZel which was not highly attended.

There is some night of blues scheduled there for Nov. 12 but alas I will be in dress rehearsal. I don't have any info on tickets for the play.

So now I am two weeks behind on Flash Forward so I think I will watch last week's now online.

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