The usual big life

My daughter is coming here Wednesday with her cat Tinkerbell to spend about a month. I amazingly have the green room all cleaned up for her arrival.

Wednesday is also Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat at GFT. 8 pm free show.

Last night, I went to the Crosby Festival gala preview. The food was tasty (and free), stuffed mushrooms, salmon, flank steak, various spreads for crackers and bread toasts, berry shortcakes for dessert. Then went to the Clazel to catch John Nemeth playing. Apparently, shoulda gone to the GFT roaster afterwards to party with the band. The father of my children was at the Clazel with a new woman.

Today, I have a radio show and then going to a party at Mark Trout's then going to Hines Farm to see Nora Jean Bruso.

Should be mowing, weeding, doing dishes. But if I get a shower and my show CDs in a bag in the next 2 hours, I'll be satisfied...

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Summery weekend

All righty then, two hot clear summer days. Got that fence up. Went to the Centennial terrace blues fest where Bernard allison was smokin'. It was a beautiful night, had a couple beers, ate some evil restaurant food at Applebee's, onion rings and fries and ribs and a sensible salad. Had a rough time sleeping as did other people. You? Not a big crowd at the blues fest.

Made black raspberry cobbler which is all gone now. And it was delish.

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Tinsley Ellis at Centennial Terrace

No sense trying to catch up

Tonight, Amy came over to hold the ladder and the bucket while I cleaned out my gutters. Those ones up over the patio roof are impossible to reach. Need a monkey.

Last weekend, I dined out: Call of the Canyon, Corner Grill, Amy's, Chip's. Did a radio show and hit a bunch of yard sales where I got a cooler for a buck, a box of dishes for a buck (mostly junk except some gold plated dish that's worth about $10 and some plates I'm using a plant saucers), a skeleton that sings a ZZ Top song.

Went to my producer Erin's wedding shower Sunday afternoon. She got a set of pans which was what I was getting her for a wedding present so now I need to regroup or just write a check. Since I'm not attending the nuptials anyway.

Todd is coming to the Ark Aug. 23. Yay!

My new neighbors still haven't moved in and now the house to the east of me is for sale.

I don't know what else. Working daily. Cleaning up the green room for Anne's impending stay. Checking the Facebook on the iPad. Adding stuff to the iPad calendar.

My little garden is going well. All the tomatoes are in cages and there's a pepper larger than a golf ball on the red bell pepper plant. Still haven't got the fence up.

The big news today: touchdown Jesus (aka big butter Jesus) along I-75 down by Dayton burned up.

If I were more ambitious, I'd list my various crap on Craigslist. Alas.

Somebody has planned a 40-year high school class reunion for Sept. 25. Have to try and make that. Should be interesting.

Downloaded a couple free songs from Paul Thorn's new CD Pimps and Preachers.
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Old west end fest

We did this in two half days which in retrospect was brilliant as all that walking in one day would have been a lot.

Saturday we saw 4 of the 6 homes on the house tour and saw some garage sales at one of which I bought this set of dishes. When I look them up on eBay, I find out they're worth about $240. I paid $15. So maybe I'll sell them to make up for all the stuff I bought today. Which was a pair of earrings and four votive candles and a cookbook and a cotton top and a lantern for a candle and two Xmas compilation CDs, one of which has Doris Day singing Toyland. Today we saw the other two houses.

Last night we were drinking some wine and I get a storm warning text and then until 3:30 a.m. I am posting to the 13abc Facebook updates which drew hundreds of comments from appreciative viewers who were apparently holed up in their basements with their laptops and no TV.

Also last night Amy and I bought tickets to see Lyle Lovett at meijer gardens in GR, Michigan on Aug. 7. Booked a room for one night.

The machines hate me

Today, I try to get my computer speakers to work and I see that they are unplugged so I plug them in and my whole computer powers down. Shhhzzzzzhhhhhewwwwwwaahhhh. So, incredibly long story short, later I replug everything and power up and viola, they all work. I had called Sherry to see if her internet was down because all afternoon when I called Time Warner it was Ring. All circuits busy.

So, first day off was goofy. Didn't get much done besides going to the library. Yesterday, I engendered many comments on the 13abc Facebook by commenting on the weather and then receiving posts back. Because, for the record here, it was one of the rainiest Memorial Days on record, I have no doubt. A giant rain before the guests arrived collapsed Amy's canopy although I tried to disassemble quickly but alas two struts are broken. Somebody apparently knows the Super Welder so maybe it can be fixed. If not, I'll buy a new one.

Then another giant storm tore through and then it let up enough so we could grill and then it started raining in earnest. But it was cozy and the house was set up to receive.

It was the meat and carb fest party. Potato salad macaroni salad pasta dish. With 4 cakes and ice cream for dessert. Thank you to all who braved the weather to hang out.

Tonight I made some appetizers of ground almonds, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, lemon zest rolled in prosciutto. It was pretty good but the filling would make a better dip or cracker spread. Then I made a salad of green beans and potatoes and tomatoes and red onion and black olives and anchovies and hard boiled egg with an olive oil and lemon juice dressing.

And crab cakes. When a recipe says to make 16 little crab cakes, do not try to make 8 bigger ones. Although they were tasty. How could they not be with mayonnaise and eggs and spices and bread crumbs fried in butter and olive oi?

Tom calls today to find out if his renter's insurance which I pay for will cover anything on their moving but I think it does not.

Tonight's dinner

Sign at Nelsonville Fest.

Sign at New Orleans Jazz Fest

A big Andy Warhol head at the Brooklyn art museum.

Bought Ribberfest tix today. But it's WEEKS away. Aug. 20 and 21.
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