Saturday, June 20, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Mid-June
I'm just going to blather on here.
Amy is having a goofy golf party at her house on July 4. You're invited. No idea of when it starts or anything.
Continual home owner slavery takes place. Yesterday Amy and I cleaned out our eaves which has left me today with innumerable bruises and general fatigue. Although I did come home tonight and mow the back and water the plantings and get clean sheets on the bed and shopped at Kroger ($17, what can you get for that? Crumbled Roquefort, half and half, a pint of Hagen Daas, toothpaste, Kleenex, a chocolate bar, 3 bananas.).
I wish I could haul my ass out of bed around 6:30 on work days and enjoy some of these beautiful June mornings.
Today when I left for work, three city trucks and a forklift were out in front of my house but when I came home, nothing was different.
My water bill this month was $107. Usually it's about $12. Apparently I left my toilet running while I was in New Orleans. So the cost on that trip just keeps mounting. I could have had Gearhart come and determine what the problem was and possibly got a discount on the water bill but I figure I would cut my losses since it was probably nothing but the toilet running. If it's high next month, I'll reconsider.
I volunteered Sunday afternoon at the Wood Co. Historical Society Heritage Days. I mostly just stood around for 2 hours and greeted people coming in on the front porch.
Saturday was Rod's Collision at the ClaZel. Larry got up and sang Stand By Me with the band and indeed I was wrong when last time he did this, I said he was great. I must have been tanky. There was a pretty good crowd, I thought but the band did not. Even at the early time, it is hard to get the old people out. The band was smoking. As in hot.
I have made no progress on getting anybody to fix my front steps or build me a screen porch and deck out back. Tonight, while sitting on the patio, I realize the traffic noise encroaches more all the time. I thought briefly I should sell my house and move into the countryside, but seriously. It's tough for an old broad to live alone out in the sticks. I get all piney for the great outdoors and think about how many little houses around little lakes just over the Michigan line are probably in foreclosure and how if I quit throwing my monthly IRA payment into what is no doubt the pit of no returns, I could buy one. If you have any info on this, clue me in.
Of course, it takes all my energy to keep this place up so how would I do another one if I was at it every weekend? I need a staff.
I need to play my guitar. I need to throw some dinner parties. I need a ride out to Horseshoe Lake. I have a ticket left to see Todd at the Ark June 27. You could accompany me and Amy and Sherry. I have just figured this out on guitar. Not for public performance.
The CD drive on my home computer is dysfunctional. It will not record audio CDs and now it won't play movie DVDs. I was going to buy another DVD player since my old one is now powering my stereo but ALAS I think this is the final sign to cross over to the MP3/iPod side. Erin at work said she got a cable that plugs into the auxiliary on her stereo amp and it plays from the iPod. Yes, there would be some tedious loading of recent stuff into the digital realm but it could be done. Much like the basement could get cleaned out. HAHAHAHHAHAHA.
I participated in much digital TV switch angst, answering the phones for 7 hours, taking calls from (old) people about how they couldn't figure out those converter boxes or where their coax plugs into or why their antenna was no good. This is one of the US Congress's largest mistakes. There better be some explanation of how the new, freed-up broadcast streams are going to benefit the populace real damn soon.
Hey, look! You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I can post to this blog and Twitter from my phone. There's no reason for you NOT to know what I am doing every second of my life. Is this the kind of world we want to live in?
I will be participating again in the Dragon Boat races. Although this year, I will have movie star shades. And a better haircut. July 25. It's a good time. Last year I saw Empire Drift and some reggae band while waiting around to paddle. There's an area of free samples/craft vendors/Chinese culture displays. And good festival eats: pizza, Eye-talian sausage, etc.
I started watching the HBO series Entourage on DVD from Netflix. I may be hooked. I see it is in season 6. My kids are into this. Maybe I will leave it for cold weather.
I read this 900+-page book: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It was a 12th century "Dallas." Lot of wife-messing and nefarious money deals and family loyalties. I have it in case you need some bedtime reading.
Sherry has a lot of wine that we need to drink. Let's get that together, girls!
_____________________
Amy is having a goofy golf party at her house on July 4. You're invited. No idea of when it starts or anything.
Continual home owner slavery takes place. Yesterday Amy and I cleaned out our eaves which has left me today with innumerable bruises and general fatigue. Although I did come home tonight and mow the back and water the plantings and get clean sheets on the bed and shopped at Kroger ($17, what can you get for that? Crumbled Roquefort, half and half, a pint of Hagen Daas, toothpaste, Kleenex, a chocolate bar, 3 bananas.).
I wish I could haul my ass out of bed around 6:30 on work days and enjoy some of these beautiful June mornings.
Today when I left for work, three city trucks and a forklift were out in front of my house but when I came home, nothing was different.
My water bill this month was $107. Usually it's about $12. Apparently I left my toilet running while I was in New Orleans. So the cost on that trip just keeps mounting. I could have had Gearhart come and determine what the problem was and possibly got a discount on the water bill but I figure I would cut my losses since it was probably nothing but the toilet running. If it's high next month, I'll reconsider.
I volunteered Sunday afternoon at the Wood Co. Historical Society Heritage Days. I mostly just stood around for 2 hours and greeted people coming in on the front porch.
Saturday was Rod's Collision at the ClaZel. Larry got up and sang Stand By Me with the band and indeed I was wrong when last time he did this, I said he was great. I must have been tanky. There was a pretty good crowd, I thought but the band did not. Even at the early time, it is hard to get the old people out. The band was smoking. As in hot.
I have made no progress on getting anybody to fix my front steps or build me a screen porch and deck out back. Tonight, while sitting on the patio, I realize the traffic noise encroaches more all the time. I thought briefly I should sell my house and move into the countryside, but seriously. It's tough for an old broad to live alone out in the sticks. I get all piney for the great outdoors and think about how many little houses around little lakes just over the Michigan line are probably in foreclosure and how if I quit throwing my monthly IRA payment into what is no doubt the pit of no returns, I could buy one. If you have any info on this, clue me in.
Of course, it takes all my energy to keep this place up so how would I do another one if I was at it every weekend? I need a staff.
I need to play my guitar. I need to throw some dinner parties. I need a ride out to Horseshoe Lake. I have a ticket left to see Todd at the Ark June 27. You could accompany me and Amy and Sherry. I have just figured this out on guitar. Not for public performance.
The CD drive on my home computer is dysfunctional. It will not record audio CDs and now it won't play movie DVDs. I was going to buy another DVD player since my old one is now powering my stereo but ALAS I think this is the final sign to cross over to the MP3/iPod side. Erin at work said she got a cable that plugs into the auxiliary on her stereo amp and it plays from the iPod. Yes, there would be some tedious loading of recent stuff into the digital realm but it could be done. Much like the basement could get cleaned out. HAHAHAHHAHAHA.
I participated in much digital TV switch angst, answering the phones for 7 hours, taking calls from (old) people about how they couldn't figure out those converter boxes or where their coax plugs into or why their antenna was no good. This is one of the US Congress's largest mistakes. There better be some explanation of how the new, freed-up broadcast streams are going to benefit the populace real damn soon.
Hey, look! You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I can post to this blog and Twitter from my phone. There's no reason for you NOT to know what I am doing every second of my life. Is this the kind of world we want to live in?
I will be participating again in the Dragon Boat races. Although this year, I will have movie star shades. And a better haircut. July 25. It's a good time. Last year I saw Empire Drift and some reggae band while waiting around to paddle. There's an area of free samples/craft vendors/Chinese culture displays. And good festival eats: pizza, Eye-talian sausage, etc.
I started watching the HBO series Entourage on DVD from Netflix. I may be hooked. I see it is in season 6. My kids are into this. Maybe I will leave it for cold weather.
I read this 900+-page book: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It was a 12th century "Dallas." Lot of wife-messing and nefarious money deals and family loyalties. I have it in case you need some bedtime reading.
Sherry has a lot of wine that we need to drink. Let's get that together, girls!
_____________________
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Monday, June 08, 2009
Some pictures
Here are some sliders Anne had at Stanley. They were oysters and Korean beef and club.
On this side street, I think it was Ursulines, they had torn up the street and made it into an oldtime street for a movie they were shooting. Another night we saw a porch on an old house all lit up with floodlights and they were shooting another scene. I don't know what it was.
Here is a statue of Jesus and the Sepulchre or something from the St. Roch cemetery.
Above ground resting places at St. Roch.
A brass band playing in Jackson Square.
Here is the Gazebo Cafe on Decatur where they have live blues and you can get a beer.
Here are Tom and Jessica at Iris where we went to have cocktails and ended up staying for dinner. She is much cuter than this picture. I had to photoshop it for color balance.
Tom and Anne at Stanley.
Streetcars down by the riverfront.
Part of a Segway tour group. Tom knew this guy. He knows about half the people in New Orleans.
The guy on the right who is standing on his hands had just jumped over that line of people kneeling down.
A piano at the Roots of Louisiana Rock and Roll exhibit that possibly belonged to Fats Domino but you couldn't tell from the information.
Clifton Chenier, king of Zydeco, his crown.
One of the statues in the St. Roch cemetery.
A mosaic at St. Roch. With Tom.
This room full of casts and stuff where people put them so the saints will bless them. Or something. You know me and religion.
A poster in the rock exhibit. I just like the Look out, Bitches part.
A balcony on possibly Chartres St.
On this side street, I think it was Ursulines, they had torn up the street and made it into an oldtime street for a movie they were shooting. Another night we saw a porch on an old house all lit up with floodlights and they were shooting another scene. I don't know what it was.
Here is a statue of Jesus and the Sepulchre or something from the St. Roch cemetery.
Above ground resting places at St. Roch.
A brass band playing in Jackson Square.
Here is the Gazebo Cafe on Decatur where they have live blues and you can get a beer.
Here are Tom and Jessica at Iris where we went to have cocktails and ended up staying for dinner. She is much cuter than this picture. I had to photoshop it for color balance.
Tom and Anne at Stanley.
Streetcars down by the riverfront.
Part of a Segway tour group. Tom knew this guy. He knows about half the people in New Orleans.
The guy on the right who is standing on his hands had just jumped over that line of people kneeling down.
A piano at the Roots of Louisiana Rock and Roll exhibit that possibly belonged to Fats Domino but you couldn't tell from the information.
Clifton Chenier, king of Zydeco, his crown.
One of the statues in the St. Roch cemetery.
A mosaic at St. Roch. With Tom.
This room full of casts and stuff where people put them so the saints will bless them. Or something. You know me and religion.
A poster in the rock exhibit. I just like the Look out, Bitches part.
A balcony on possibly Chartres St.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Home again, home again
Amy came to get me at DTW tonight after I almost didn't even get there as I thought my plane left at 5:45 but it was 4:54 (you can see how I would mix up those numbers). I try to kiosk check in and it refused me so I go to the counter and they say Uh oh, here's a boarding pass, run as fast as you can, which wasn't much running as that New Orleans airport is not very big so I throw my bags through the checkpoint and run barefoot to the gate which is about 30 feet from the checkpoint and I can hear the woman calling "Deborah Weiser, last call for boarding to Detroit" and I say "Here I am!" and run down the hallway and still about 12 people have not boarded yet and I get on the plane and someone else has my seat so I get bumped to first class. Tragic. I declined the meal but accepted a glass of the worst red wine I have ever tasted, and that's saying something. I had to have the attendant take it away.
Went to the Louisiana State Museum that had a special exhibit The New Orleans Roots of Rock and Roll. Fairly lame. But I have some pix to post of it. I have been to several state museums. North Dakota wins.
Back to work tomorrow. Plenty more pictures to post here. Working on that. The kids were great, we ate a ton of food, much at fancy restaurants and had some bevs but not too much and saw some music and touristed around. The weather was perfect: 85 and sunny and not humid for NOLA.
We ate at Stanley (website under construction), great breakfasts and sandwiches. MiLa, spent about as much as a house payment for dinner: several appetizers, two bottle of rose, a lackluster red velvet cake dessert, fab entrees: snapper, tuna, pork chops. Iris: started at the bar with fancy cocktails then a cheese plate then two desserts: coffee sambuca ice cream sandwich and poached pear stuffed with mascarpone with salted caramel ice cream on the side and THEN we sit for dinner and have oysters and mussels and chicken for Anne and lamb for Tom. and wine. And another big bill. Had drinks at the revolving bar at the Hotel Monteleone. Lunch at Crabby Jack's (no website) the day we got there.
Went to Ryan's Irish Pub to watch the second half of the Cavs/Magic last game which was sad. Tried to eat at Cafe Amelie this morning but the wait was too long but by the time we doodled around, we should have just waited.
The hotel was really good because the room was modern although it's in an old building and the pool, terrace, bar was cool and there was a free parking lot so Tom could park the van which as you can imagine, parking is at a premium in the French Quarter.
Much TripAdvisoring must be done. I said that about Mexico and haven't done that yet either. That internet is a black hole of labor. Another saying for the Mom's Mottoes coffee table book. To go along with the Super-Mini one I also have planned (Super Minis in Mexico are little shops like convenience stores with varying goods).
Talked to Miss Jenks this AM for an hour while having coffee out by the hotel pool. Bought no souvenirs. Back to the slave pit tomorrow.
Went to the Louisiana State Museum that had a special exhibit The New Orleans Roots of Rock and Roll. Fairly lame. But I have some pix to post of it. I have been to several state museums. North Dakota wins.
Back to work tomorrow. Plenty more pictures to post here. Working on that. The kids were great, we ate a ton of food, much at fancy restaurants and had some bevs but not too much and saw some music and touristed around. The weather was perfect: 85 and sunny and not humid for NOLA.
We ate at Stanley (website under construction), great breakfasts and sandwiches. MiLa, spent about as much as a house payment for dinner: several appetizers, two bottle of rose, a lackluster red velvet cake dessert, fab entrees: snapper, tuna, pork chops. Iris: started at the bar with fancy cocktails then a cheese plate then two desserts: coffee sambuca ice cream sandwich and poached pear stuffed with mascarpone with salted caramel ice cream on the side and THEN we sit for dinner and have oysters and mussels and chicken for Anne and lamb for Tom. and wine. And another big bill. Had drinks at the revolving bar at the Hotel Monteleone. Lunch at Crabby Jack's (no website) the day we got there.
Went to Ryan's Irish Pub to watch the second half of the Cavs/Magic last game which was sad. Tried to eat at Cafe Amelie this morning but the wait was too long but by the time we doodled around, we should have just waited.
The hotel was really good because the room was modern although it's in an old building and the pool, terrace, bar was cool and there was a free parking lot so Tom could park the van which as you can imagine, parking is at a premium in the French Quarter.
Much TripAdvisoring must be done. I said that about Mexico and haven't done that yet either. That internet is a black hole of labor. Another saying for the Mom's Mottoes coffee table book. To go along with the Super-Mini one I also have planned (Super Minis in Mexico are little shops like convenience stores with varying goods).
Talked to Miss Jenks this AM for an hour while having coffee out by the hotel pool. Bought no souvenirs. Back to the slave pit tomorrow.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
This bar revolved around the bartenders inside it. One bartender was going off duty while we were there and he had to had two people move so he could jump over the bar. He said you have to retire when you can no longer do so.
I had the Ramos Gin Fizz. Mmmm. Like a milkshake.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
In the memphis airport with
In the memphis airport with my daughter who is in line for bbq and starbux. Next stop new orleans!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Summer officially begins
I can see I have left some plot lines hanging. Like, they didn't fix my tree when the city had the street blocked off; they cut down a tree at a house across the street.
My office was moved at work to a big room with windows. Bonus. Some stuff wasn't done when I left Friday but hey, I'll just be out of their way so they can assemble the rest of my desk and install another computer. So we have 5 computers in there and a bunch of routers and beta decks and monitors and a giant TV and a small TV. And three phones.
The bamboo fence is reattached and looks like it will hold up another summer. Many things have been planted and survived the cold and still no seeds in the ground. Today it is raining. Lightly.
The Memorial Day party was a big success (I feel). With 21 in attendance. Great food: beans and slaw and fruit and cut-up veggies and olives/grape tomatoes/fresh mozzarella and brownies and mini eclairs and cucumber salad and zucchini bread and wienies in crescent rolls and strawberry frozen delight and appetizers galore. It was very windy at the start and pretty chilly but around eating time the wind wasn't so fierce anymore. Thanks to Chip for bringing the food table and another yard table and chairs.
I thought I had a massage today but it's tomorrow. And the next day (in the middle of the night), Amy takes me to the airport for New Orleans.
I got a new phone, a Samsung Alias 2 which works fine but seems a little heavier than my last phone but whatever. It flips open horizontally and vertically and has a qwerty keyboard and that fun ring that sounds like the phone on I Love Lucy.
Also, note to Fred: that IS a ligularia outside my front door. Although Joe Baker thought it was Rodgersia.
My office was moved at work to a big room with windows. Bonus. Some stuff wasn't done when I left Friday but hey, I'll just be out of their way so they can assemble the rest of my desk and install another computer. So we have 5 computers in there and a bunch of routers and beta decks and monitors and a giant TV and a small TV. And three phones.
The bamboo fence is reattached and looks like it will hold up another summer. Many things have been planted and survived the cold and still no seeds in the ground. Today it is raining. Lightly.
The Memorial Day party was a big success (I feel). With 21 in attendance. Great food: beans and slaw and fruit and cut-up veggies and olives/grape tomatoes/fresh mozzarella and brownies and mini eclairs and cucumber salad and zucchini bread and wienies in crescent rolls and strawberry frozen delight and appetizers galore. It was very windy at the start and pretty chilly but around eating time the wind wasn't so fierce anymore. Thanks to Chip for bringing the food table and another yard table and chairs.
I thought I had a massage today but it's tomorrow. And the next day (in the middle of the night), Amy takes me to the airport for New Orleans.
I got a new phone, a Samsung Alias 2 which works fine but seems a little heavier than my last phone but whatever. It flips open horizontally and vertically and has a qwerty keyboard and that fun ring that sounds like the phone on I Love Lucy.
Also, note to Fred: that IS a ligularia outside my front door. Although Joe Baker thought it was Rodgersia.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
quick recap
Another whirlwind weekend, as usual. Friday night I went to have dinner with my friend Karen in Perrysburg and we end up in BG to see Harper at the ClaZel where I am on the guest list, me and guest, so we get in for free. There was much drinking and not enough eating so we come back to my house where Karen crashed on the couch. Harper was pretty good. He played the diggeridoo on some songs. Karen kept calling out for them to do some Johnny Cash which apparently they would not.
Saturday my radio show was preempted for some Ironman competition broadcast thing so I did massive yard work, went to the landfill AND the yard waste AND the recycling. I cut up a 7 foot tall pine tree into sections and stuffed them in the trunk of my Accord. Those are great cars. I got some Indian flower/paintbrush or whatever at the farmer's market at the small mall. Cleaned out the garage.
Plus I planted some stuff that I hope doesn't freeze tonight. Peppers and herbs and tomatoes. Did not get the bamboo fence reattached. This weekend FOR SURE. As the party is Monday. Had a cheezburger at the Corner Grill Saturday afternoon. Mmmmm.
Cleaned, did laundry, changed the sheets. Blah blah blah. Did not mow. So I begin the week with tasks already lined up.
Today I got up and did a Pilates DVD online from Netflix and fixed some stuff on 13abc.com and then went to Delaware to collect my mom for her sister's 69th wedding anniversary lunch at the Ryan's in Marion. Saw many of my cousins and some of their kids. I had dug up two hostas and a columbine and ostrich ferns and some other stuff for them to plant at the mobile home. Hope that works out for them.
Looked at phones online tonight but it's all so confusing. One phone will have 10 rave reviews and 10 equally horrible reviews so I don't know what to get. One with a good camera is about all I want. And that I can keep my current plan with. I will go a phone store tomorrow and see if they can show me some of them.
Then Karen called and came over and we got salads to go from SamB's (not all that, sorry) and a bottle of wine and Donna came over and we spent a lot of time trying to help Donna enroll for health benefits online. Which partly worked out.
But only 5 days of work and then it's a week off with a trip to New Orleans in there.
___________________________
Saturday my radio show was preempted for some Ironman competition broadcast thing so I did massive yard work, went to the landfill AND the yard waste AND the recycling. I cut up a 7 foot tall pine tree into sections and stuffed them in the trunk of my Accord. Those are great cars. I got some Indian flower/paintbrush or whatever at the farmer's market at the small mall. Cleaned out the garage.
Plus I planted some stuff that I hope doesn't freeze tonight. Peppers and herbs and tomatoes. Did not get the bamboo fence reattached. This weekend FOR SURE. As the party is Monday. Had a cheezburger at the Corner Grill Saturday afternoon. Mmmmm.
Cleaned, did laundry, changed the sheets. Blah blah blah. Did not mow. So I begin the week with tasks already lined up.
Today I got up and did a Pilates DVD online from Netflix and fixed some stuff on 13abc.com and then went to Delaware to collect my mom for her sister's 69th wedding anniversary lunch at the Ryan's in Marion. Saw many of my cousins and some of their kids. I had dug up two hostas and a columbine and ostrich ferns and some other stuff for them to plant at the mobile home. Hope that works out for them.
Looked at phones online tonight but it's all so confusing. One phone will have 10 rave reviews and 10 equally horrible reviews so I don't know what to get. One with a good camera is about all I want. And that I can keep my current plan with. I will go a phone store tomorrow and see if they can show me some of them.
Then Karen called and came over and we got salads to go from SamB's (not all that, sorry) and a bottle of wine and Donna came over and we spent a lot of time trying to help Donna enroll for health benefits online. Which partly worked out.
But only 5 days of work and then it's a week off with a trip to New Orleans in there.
___________________________
Monday, May 11, 2009
grey gardens
Yesterday I went to visit my mom for Mother's Day. While I had thought it was clear I was coming down, they were surprised to see me. I remember telling Mom I wouldn't come down last month for Easter as I was coming down two weekends in a row in May. Whatever. So as they were unprepared, and my mom was in her housecoat, and as they talk on endlessly, losing track of time, I ventured that we should order pizza for lunch. But they had two frozen pizzas that we doctored up with extra ingredients. I start chopping and distributing onions and tomatoes from a can and black olives and I say "Is that enough?" and my mom says "I don't know. Karen always does this." Then they decide to make iced tea which took the water a while to boil (surprise) so by the time that was done, the pizza was room temperature. (surprise)
So the time meanders by with constant talking about the pets and the neighbors and what Karen will do around their trailer if they get some money and if only she had a computer, she could do freelance medical billing from home and how she might get some certification to be an animal intake officer at the Humane Society for which she MIGHT get paid if some grant comes through. If if if if if if.
About 3 p.m., when I am looking to bolt, my mom says "Is it too late to get flowers and plant them on Daddy's grave?" Of course not! So we get some at Kroger's which were lackluster frankly and plant them. My sister takes her gardening gloves as well but she is too lame (in the true sense of the word) to get down and plant so I did and then we took a tour of various relatives' graves and then they decide we should get ice cream so I drive them through the DQ for Blizzards.
This after my sister says she just can't eat anything because of her meds which unfortunately also make her gain weight. However she was able to wolf down half a 12-inch pizza AND a Blizzard. So much for the inability to eat. She now has an attorney helping her with her disability claim. Which she acknowledges may take 18-24 months to be resolved. "I'll be dead by then," she says. My mom says "Well, I'll be dead, too." You can see how I find this tiresome.
I see The Mystix have another CD out. I will purchase.
Today when I got home from work, there was a temporary sign out by my sidewalk that says No Parking Tuesday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. I hope something is being done about my situation.
Mowed the back tonight and had to rake the hay. Two weeks til the Memorial Day party. Much remains to be done in the yard. I threw out a bunch of junk from the garage for heavy trash so if I'd just get out there, I could get that tidied up, get out the lawn furniture and grill. Yada. Yada.
So the time meanders by with constant talking about the pets and the neighbors and what Karen will do around their trailer if they get some money and if only she had a computer, she could do freelance medical billing from home and how she might get some certification to be an animal intake officer at the Humane Society for which she MIGHT get paid if some grant comes through. If if if if if if.
About 3 p.m., when I am looking to bolt, my mom says "Is it too late to get flowers and plant them on Daddy's grave?" Of course not! So we get some at Kroger's which were lackluster frankly and plant them. My sister takes her gardening gloves as well but she is too lame (in the true sense of the word) to get down and plant so I did and then we took a tour of various relatives' graves and then they decide we should get ice cream so I drive them through the DQ for Blizzards.
This after my sister says she just can't eat anything because of her meds which unfortunately also make her gain weight. However she was able to wolf down half a 12-inch pizza AND a Blizzard. So much for the inability to eat. She now has an attorney helping her with her disability claim. Which she acknowledges may take 18-24 months to be resolved. "I'll be dead by then," she says. My mom says "Well, I'll be dead, too." You can see how I find this tiresome.
I see The Mystix have another CD out. I will purchase.
Today when I got home from work, there was a temporary sign out by my sidewalk that says No Parking Tuesday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. I hope something is being done about my situation.
Mowed the back tonight and had to rake the hay. Two weeks til the Memorial Day party. Much remains to be done in the yard. I threw out a bunch of junk from the garage for heavy trash so if I'd just get out there, I could get that tidied up, get out the lawn furniture and grill. Yada. Yada.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
You wankers
Chris Shutters was at the ClaZel tonight and even though Amy planted a GIANT TREE and I dug up ferns and hosta for the plant swap AND did a radio show and other things, we were the only 2 people there of our bunch except poor Rod who went at 7:30 because that's when McKinley said they started. Which they didn't. They started at 9. BUT REGARDLESS, you should have been there. He played a couple of Jethro Tull songs on which he played the flute and did a great version of Bell Bottom Blues. We asked for Red House but left when they took their second break around 11:15.
Somehow the Chris Shutters promotion folks think I am somebody so they gave me 2 CDs by Julie Newmark and David Carducci and a Chris Shutters at the ClaZel t-shirt which I gave to Amy for Evan. Plus they're putting my name on the guest list for Harper. I don't think they even KNOW my name. And there was cake. I think about 120 people paid to get in. But none of you wankers.
I didn't think I'd get everything in today but except for the farmer's market, I did. I mowed the front and dug out the grass at the fence line in preparation for reinstalling the bamboo fence. Too windy today to do that. Plus I dug about 40 ferns out for Amy and Sal and the swap and a couple of hostas for the swap where I took a bee balm.
And I watched Cars, which is a great movie. And has many great lines like "I'm as happy as a tornado in a trailer park." And I did more Mother's Day gift purchasing, sugar free chocolates and cut tulips and a card to go along with the fabulous planter I got at Fitkin's. I'm sure it will not be sufficient.
So tomorrow the lengthy trip to Delaware. Then two more weeks of work and a week off. Yay. Stamps go up on Monday to 44 cents. So if you have any 42 centers, you're out of luck.
Peace out.
_______________________
Somehow the Chris Shutters promotion folks think I am somebody so they gave me 2 CDs by Julie Newmark and David Carducci and a Chris Shutters at the ClaZel t-shirt which I gave to Amy for Evan. Plus they're putting my name on the guest list for Harper. I don't think they even KNOW my name. And there was cake. I think about 120 people paid to get in. But none of you wankers.
I didn't think I'd get everything in today but except for the farmer's market, I did. I mowed the front and dug out the grass at the fence line in preparation for reinstalling the bamboo fence. Too windy today to do that. Plus I dug about 40 ferns out for Amy and Sal and the swap and a couple of hostas for the swap where I took a bee balm.
And I watched Cars, which is a great movie. And has many great lines like "I'm as happy as a tornado in a trailer park." And I did more Mother's Day gift purchasing, sugar free chocolates and cut tulips and a card to go along with the fabulous planter I got at Fitkin's. I'm sure it will not be sufficient.
So tomorrow the lengthy trip to Delaware. Then two more weeks of work and a week off. Yay. Stamps go up on Monday to 44 cents. So if you have any 42 centers, you're out of luck.
Peace out.
_______________________
Friday, May 08, 2009
Weekend
Yay. There's the farmer's market at the mall and the plant swap and a radio show and digging up of ferns and Chris Shutters tomorrow. I'm tired already. And then Sunday will be taken up with a trip to Delaware.
I bought my mom a great planted pot at Fitkin's Greenhouse in Sylvania today. Actually it's in Ottawa Lake, MI. But it's just feet over the line from Sylvania. Plus I bought one of those golden coral bells and some coleus to make a big pot and the cutest dish of succulents for only $10. I wanted much more stuff but I feel next Friday I will go back because this weekend it's not going to be warm enough to plant. Plus I have no time.
They have great plants and unusual stuff and lots of it. And it's not all that pricey.
Man, this week at work was mind-numbing. What with the Facebook and the Twitter and the loading of video resumes to YouTube. Plus the regular stuff.
Thursday night Amy and I went to see Frank Vignola at GFT but alas we weren't into it and left after 45 minutes. I got home in time to see The Office and 30 Rock.
Wednesday was GNO which was heavily attended and there didn't seem to be as much stuff at the swap which is good for Martha who has to take it all to the Goodwill. I got a lipstick and mascara. The June GNO is at Connie D's.
I bought my mom a great planted pot at Fitkin's Greenhouse in Sylvania today. Actually it's in Ottawa Lake, MI. But it's just feet over the line from Sylvania. Plus I bought one of those golden coral bells and some coleus to make a big pot and the cutest dish of succulents for only $10. I wanted much more stuff but I feel next Friday I will go back because this weekend it's not going to be warm enough to plant. Plus I have no time.
They have great plants and unusual stuff and lots of it. And it's not all that pricey.
Man, this week at work was mind-numbing. What with the Facebook and the Twitter and the loading of video resumes to YouTube. Plus the regular stuff.
Thursday night Amy and I went to see Frank Vignola at GFT but alas we weren't into it and left after 45 minutes. I got home in time to see The Office and 30 Rock.
Wednesday was GNO which was heavily attended and there didn't seem to be as much stuff at the swap which is good for Martha who has to take it all to the Goodwill. I got a lipstick and mascara. The June GNO is at Connie D's.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Piling up
When people ask me what I've been up to, I always tell them I'm waiting for gardening weather. Oh yeah, I've already mowed. Twice in the back. And I take stuff to the yard waste every weekend. And I cut down that tree back by the east kitchen window. Need to cut it up and take it to the landfill.
Since I last posted, I saw Lil Ed at FFB. Then I bagged on Polka Floyd at Grumpy Dave's on the 25th. And I had a hideous radio meeting and didn't go see John Nemeth at FFB because he's coming to Grounds Aug. 20.
This past weekend, Rod's Collision played at the ClaZel and then Chip and I went to see Unknown Hinson at Frankie's after everybody else bagged on us. We park on some side street and some black guy in the traditional black hoodie comes up and I roll down my window LIKE AN IDIOT and he asks if I have any change because he needs some gas. I say no and he says Have a nice evening. Hmmmmmm. Then some tattooed pierced girl tried to get Chip to buy her shots, let's have shots, she says. I told him to check for his wallet.
Yesterday, I labored outside for 6 hours. Continuously. I had called Donna to give her some of my ferns and she calls back about 5 and we decide I'll dig up a bucket of ferns for her to take off my porch today at 5:30 a.m. when she got off work and indeed they were gone when I left this morning.
I started to plant my new window boxes then realized I had to paint those windows I had reglazed last weekend. So I did that then later scraped the paint off the glass and planted the window boxes. And pulled up oh about 800 little maple trees.
Some guys were at my front curb last week on Thursday when I was leaving for work but all they did was dig out the gas or water line head and spray paint it blue and made a blue mark on the curb.
Heavy trash pickup is next week. Get yer crap out to the curb.
I have had these two movies from Netflix-- Thieves Highway and Cars-- for more than a week. Maybe 2. I just can't seem to fit anything in.
I got this new dental appliance to wear when sleeping that I thought I would hate but man, it's great. My neck doesn't hurt when I get up in the AM, which is one of the things the dental assistant (who turned me on to Lancome mascara) told me would be a benefit and I scoffed.
Tonight, my boss's son was playing jazz guitar at FFB at some benefit dinner. He told me I could just tell them I was at Larry Dillin's table. OMG, I couldn't go. I had been dressed up all day WITH HEELS. I had to go to Meijer and do laundry and Big had no kitty din and so I came home. Entered the WGTE raffle to win $40,000 or may other cash prizes. Paid some bills.
Thursday is Frank Vignola gypsy guitar jazz at Grounds. We'll see how that goes at Weds. is GNO for which thunderstorms are predicted and Saturday Chris Shutters is at the ClaZel and there's the Harmonica Summit at Hines Farm.
Three weeks from today is the Memorial Day cookout.
I have to go to Delaware the next TWO Sundays for Mother's Day and then the next week for my Aunt Midge and Uncle Jim's 65th wedding anniversary. Yes, 65th. And yes, two of the best gardening weekends of the year. I just need to jam in a bunch of seeds this Saturday.
But I am off the whole week of Memorial Day.
And my bamboo fence is still down. I will you give you $5 a section to help me put it up. Do one or all! Offer is open.
Fortunately Wayne stopped by Sunday afternoon and took a quick look at my steps to fix. He suggests the pavers on top of the existing concrete. I told him to come measure them, tell me a price and get on with it. I'll have to temporarily displace some plants. Eeep.
Look, it's after 9 p.m. Too late to start a movie. I'm reading Christoper Moore's Fool which is highly amusing although I am not down with the plot which is apparently Shakespeare's King Lear play. But it's still good.
As soon as those sheets are out of the dryer, I'm in bed. Carry on.
_____________________
Since I last posted, I saw Lil Ed at FFB. Then I bagged on Polka Floyd at Grumpy Dave's on the 25th. And I had a hideous radio meeting and didn't go see John Nemeth at FFB because he's coming to Grounds Aug. 20.
This past weekend, Rod's Collision played at the ClaZel and then Chip and I went to see Unknown Hinson at Frankie's after everybody else bagged on us. We park on some side street and some black guy in the traditional black hoodie comes up and I roll down my window LIKE AN IDIOT and he asks if I have any change because he needs some gas. I say no and he says Have a nice evening. Hmmmmmm. Then some tattooed pierced girl tried to get Chip to buy her shots, let's have shots, she says. I told him to check for his wallet.
Yesterday, I labored outside for 6 hours. Continuously. I had called Donna to give her some of my ferns and she calls back about 5 and we decide I'll dig up a bucket of ferns for her to take off my porch today at 5:30 a.m. when she got off work and indeed they were gone when I left this morning.
I started to plant my new window boxes then realized I had to paint those windows I had reglazed last weekend. So I did that then later scraped the paint off the glass and planted the window boxes. And pulled up oh about 800 little maple trees.
Some guys were at my front curb last week on Thursday when I was leaving for work but all they did was dig out the gas or water line head and spray paint it blue and made a blue mark on the curb.
Heavy trash pickup is next week. Get yer crap out to the curb.
I have had these two movies from Netflix-- Thieves Highway and Cars-- for more than a week. Maybe 2. I just can't seem to fit anything in.
I got this new dental appliance to wear when sleeping that I thought I would hate but man, it's great. My neck doesn't hurt when I get up in the AM, which is one of the things the dental assistant (who turned me on to Lancome mascara) told me would be a benefit and I scoffed.
Tonight, my boss's son was playing jazz guitar at FFB at some benefit dinner. He told me I could just tell them I was at Larry Dillin's table. OMG, I couldn't go. I had been dressed up all day WITH HEELS. I had to go to Meijer and do laundry and Big had no kitty din and so I came home. Entered the WGTE raffle to win $40,000 or may other cash prizes. Paid some bills.
Thursday is Frank Vignola gypsy guitar jazz at Grounds. We'll see how that goes at Weds. is GNO for which thunderstorms are predicted and Saturday Chris Shutters is at the ClaZel and there's the Harmonica Summit at Hines Farm.
Three weeks from today is the Memorial Day cookout.
I have to go to Delaware the next TWO Sundays for Mother's Day and then the next week for my Aunt Midge and Uncle Jim's 65th wedding anniversary. Yes, 65th. And yes, two of the best gardening weekends of the year. I just need to jam in a bunch of seeds this Saturday.
But I am off the whole week of Memorial Day.
And my bamboo fence is still down. I will you give you $5 a section to help me put it up. Do one or all! Offer is open.
Fortunately Wayne stopped by Sunday afternoon and took a quick look at my steps to fix. He suggests the pavers on top of the existing concrete. I told him to come measure them, tell me a price and get on with it. I'll have to temporarily displace some plants. Eeep.
Look, it's after 9 p.m. Too late to start a movie. I'm reading Christoper Moore's Fool which is highly amusing although I am not down with the plot which is apparently Shakespeare's King Lear play. But it's still good.
As soon as those sheets are out of the dryer, I'm in bed. Carry on.
_____________________
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday
What a change from yesterday's weather, with the hideous east wind and dampness and not above 50 all day. A good day to do stuff inside.
I cleaned out under my kitchen sink and cleaned out the fridge and paid some bills and did a Netflix ab crunch pilates thing. I put a roast in the crockpot to make enchiladas. Sal called as they were headed to the Club H whilst their dinner cooked so I went down for one beer and Donna was there with her doggies. We talked about Costa Rica which Donna has been to and for which Sal is hot. Especially some little place called Congo Bongo. There are many tripadvisor reviews for many little cabinas down there. And the airfare is only about $330.
Came home and made the enchiladas and hoping there is a Simpsons on while I dine.
Also I tripadvisored restaurants and stuff in New Orleans. Anne had suggested this place called Mothers but tripadvisor reviews pretty much ding it.
James Armstrong was very good at the Grounds last night. It was a full house and I drank too many Old Milwaukee Lights in the can and had the grumbly tum today.
This weekend went way too fast.
_________________________________
I cleaned out under my kitchen sink and cleaned out the fridge and paid some bills and did a Netflix ab crunch pilates thing. I put a roast in the crockpot to make enchiladas. Sal called as they were headed to the Club H whilst their dinner cooked so I went down for one beer and Donna was there with her doggies. We talked about Costa Rica which Donna has been to and for which Sal is hot. Especially some little place called Congo Bongo. There are many tripadvisor reviews for many little cabinas down there. And the airfare is only about $330.
Came home and made the enchiladas and hoping there is a Simpsons on while I dine.
Also I tripadvisored restaurants and stuff in New Orleans. Anne had suggested this place called Mothers but tripadvisor reviews pretty much ding it.
James Armstrong was very good at the Grounds last night. It was a full house and I drank too many Old Milwaukee Lights in the can and had the grumbly tum today.
This weekend went way too fast.
_________________________________
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Not much
Apparently my weekly post is all I can manage. Today I was out and about and my phone rings at 2 p.m. and it's Connie Z saying Don is wondering if I am coming in to do my show. Last week, the utes emailed the baseball schedule which said I would not have a show today or next week April 25. So much for planning.
Man, it was a beautiful day today. I cleaned up my grill in preparation for cookout season.
Last night after work I went to FP Mall and bought those jeans Sal told me to get and they SEEM to be great. But I'll see. Plus I bought a boatload of clothes in Penney's on the way out of the mall, two sundresses, a pair of shorts, two tank tops, two other tops and didn't try any of them on so now I will be returning everything but the tank tops.
Tom, Son of Kiger (as Dr. Sue calls him), is over at my neighbor's drinking and yukking it up in a big way and has been for about 3 hours. Hmmmmmmmmm.
I took my little flat of plants outside for some sun and now they are all nearly dead. Duh. I have no green thumb. Next weekend I might just start jamming seeds into the ground. I see on the NWS site that next Saturday it will also be 72 and sunny like today after a kind of crappy week.
James Armstrong at Grounds tonight. Lil Ed at FFB next Thursday. I see they want $10 to see him and it starts at 8:30. And Polka Floyd Sat. April 25 at Grumpy Dave's at 9.
Also heavy trash is the week of May 11.
__________________________
Man, it was a beautiful day today. I cleaned up my grill in preparation for cookout season.
Last night after work I went to FP Mall and bought those jeans Sal told me to get and they SEEM to be great. But I'll see. Plus I bought a boatload of clothes in Penney's on the way out of the mall, two sundresses, a pair of shorts, two tank tops, two other tops and didn't try any of them on so now I will be returning everything but the tank tops.
Tom, Son of Kiger (as Dr. Sue calls him), is over at my neighbor's drinking and yukking it up in a big way and has been for about 3 hours. Hmmmmmmmmm.
I took my little flat of plants outside for some sun and now they are all nearly dead. Duh. I have no green thumb. Next weekend I might just start jamming seeds into the ground. I see on the NWS site that next Saturday it will also be 72 and sunny like today after a kind of crappy week.
James Armstrong at Grounds tonight. Lil Ed at FFB next Thursday. I see they want $10 to see him and it starts at 8:30. And Polka Floyd Sat. April 25 at Grumpy Dave's at 9.
Also heavy trash is the week of May 11.
__________________________
Saturday, April 11, 2009
whirlwind
First, let me say that I am sorry to have accused Chip of cheating at cards when we were at Dylan and Stef's Friday night. I may have seen him steal the deal and PERHAPS reneg once or twice in other card-playing times, which may have been inadvertent, but cheating is a bad charge. So, sorry. I hope this doesn't ding me from future card fun.
Stef's party was a swell time. Many older folks were there when we got there at 8:15 but by the time we left at midnight, it had been taken over by utes, as it should be.
Friday I called in sick at work because, well, there are many reasons but I really was stuffed up and well, there wasn't any news and well, it was Good Friday etc etc. I stayed in bed til almost 2 reading. And eating.
Thursday was a swell time at the ClaZel. MANY people were in attendance, tons of whom NEVER come out for fun. Amy and I left at midnight and she offered to give Fred and Jo Sears a ride and when we got to the car, Fred says "Oh I forgot it was a two-door" as if this was a deal-breaker so I get in the back saying I was fully bendable, which after all the whiskey I drank, was true. Chip sent me some photos which I could not retrieve from home from my work email so I will post them later.
OMG, the horn players for Stacy Mitchhart are just the cutest boys EVER. It was a high energy night. Chris Shutters got onstage and played Red House, one of the best versions I've ever heard and then Stacy came back onstage and played with Chris and Stacy's band. Chris's PR person gave me a CD of his because somebody (my new friend Patrick) had told her I was the person who needed to have Chris's CD, which I played a cut of on my radio show today.
Kelly Wicks called during my show today to discuss the state of live music in BG. I opined that the ClaZel was not doing themselves any favors by having so many blues bands because the crowd for that was limited. I also said that Alex was doing a good job of bringing bands to Howard's and we agreed that the sound situation in there is not good. Plus the hospitality for the bands there is marginal, as Greg Ginn and the Texas Regulators had to buy their own beers, for chrissakes. Kelly also said the corporate sponsors for the Swamp had pulled out for this year and that personal donations would be appreciated. At last, the full schedule for the festival is online.
Amy and I discussed tonight that maybe the Swamp could pull back on the number of bands it books as most festivals we see have MAYBE 6 bands over the course of a day rather than the 9 the Swamp has. Something to consider to save money.
Today, hmmm, did a radio show, went to the Corner Grill for sausage gravy and biscuits with scrambled eggs, went to Meijer, cleaned the house. Tomorrow I hope to screw around in the yard, hoping the damn NE wind will have died down. Plus I will make the biggest delicious breakfast ever. As I will not be receiving any chocolate bunnies. Which I would not be so keen on anyway as I have not seen any made of 70% cacao.
Also I went to the bank this morning to find out how fast I could pay off my house if I made extra principal payments which the woman I talked to could not tell me so they are are having a mortgage person call me. Christ, I rolled out of bed for THIS? Some online mortgage calculator says that if I pay an extra $1,000 a month, I could pay if off by next October. I hope this is true.
Got 2 books at the library today that I had ordered in: Jim Harrison's newest novel "The English Major" and "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb which is 752 pages.
Note to self: car windows.
____________________________________
Stef's party was a swell time. Many older folks were there when we got there at 8:15 but by the time we left at midnight, it had been taken over by utes, as it should be.
Friday I called in sick at work because, well, there are many reasons but I really was stuffed up and well, there wasn't any news and well, it was Good Friday etc etc. I stayed in bed til almost 2 reading. And eating.
Thursday was a swell time at the ClaZel. MANY people were in attendance, tons of whom NEVER come out for fun. Amy and I left at midnight and she offered to give Fred and Jo Sears a ride and when we got to the car, Fred says "Oh I forgot it was a two-door" as if this was a deal-breaker so I get in the back saying I was fully bendable, which after all the whiskey I drank, was true. Chip sent me some photos which I could not retrieve from home from my work email so I will post them later.
OMG, the horn players for Stacy Mitchhart are just the cutest boys EVER. It was a high energy night. Chris Shutters got onstage and played Red House, one of the best versions I've ever heard and then Stacy came back onstage and played with Chris and Stacy's band. Chris's PR person gave me a CD of his because somebody (my new friend Patrick) had told her I was the person who needed to have Chris's CD, which I played a cut of on my radio show today.
Kelly Wicks called during my show today to discuss the state of live music in BG. I opined that the ClaZel was not doing themselves any favors by having so many blues bands because the crowd for that was limited. I also said that Alex was doing a good job of bringing bands to Howard's and we agreed that the sound situation in there is not good. Plus the hospitality for the bands there is marginal, as Greg Ginn and the Texas Regulators had to buy their own beers, for chrissakes. Kelly also said the corporate sponsors for the Swamp had pulled out for this year and that personal donations would be appreciated. At last, the full schedule for the festival is online.
Amy and I discussed tonight that maybe the Swamp could pull back on the number of bands it books as most festivals we see have MAYBE 6 bands over the course of a day rather than the 9 the Swamp has. Something to consider to save money.
Today, hmmm, did a radio show, went to the Corner Grill for sausage gravy and biscuits with scrambled eggs, went to Meijer, cleaned the house. Tomorrow I hope to screw around in the yard, hoping the damn NE wind will have died down. Plus I will make the biggest delicious breakfast ever. As I will not be receiving any chocolate bunnies. Which I would not be so keen on anyway as I have not seen any made of 70% cacao.
Also I went to the bank this morning to find out how fast I could pay off my house if I made extra principal payments which the woman I talked to could not tell me so they are are having a mortgage person call me. Christ, I rolled out of bed for THIS? Some online mortgage calculator says that if I pay an extra $1,000 a month, I could pay if off by next October. I hope this is true.
Got 2 books at the library today that I had ordered in: Jim Harrison's newest novel "The English Major" and "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb which is 752 pages.
Note to self: car windows.
____________________________________
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Hippity hoppity Easter's on its way!
And I get to stay home! I'm so delighted. I asked my mom if she wanted me to come down but since I have to go there two weekends in a row in May, she said I didn't have to. I sent her a card. I will be making myself a giant breakfast.
Tomorrow night is Rod's Collision opening for Stacy Mitchhart at the ClaZel and Friday is Stefan's birthday party. So laying low to save up energy for this activity.
Last night I booked a flight to New Orleans for May 28-31, just a short trip. Staying at the Richelieu which has the Paul McCartney suite, in which I am not staying. Anne is also going and I booked a flight to coincide with hers so we are on the same plane out of the layover in Memphis. My plane leaves Detroit at 6:30 am. Anybody want to make some quick cash and take me there? Amy has said she would come get me Sunday night when I get back. Of course, I'm not holding her to that. I just HATE that parking and shuttling and stuff at DTW. Please. Are you not my friend????
Also last week I bought 4 new CDs: Elvin Bishop and Little Smokey Smothers, Buddy and Julie Milller, Blues of the Future Vol. 3 with Watermelon Slim and many other good folks and James Hunter's The Hard Way. Plus I got a tribute to Doug Sahm in the free box at the radio station with artists like Los Lobos and Joe King Carrasco. Plus I apparently ordered a Eli Paperboy Reed CD off amazon.com when I wasn't paying attention the other night.
Many of my plants are coming up that I put in that starter box. Looks like it's cosmos, asters, zinnias, chives and cilantro. One of them is so big the plastic dome hits it so I need to get it out of there. Hmmm, how? This weekend I will set them outside again for some fresh air and sunshine.
Found out today I have no radio show April 18 and 25 (baseball). But then it should be smooth sailing on through summer.
And it's not too early for me to extend my annual Memorial Day cookout invite to be held the Monday of Memorial Day itself. As always, stop by no earlier than 3, eating around 5:30.
Another 2 pieces of my bamboo fence took a fall over the weekend so I rolled them up and will reattach when it warms up. Got me a whole new pack of zip ties for this.
I have 2 daffodils blooming but that's about it. The plants out front I put in last year seem to be coming back. Mostly.
Have had the Wall-E movie for almost 2 weeks and haven't watched it yet. Where does the time go?
Fortunately, Sal turned me on to a good brand of jeans so maybe I will have some nice looking pants the next time you see me.
What will I wear to New Orleans??? It's always a challenge when you have a fashion plate for a daughter.
___________________________
Tomorrow night is Rod's Collision opening for Stacy Mitchhart at the ClaZel and Friday is Stefan's birthday party. So laying low to save up energy for this activity.
Last night I booked a flight to New Orleans for May 28-31, just a short trip. Staying at the Richelieu which has the Paul McCartney suite, in which I am not staying. Anne is also going and I booked a flight to coincide with hers so we are on the same plane out of the layover in Memphis. My plane leaves Detroit at 6:30 am. Anybody want to make some quick cash and take me there? Amy has said she would come get me Sunday night when I get back. Of course, I'm not holding her to that. I just HATE that parking and shuttling and stuff at DTW. Please. Are you not my friend????
Also last week I bought 4 new CDs: Elvin Bishop and Little Smokey Smothers, Buddy and Julie Milller, Blues of the Future Vol. 3 with Watermelon Slim and many other good folks and James Hunter's The Hard Way. Plus I got a tribute to Doug Sahm in the free box at the radio station with artists like Los Lobos and Joe King Carrasco. Plus I apparently ordered a Eli Paperboy Reed CD off amazon.com when I wasn't paying attention the other night.
Many of my plants are coming up that I put in that starter box. Looks like it's cosmos, asters, zinnias, chives and cilantro. One of them is so big the plastic dome hits it so I need to get it out of there. Hmmm, how? This weekend I will set them outside again for some fresh air and sunshine.
Found out today I have no radio show April 18 and 25 (baseball). But then it should be smooth sailing on through summer.
And it's not too early for me to extend my annual Memorial Day cookout invite to be held the Monday of Memorial Day itself. As always, stop by no earlier than 3, eating around 5:30.
Another 2 pieces of my bamboo fence took a fall over the weekend so I rolled them up and will reattach when it warms up. Got me a whole new pack of zip ties for this.
I have 2 daffodils blooming but that's about it. The plants out front I put in last year seem to be coming back. Mostly.
Have had the Wall-E movie for almost 2 weeks and haven't watched it yet. Where does the time go?
Fortunately, Sal turned me on to a good brand of jeans so maybe I will have some nice looking pants the next time you see me.
What will I wear to New Orleans??? It's always a challenge when you have a fashion plate for a daughter.
___________________________
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Shopping
Amy calls today about 11:15 to see if I want to ride to the Rt 20 shopping extravaganza and I agree to see if they have those canvas skimmers at Target. Suddenly presented with a variety of goods, I purchase:
Two bed pillows
Two ceramic pots that I envision on my new porch
A Houdini wine opening kit that includes the rabbit opener, a foil remover, an extra corkscrew for the opener, two corkers, a pourer, a corker for fizzy drinks
Two boxes of Triscuits
A bag of Panko bread crumbs
A pair of Keds slip-ons
Two outdoor glass-top, fold-up end tables
Two pairs of underwear
Three pairs of garden gloves
An Easter card
A magnet-backed pad of list paper
12 cans of kitty din
Now I'm making a lovely dinner of baked potato, a red snapper fillet I got at Stimmel's giant seafood sale and some green beans with bacon.
Saturday night we went to the ClaZel to see Frostbite with Doreen Robideaux singing. They were very good (Whippin' Post especially) and it was a small but appreciative crowd. Stacy Mitchhart's promoter fell at the bottom of the spiral staircase and broke her bottle and cut her hand so she was walking around with a wet towel wrapped around it. The boys were watching the Final Four games at the bar. All of my pictures are so bad I can't even post any. I need a new camera. Sal's Olympus takes great pictures. I need to look into this. Gonyer bought one on eBay. I better look around.
The Humane Society wine and cheese is May 29 at the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons. I am donating a bracelet that I have had for years that is too big and I kept meaning to have it made smaller and have earrings made from the extra links but alas, it ain't happening. Plus I found this other bracelet I bought somewhere that is much nice anyway. Plus last night I shined up my old asian themed bracelet and wore that.
I talked to my mom for an hour tonight. My sister has taken in another dog, a husky mix. So that's 2 dogs, 4 cats. And Karen's disability was denied surprise. And my mom had to have 2 teeth extracted. It's just one thing after another with those two.
______________________
Two bed pillows
Two ceramic pots that I envision on my new porch
A Houdini wine opening kit that includes the rabbit opener, a foil remover, an extra corkscrew for the opener, two corkers, a pourer, a corker for fizzy drinks
Two boxes of Triscuits
A bag of Panko bread crumbs
A pair of Keds slip-ons
Two outdoor glass-top, fold-up end tables
Two pairs of underwear
Three pairs of garden gloves
An Easter card
A magnet-backed pad of list paper
12 cans of kitty din
Now I'm making a lovely dinner of baked potato, a red snapper fillet I got at Stimmel's giant seafood sale and some green beans with bacon.
Saturday night we went to the ClaZel to see Frostbite with Doreen Robideaux singing. They were very good (Whippin' Post especially) and it was a small but appreciative crowd. Stacy Mitchhart's promoter fell at the bottom of the spiral staircase and broke her bottle and cut her hand so she was walking around with a wet towel wrapped around it. The boys were watching the Final Four games at the bar. All of my pictures are so bad I can't even post any. I need a new camera. Sal's Olympus takes great pictures. I need to look into this. Gonyer bought one on eBay. I better look around.
The Humane Society wine and cheese is May 29 at the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons. I am donating a bracelet that I have had for years that is too big and I kept meaning to have it made smaller and have earrings made from the extra links but alas, it ain't happening. Plus I found this other bracelet I bought somewhere that is much nice anyway. Plus last night I shined up my old asian themed bracelet and wore that.
I talked to my mom for an hour tonight. My sister has taken in another dog, a husky mix. So that's 2 dogs, 4 cats. And Karen's disability was denied surprise. And my mom had to have 2 teeth extracted. It's just one thing after another with those two.
______________________
Friday, April 03, 2009
Yay weekend!
I planted 72 little seedling things in a flat with a plastic dome cover and now only 6 days later, I have things coming up! I made this chart of what I planted and now, depending on whether I turned the flat around or not (can't remember), I have chives and cilantro coming up OR cosmos and asters. I'm trying to keep them warm by leaving them on the floor by a register and shining a desk lamp on them for a few hours. I am hoping that it will become warm enough to put them outside for a while each day to get good growth going.
Didn't go to GNO although I hear it was heavily attended. The May one is at Deb's with the annual white elephant swap at Martha's driveway. Time to dig out stuff I don't need. And probably come home with more stuff I don't need.
I got an email back from the arborist saying I would receive a letter outlining how the city will fix my sidewalk and my driveway apron and save the tree. No letter yet.
Have been very bad on the cooking school, making too much stuff that I don't end up eating all of and then feeling bad about how there are starving people.
Wednesday I went to Elder Beerman and bought two pairs of jeans and two belts and today I took back one pair of jeans plus a pair of shoes I had bought about 3 weeks ago which I had tried on several times and although they were the Born shoes, could not talk myself into thinking I'd wear them and a shirt I had bought before I went to Mexico that at the time I thought was black but was actually navy blue. Plus the one pair of jeans I kept turn out to be ill-fitting although they have the spandex in them, they have baggy legs and after a couple hours of wearing them, the waistband is stretched out and they look like they are some large mom's jeans.
I have been keeping track of what I eat to see why I am not slimmer and although I have had a breakfast burrito from McD's twice this week (300 calories, 16 g. of fat) I have otherwise eaten sensibly. Plus I lifted weights Monday and did a Pilates Wednesday and walked Thursday. Maybe it's that 500 calories of wine a day. I'll get right on that. I did have a cookie one day.
At least, work has been much better since I adopted the less-thinking regime.
Radio show tomorrow plus Frostbite at the ClaZel. Big James is at Hines Farm but I feel the ClaZel is all I'll do. Starts at 7. Come on down!
_______________________
Didn't go to GNO although I hear it was heavily attended. The May one is at Deb's with the annual white elephant swap at Martha's driveway. Time to dig out stuff I don't need. And probably come home with more stuff I don't need.
I got an email back from the arborist saying I would receive a letter outlining how the city will fix my sidewalk and my driveway apron and save the tree. No letter yet.
Have been very bad on the cooking school, making too much stuff that I don't end up eating all of and then feeling bad about how there are starving people.
Wednesday I went to Elder Beerman and bought two pairs of jeans and two belts and today I took back one pair of jeans plus a pair of shoes I had bought about 3 weeks ago which I had tried on several times and although they were the Born shoes, could not talk myself into thinking I'd wear them and a shirt I had bought before I went to Mexico that at the time I thought was black but was actually navy blue. Plus the one pair of jeans I kept turn out to be ill-fitting although they have the spandex in them, they have baggy legs and after a couple hours of wearing them, the waistband is stretched out and they look like they are some large mom's jeans.
I have been keeping track of what I eat to see why I am not slimmer and although I have had a breakfast burrito from McD's twice this week (300 calories, 16 g. of fat) I have otherwise eaten sensibly. Plus I lifted weights Monday and did a Pilates Wednesday and walked Thursday. Maybe it's that 500 calories of wine a day. I'll get right on that. I did have a cookie one day.
At least, work has been much better since I adopted the less-thinking regime.
Radio show tomorrow plus Frostbite at the ClaZel. Big James is at Hines Farm but I feel the ClaZel is all I'll do. Starts at 7. Come on down!
_______________________
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Onward to April!
It's been a quiet weekend. Yesterday I raked up the last of the leaf slurry from the back yard and hauled it to the yard waste. Somebody demolished that stove in garage in back of the yellow house behind me yesterday. Still a lot of crap lying around.
Did a radio show, turned in my old cell phones at Calico Sage and got a tax deduction slip, watched Night Nurse, a 1931 movie with Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell, Clark Gable, wherein the women were continuously changing their clothes on camera so we see a lot of 1930s underwear. At one point, Joan Blondell changes Barbara's stockings for her. Hmmm, suggestive. Also a lot of hitting, women on men, men on men, men on women. And suddenly it ended with no resolution of several story lines.
Finished reading Made in the USA by Billie Letts about 2 runaway children who are rescued from Las Vegas by some guy who had left his circus family and after the runaway teen girl is forced into making a porno movie and becomes hooked on blow and beaten severely and graphically by thugs, she is saved by joining the circus family and becoming one of the best aerialists of all time. Hmmmm.
Now I'm reading The Women, by TC Boyle which is a very interesting fictionalized account of Frank Lloyd Wright and the four women in his life and his dalliances and betrayals and divorces.
Plus I did a lot cleaning like my kitchen floor and vacuuming and dusting.
On Friday morning, David Bieneman, the BG arborist came over to discuss the removal of that giant silver maple in front of my house. I think at the end he was ready to do it but since then I have reconsidered the options and wrote him this email today:
David, I have been thinking about the taking down of that big silver maple in front of my house. Maybe it doesn't need to come down. We could get rid of the broken part of my sidewalk altogether and I can put a sidewalk from the remaining walk closer to my porch out to my driveway. Then if the roots could be trimmed on the west side and my driveway apron repaired, work could be done to repair the lawn and the tree could live on. Of course, I don't know how this helps the broken curb. Thanks for your consideration and for all you've done so far.
So we'll see what happens.
Wednesday is GNO and it's at El Zarape at the bar. Not such a good idea: drinking at a bar clear across town.
______________________________
Did a radio show, turned in my old cell phones at Calico Sage and got a tax deduction slip, watched Night Nurse, a 1931 movie with Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell, Clark Gable, wherein the women were continuously changing their clothes on camera so we see a lot of 1930s underwear. At one point, Joan Blondell changes Barbara's stockings for her. Hmmm, suggestive. Also a lot of hitting, women on men, men on men, men on women. And suddenly it ended with no resolution of several story lines.
Finished reading Made in the USA by Billie Letts about 2 runaway children who are rescued from Las Vegas by some guy who had left his circus family and after the runaway teen girl is forced into making a porno movie and becomes hooked on blow and beaten severely and graphically by thugs, she is saved by joining the circus family and becoming one of the best aerialists of all time. Hmmmm.
Now I'm reading The Women, by TC Boyle which is a very interesting fictionalized account of Frank Lloyd Wright and the four women in his life and his dalliances and betrayals and divorces.
Plus I did a lot cleaning like my kitchen floor and vacuuming and dusting.
On Friday morning, David Bieneman, the BG arborist came over to discuss the removal of that giant silver maple in front of my house. I think at the end he was ready to do it but since then I have reconsidered the options and wrote him this email today:
David, I have been thinking about the taking down of that big silver maple in front of my house. Maybe it doesn't need to come down. We could get rid of the broken part of my sidewalk altogether and I can put a sidewalk from the remaining walk closer to my porch out to my driveway. Then if the roots could be trimmed on the west side and my driveway apron repaired, work could be done to repair the lawn and the tree could live on. Of course, I don't know how this helps the broken curb. Thanks for your consideration and for all you've done so far.
So we'll see what happens.
Wednesday is GNO and it's at El Zarape at the bar. Not such a good idea: drinking at a bar clear across town.
______________________________
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Last full week of March
Suddenly it's hard to believe it will be April NEXT WEEK. What woe can befall us now?? Weather woe, I mean. I'm sure some other woe could happen.
Mom update: Called Saturday, she's not moving, Karen has no money, I feel helpless/hopeless. I have to go down there May 17 for my Aunt Midge and Uncle Jim's 65th anniversary. Which is one week after Mother's Day. Grrrrrrr.
Listening to Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. I got it in the free crate at the radio station. Soul, baby.
The lineup is posted for the Madison Ribberfest.
Tonight I had a massage after work and it was all I could do to prepare food.
Last night, I emailed the city in my quest to have that big tree taken down out front. I got an email back within a half hour that the arborist would address this. No follow-up yet.
Thursday, Josh Garrett is at the ClaZel. $3 starts at 9. Hope I can make it. Then Frostbite is going to be there April 4 and 18.
This last weekend I was worthless. I did a radio show, ate pizza at Amy's, I don't know. It was supposed to be nice but it was chilly Saturday and only nice Sunday for about 2 hours. Saw the Vagina Monologues at the Univ. on Sunday night.
So Monday after work I felt I needed to be outside so I raked up a couple big bags of leaves and took them to the yard waste and then walked to the library for a new book. Made in the USA by Bonnie Letts which is just the kind of lightweight fluff I like to read before hitting the sack.
I got a new computer at work which has the good news and the bad news. The good news is it plays video a lot better now but the bad news is sometimes there's no audio. The IT folks are still troubleshooting it. Plus of course all my previously visited websites history is wiped so everything I log in to is a new experience of forgotten passwords. But hey, they're not paying me too think. Right?
_______________
Mom update: Called Saturday, she's not moving, Karen has no money, I feel helpless/hopeless. I have to go down there May 17 for my Aunt Midge and Uncle Jim's 65th anniversary. Which is one week after Mother's Day. Grrrrrrr.
Listening to Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. I got it in the free crate at the radio station. Soul, baby.
The lineup is posted for the Madison Ribberfest.
Tonight I had a massage after work and it was all I could do to prepare food.
Last night, I emailed the city in my quest to have that big tree taken down out front. I got an email back within a half hour that the arborist would address this. No follow-up yet.
Thursday, Josh Garrett is at the ClaZel. $3 starts at 9. Hope I can make it. Then Frostbite is going to be there April 4 and 18.
This last weekend I was worthless. I did a radio show, ate pizza at Amy's, I don't know. It was supposed to be nice but it was chilly Saturday and only nice Sunday for about 2 hours. Saw the Vagina Monologues at the Univ. on Sunday night.
So Monday after work I felt I needed to be outside so I raked up a couple big bags of leaves and took them to the yard waste and then walked to the library for a new book. Made in the USA by Bonnie Letts which is just the kind of lightweight fluff I like to read before hitting the sack.
I got a new computer at work which has the good news and the bad news. The good news is it plays video a lot better now but the bad news is sometimes there's no audio. The IT folks are still troubleshooting it. Plus of course all my previously visited websites history is wiped so everything I log in to is a new experience of forgotten passwords. But hey, they're not paying me too think. Right?
_______________
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Weekly report
I can't seem to get it together to post more than once a week. Thursday we saw the Kinsey Report at GFT and they were fabulous. We had seen them at Hines Farm lasat year and weren't impressed. Amy believes they had some female singer with then then that we had not favored.
Another action-packed weekend. Yesterday Amy and I went to the Stony Ridge Antiques looking for an endtable to go between the two rattan chairs in the living room. Nothing. We also stopped in at the Stony Ridge Antique Auction place which had some junque for a Sunday auction. Then we went to Menard's where I bought a birdbath. Then we went to Wildwood Antiques which is back behind Gander Mountain where I bought these two chairs which I thought would be great in the living room but alas they are small and not quite green enough. So now they're in the middle room.
Then we went to Pier 1 where I bought some candles. Then to ReDecor where Amy bought 2 folding chairs.
Later we went to the Welders who seemed really good. Click on a picture to see a larger version.
Connie wears the necklace she made for the Humane Society auction
Sal. We were doing some heavy duty dancing. She was hugging EVERYBODY. She exacted my undying love from me which alas, I feel she may have done from others as well.
Chip and me with my stunning Mexico necklace.
Men
Larry, whose 68th birthday it was, sings Stand By Me. I kept saying afterward he was great and everybody just kept replying, It was fun so maybe I overrated it.
Women
Donna's fur hat
Bomeli's new hairdo
Afterward, we had burgers at the Corner Grill. During which we missed FlipFlopFly which Amy had requested. It was Gus's birthday after midnight and Annette took a cake onstage which produced massive smoke after Gus blew out the candles. The event was heavily attended and until late.
Today, I got my sharpened clippers back from Ace Hardware where I also got some hardwood floor cleaner and some more zip ties to reinstall my bamboo fencing someday. Went to Meijer, moved the bookcase into the green room and took a bag of books to GFT for resale, went to the library. Then I put Step 1 of the lawn program on the backyard and decided the entire front yard needed to be raked before its application. That took about 2 hours, it seems like. But it was a beautiful day, about 60, sunny, no wind. Also I put chicken wire around two more bushes that the bunnies seem to be brutalizing.
So, worn out, I watched Witness for the Prosecution which at the end of, we were exhorted to not reveal the shocking ending to our friends before they have seen it. So I won't. Hint: Hell hath no fury.... It was Tyrone Power's last film as he was making Solomon and Sheba the next year (1958) when he died of a heart attack and they had to finish the film with Yul Brynner.
The yard is really shaping up. I talked to Doug Saturday night about fixing my front steps and my splintering hardwood floor and some other stuff. I hope he will get back to me about this.
Big week coming up. Nick Moss at FFB Thursday when Big James is at the HiNote's final show. I hear it costs $8 and we have free tickets to Nick Moss. Friday, Polka Floyd at the Rev's, Greg Ginn at Howard's and United Grass Farmers at Grumpy Dave's. All start late.
The full line-up is posted for the St. Mary's Blues Fest Labor Day weekend. Although attendance was spotty last year, THIS year they are having two full days, Saturday and Sunday with Lil Ed closing Saturday and Tommy Castro Sunday. Tickets are on sale now til 5/25 at half price.
My daughter sent these pics from her excursion to DC where you can rent Segways to tour the sites.
Yay! Halfway to April.
Another action-packed weekend. Yesterday Amy and I went to the Stony Ridge Antiques looking for an endtable to go between the two rattan chairs in the living room. Nothing. We also stopped in at the Stony Ridge Antique Auction place which had some junque for a Sunday auction. Then we went to Menard's where I bought a birdbath. Then we went to Wildwood Antiques which is back behind Gander Mountain where I bought these two chairs which I thought would be great in the living room but alas they are small and not quite green enough. So now they're in the middle room.
Then we went to Pier 1 where I bought some candles. Then to ReDecor where Amy bought 2 folding chairs.
Later we went to the Welders who seemed really good. Click on a picture to see a larger version.
Connie wears the necklace she made for the Humane Society auction
Sal. We were doing some heavy duty dancing. She was hugging EVERYBODY. She exacted my undying love from me which alas, I feel she may have done from others as well.
Chip and me with my stunning Mexico necklace.
Men
Larry, whose 68th birthday it was, sings Stand By Me. I kept saying afterward he was great and everybody just kept replying, It was fun so maybe I overrated it.
Women
Donna's fur hat
Bomeli's new hairdo
Afterward, we had burgers at the Corner Grill. During which we missed FlipFlopFly which Amy had requested. It was Gus's birthday after midnight and Annette took a cake onstage which produced massive smoke after Gus blew out the candles. The event was heavily attended and until late.
Today, I got my sharpened clippers back from Ace Hardware where I also got some hardwood floor cleaner and some more zip ties to reinstall my bamboo fencing someday. Went to Meijer, moved the bookcase into the green room and took a bag of books to GFT for resale, went to the library. Then I put Step 1 of the lawn program on the backyard and decided the entire front yard needed to be raked before its application. That took about 2 hours, it seems like. But it was a beautiful day, about 60, sunny, no wind. Also I put chicken wire around two more bushes that the bunnies seem to be brutalizing.
So, worn out, I watched Witness for the Prosecution which at the end of, we were exhorted to not reveal the shocking ending to our friends before they have seen it. So I won't. Hint: Hell hath no fury.... It was Tyrone Power's last film as he was making Solomon and Sheba the next year (1958) when he died of a heart attack and they had to finish the film with Yul Brynner.
The yard is really shaping up. I talked to Doug Saturday night about fixing my front steps and my splintering hardwood floor and some other stuff. I hope he will get back to me about this.
Big week coming up. Nick Moss at FFB Thursday when Big James is at the HiNote's final show. I hear it costs $8 and we have free tickets to Nick Moss. Friday, Polka Floyd at the Rev's, Greg Ginn at Howard's and United Grass Farmers at Grumpy Dave's. All start late.
The full line-up is posted for the St. Mary's Blues Fest Labor Day weekend. Although attendance was spotty last year, THIS year they are having two full days, Saturday and Sunday with Lil Ed closing Saturday and Tommy Castro Sunday. Tickets are on sale now til 5/25 at half price.
My daughter sent these pics from her excursion to DC where you can rent Segways to tour the sites.
Yay! Halfway to April.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Another week races by
Kelly sent this line in email to the Atomic Mama: "But until then be sure to check out: Cowboy Mouth, Ruthie Foster, Lee Rocker". Apparently part of the Swamp lineup which is due to be released any time now.
Last week was that big one: Radio mtg. Monday, GNO Weds., wine Thursday, last night went to see Johnny Reed at FFB. Which was a clusterbuck because we got there right between the two comedy shows and had to wait in line almost a half hour and then we ended up taking the elevator upstairs and going in the back to get a seat at the bar. Their guitar player was lackluster or worse. Johnny Reed's son Jackson played harp and sang with the band.
My daughter sent me a fancy pop-up book of The Night Before Christmas that she had procured at the Smithsonian. She's a treasure.
Yesterday I raked the whole back yard (not the side or front) and got a huge pile of pine stuff that I couldn't determine if it was yard waste or brush and now it's out there getting rained on. I also cleared a bunch of stuff out of the beds that I shoulda done in the fall. It was really nice, maybe 60 outside. Cloudy but only sporadically sprinkly. Today however it's 38 and heavy rain. The sump pump is running about continuously.
Big cooking school plans: quiche and broccoli soup and lake perch and a rotisserie chicken to parcel out.
Looks like no radio show again this weekend because the women's MAC tournament appearance will be either noon or 2:30 Saturday.
Last week was that big one: Radio mtg. Monday, GNO Weds., wine Thursday, last night went to see Johnny Reed at FFB. Which was a clusterbuck because we got there right between the two comedy shows and had to wait in line almost a half hour and then we ended up taking the elevator upstairs and going in the back to get a seat at the bar. Their guitar player was lackluster or worse. Johnny Reed's son Jackson played harp and sang with the band.
My daughter sent me a fancy pop-up book of The Night Before Christmas that she had procured at the Smithsonian. She's a treasure.
Yesterday I raked the whole back yard (not the side or front) and got a huge pile of pine stuff that I couldn't determine if it was yard waste or brush and now it's out there getting rained on. I also cleared a bunch of stuff out of the beds that I shoulda done in the fall. It was really nice, maybe 60 outside. Cloudy but only sporadically sprinkly. Today however it's 38 and heavy rain. The sump pump is running about continuously.
Big cooking school plans: quiche and broccoli soup and lake perch and a rotisserie chicken to parcel out.
Looks like no radio show again this weekend because the women's MAC tournament appearance will be either noon or 2:30 Saturday.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
another big weekend
I see Elvin Bishop is going to be at the Festival in Sycamore which is just north of Cincinnati on July 18, a Saturday. Can't find much about it on the internet but last year they had Atlanta Rhythm Section and Dave Mason as the headliners.
Yesterday I went to the seed swap at the Botanical Gardens. I took some wildflower and other seeds to trade and got 24 tickets for seed packs although many tables weren't bothering with collecting them. Some of them were home-bagged and some were actual seed company packets from a year ago. I got some chives and cilantro and basil, poblano chiles and jenny lind melons and ruby lettuce, and some black hollyhocks, several marigolds, cosmos and violas.
Then I looked at these 2 silver convertibles, one a 97 BMW and one an 02 Saab, at the Halleck Auto Sales. Just for fun.
Later we went to see Rod's Collision play at the fabulous ClaZel where HUNDREDS were in attendance. It was a swell time. I need to find out how that underwriting works at the radio station and get them to underwrite my show. Or some shows. On the way out, some young woman said to me You look so good! Hmm perhaps she meant-- for being 70 years old. Those youth.
Radio meeting Monday. GNO Wednesday at 149 North with free munchies courtesy Connie D. that she won in a contest. Sounds delightful.
Friday night I watched 3 episodes of 30 Rock (HI-larious) and then Hustle and Flow, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee. It was like a version of those Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland movies where they say "Hey kids let's put on a show" except there's a lot of cursing and screaming and shooting and the star ends up in jail. Oh I should have said Spoiler Alert.
Yesterday I caught up on The Office. Also I did a Pilates crunch video off Netflix.
Today, not so much, one of the banned words/phrases for 2008. Along with First Dude and Maverick and the video of the Snowman Burning they do annually where they, uh, burn a snowman as a way of making winter go away.
Today I am trying to eat near the bottom of the food chain. I've had some granola and am making more coffee and it's noon. I should go to the store and I have an overdue library book (and now they--after 40 years-- have jacked up the fine to 25 cents a day) but some giant motivation better set in or it will be time to go see Gran Torino at the small mall.
Listening to John Hiatt's Hangin' Around the Observatory/Overcoats, his first 2 albums on one CD. Earlier, Jim White's Transnormal Skiperoo.
Also we spring ahead this Saturday night. And the question always arises: Will it be darker or lighter in the evenings then? Look at it this way: If it's almost dark at 7 p.m. now, it will be that same almost-dark at 8 p.m. after the switch. So, lighter. But a little darker in the mornings but that will pass quickly. On Sunday March 8, the day after the switch, the sunrise goes to 8 am; now it's a little after 7. But by the end of March, we'll be where we are now on sunrise time. Except by then it will be light in the evenings until almost 8:30. Bonus!
Last year we got 17 inches of snow in March but the March before, only about 3.
______________________
Yesterday I went to the seed swap at the Botanical Gardens. I took some wildflower and other seeds to trade and got 24 tickets for seed packs although many tables weren't bothering with collecting them. Some of them were home-bagged and some were actual seed company packets from a year ago. I got some chives and cilantro and basil, poblano chiles and jenny lind melons and ruby lettuce, and some black hollyhocks, several marigolds, cosmos and violas.
Then I looked at these 2 silver convertibles, one a 97 BMW and one an 02 Saab, at the Halleck Auto Sales. Just for fun.
Later we went to see Rod's Collision play at the fabulous ClaZel where HUNDREDS were in attendance. It was a swell time. I need to find out how that underwriting works at the radio station and get them to underwrite my show. Or some shows. On the way out, some young woman said to me You look so good! Hmm perhaps she meant-- for being 70 years old. Those youth.
Radio meeting Monday. GNO Wednesday at 149 North with free munchies courtesy Connie D. that she won in a contest. Sounds delightful.
Friday night I watched 3 episodes of 30 Rock (HI-larious) and then Hustle and Flow, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee. It was like a version of those Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland movies where they say "Hey kids let's put on a show" except there's a lot of cursing and screaming and shooting and the star ends up in jail. Oh I should have said Spoiler Alert.
Yesterday I caught up on The Office. Also I did a Pilates crunch video off Netflix.
Today, not so much, one of the banned words/phrases for 2008. Along with First Dude and Maverick and the video of the Snowman Burning they do annually where they, uh, burn a snowman as a way of making winter go away.
Today I am trying to eat near the bottom of the food chain. I've had some granola and am making more coffee and it's noon. I should go to the store and I have an overdue library book (and now they--after 40 years-- have jacked up the fine to 25 cents a day) but some giant motivation better set in or it will be time to go see Gran Torino at the small mall.
Listening to John Hiatt's Hangin' Around the Observatory/Overcoats, his first 2 albums on one CD. Earlier, Jim White's Transnormal Skiperoo.
Also we spring ahead this Saturday night. And the question always arises: Will it be darker or lighter in the evenings then? Look at it this way: If it's almost dark at 7 p.m. now, it will be that same almost-dark at 8 p.m. after the switch. So, lighter. But a little darker in the mornings but that will pass quickly. On Sunday March 8, the day after the switch, the sunrise goes to 8 am; now it's a little after 7. But by the end of March, we'll be where we are now on sunrise time. Except by then it will be light in the evenings until almost 8:30. Bonus!
Last year we got 17 inches of snow in March but the March before, only about 3.
______________________
Thursday, February 26, 2009
A bad videogame
That's what work is like. Today, I go in and my computer is off. I had restarted the night before when I left. I turn it on. It starts up but goes into a maddening series of file scanning routines that disables me from booting up any other programs. I wait for more than 20 minutes while this goes on and call Bill, the IT guy and tell him my woes. He comes up, tells me that the UPS surge protector box I have on my computer has low batteries so every time even the slightest surge is detected, the low batteries think it's Armageddon and turn my computer off. By the time it's 9:30, morning news meeting time, I have been successful only at opening my email.
After the news meeting, Todd stops me in the hall to say that Channel 11 is sending a newsfeed to their Twitter account and why can't we do the same thing? I return to my office and my computer has died again. I reboot and spend quite a while trying to determine the URL of my news xml feeds so our news posts automatically to Twitter.
A fire in Tiffin becomes breaking news and must be posted right away. And updated.
I finally read through a couple of posted news stories for mistakes and typos, during which I get email saying the flash creative for the ad campaign that starts March 4 doesn't work right so I forward the bad graphic to the art director who created it who tells me he is too busy to fix it. I try to have Erin fix it, but he's sent an swf file and she can only edit flash in flv.
Then Sean calls me, the webmaster at WTVD in Raleigh. He knows where my xml feed URLs are. About halfway through my conversation with him, I realize I have missed my 11:45 digital sales conference call. When I hang up with Sean, it's 12:30.
I go to lunch, realizing this will be the only calm hour of my day. I eat at Organic Bliss and look at shoes at Elder Beerman and get back to work just minutes before my 2 p.m. webmaster conference call. During which we are chastised by the digital media VPs about our misuse of the newly installed site alerts that we had to learn how to use this week along with populating our new weather page.
I start again to post this xml feed to Twitter which involves a process of logging in to some ultra secure system that requires me to choose 3 pictures from a group of about 20 that I will remember later because they will be my SECRET IMAGES. I choose cats, food and outer space. How could I not forget those?? Then a login approval is sent to my webmaster email. Or so the software says. I wait. I choose Send Again and this time the email comes, I go back to the twitterfeed site, follow all the steps and get to the page where I enter the URL of my xml feed and a couple of other things and right after I click OK for what surely must be the last time, my computer shuts itself down. Again. It's 4:30. I have done no evening news, although Jennifer is there to do that but I always help her.
The IT woman comes up to help me unplug the faulty UPS surge box and we find the monitors were plugged into it instead of anywhere else so she has to go to the basement to get a common household surge protector so that she has somewhere to plug in the monitors.
I get my computer restarted and it's after 5 and the news director has sent me a 14-page pdf file of all the jobs they'll be referencing in the Job Bank call-in portion of tonight's newscasts. The file refuses to convert to text. So I have to ftp the file to a server and then reference it as a URL and send that to Jen so she can post it. And it doesn't show up the first two times I try it. But finally it does.
During all this other stuff, I have answered about 85 emails, discussed an upcoming contest that is so complicated we have to have a conference call about it on Friday, made a graphic and posted it for the Job Bank call-in, updated the Job Center web page with new jobs, posted a story about Tim Hortons roll up the rim contest because news made mistakes LAST night so I have to bail them out with a story that we otherwise wouldn't have posted because face it, it's free advertising.
At least Jen has me watch the video of the hero dog pulling the injured dog from a busy street in Chile. I love the internet.
After the news meeting, Todd stops me in the hall to say that Channel 11 is sending a newsfeed to their Twitter account and why can't we do the same thing? I return to my office and my computer has died again. I reboot and spend quite a while trying to determine the URL of my news xml feeds so our news posts automatically to Twitter.
A fire in Tiffin becomes breaking news and must be posted right away. And updated.
I finally read through a couple of posted news stories for mistakes and typos, during which I get email saying the flash creative for the ad campaign that starts March 4 doesn't work right so I forward the bad graphic to the art director who created it who tells me he is too busy to fix it. I try to have Erin fix it, but he's sent an swf file and she can only edit flash in flv.
Then Sean calls me, the webmaster at WTVD in Raleigh. He knows where my xml feed URLs are. About halfway through my conversation with him, I realize I have missed my 11:45 digital sales conference call. When I hang up with Sean, it's 12:30.
I go to lunch, realizing this will be the only calm hour of my day. I eat at Organic Bliss and look at shoes at Elder Beerman and get back to work just minutes before my 2 p.m. webmaster conference call. During which we are chastised by the digital media VPs about our misuse of the newly installed site alerts that we had to learn how to use this week along with populating our new weather page.
I start again to post this xml feed to Twitter which involves a process of logging in to some ultra secure system that requires me to choose 3 pictures from a group of about 20 that I will remember later because they will be my SECRET IMAGES. I choose cats, food and outer space. How could I not forget those?? Then a login approval is sent to my webmaster email. Or so the software says. I wait. I choose Send Again and this time the email comes, I go back to the twitterfeed site, follow all the steps and get to the page where I enter the URL of my xml feed and a couple of other things and right after I click OK for what surely must be the last time, my computer shuts itself down. Again. It's 4:30. I have done no evening news, although Jennifer is there to do that but I always help her.
The IT woman comes up to help me unplug the faulty UPS surge box and we find the monitors were plugged into it instead of anywhere else so she has to go to the basement to get a common household surge protector so that she has somewhere to plug in the monitors.
I get my computer restarted and it's after 5 and the news director has sent me a 14-page pdf file of all the jobs they'll be referencing in the Job Bank call-in portion of tonight's newscasts. The file refuses to convert to text. So I have to ftp the file to a server and then reference it as a URL and send that to Jen so she can post it. And it doesn't show up the first two times I try it. But finally it does.
During all this other stuff, I have answered about 85 emails, discussed an upcoming contest that is so complicated we have to have a conference call about it on Friday, made a graphic and posted it for the Job Bank call-in, updated the Job Center web page with new jobs, posted a story about Tim Hortons roll up the rim contest because news made mistakes LAST night so I have to bail them out with a story that we otherwise wouldn't have posted because face it, it's free advertising.
At least Jen has me watch the video of the hero dog pulling the injured dog from a busy street in Chile. I love the internet.
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