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.
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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?
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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 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.

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.
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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.

last week of February

Many people are saying winter is going by really fast. Hmmm, not so much for me.

Weekends go by way fast, that's for sure. Friday night, Sherry and Amy and I intended to play cribbage but alas we never made it off the couch. I was in bed by midnight and the next thing I know, it's 11:15 a.m. and I am just waking up. So much for Saturday morning gym. But a good rally resulted in me cleaning the whole house, going to Meijer for massive stock-up, going to the library where I got The Bible Salesman and Home. Read the Bible Salesman between Saturday afternoon and Sunday noon. Pretty amusing. And suddenly, it was time to go to Ron and Deb's to play cards, where I lost all but one game of euchre with Stubbs and Chip and Amy. Much good food-- chicken sandwich and rumaki and hummus and baked brie and pasta with jerk chicken and weenies and cookies.

Got home at midnight again and sprang up at 8:45 to finish my book. Finally got started on cooking school about 2 and made lasagna with leftover Bolognese sauces and pasta with chicken and carmelized onions and roasted grape tomatoes and and yam/parsnip/watercress soup and now I have a tilapia filet in the oven and a salad made to go with it.

At least I did the Pilates today.

One of my bamboo fence panels fell completely over so I went out today during a sunny period and brushed all the snow off and rolled it up and put it on the table on the patio. It looked unscathed so I hope I can just reattach it when it gets nice.

I hope Stubbs will play euchre with me Monday night at Grumpy Dave's.

Saturday is Rod's Collision at the ClaZel 7:30 to 10:30. Come out and see them. $3 at the door.

Tonight I have to update the Oscars part of 13abc.com. Another late night.

Back to reality

Check out the Upcoming Shows link to the right. Welders, Rod's, Polka Floyd and more! Plus, although not posted on their website, the Madison Ribberfest features Robben Ford, Dr. John and Watermelon Slim. Time to get a room. I called the Riverboat Inn tonight but the woman who answered the phone said I had to call back in the daytime when the events coordinator was there. WTF. All the other rooms are over $120 a night! May have to look at a longer drive to the motel. Like that place in Kentucky where some Black Swamp Blues people stay.

It was tough going back to work. Plus what was worse, my assistant left for vacation the day I got back so I've had to go in at 7 this week and still work til 5:30. Oh, the injustice!!

I finally have all my laundry done and limited food supplies laid in. Which more must be laid in for the next big snowstorm Saturday. Or not. Haven't had any Corner Grill in weeks.

Big weekend with cribbage Friday and cards Saturday at Deb and Ron's and Andrew Ellis at the HiNote Saturday. No radio show though. I think.

Other pictures

The snow before I left for Mexico.


Freaking bleak.


I call this The Rapture


One corner of my living room

Mexico pix

Remember: click a picture to see a bigger version.

Lucha masks se vende


Grandpa tries on a sombrero



The kitchen at Cueva del Chango


Carla at the bar


Yucatan breakfast: ham and peas and cheese on a tortilla on two sunny side eggs on a tortilla with salsa


More breakfast


Beach with many boats


Beach


At the Bad Boys Beach Bar



The band plays at No Limits, the bar at our hotel. The bass player is the husband of one of the bartender's at Bad Boys.


Tenth St. across from el banco

Last full day

Last night, we went again to the Bad Boys Beach Bar and saw that band who had some special guests including a guy named Brant Parkinson or something did some great blues like BB King and Carl Perkins. And some entire guest band did some Black Sabbath and some other tunes. And then these three chicas got up there and sang Let´s Twist Again and Mr. Postman in a cute girl group way.

Friday night we ate at La Tortuga again and I stupidly had shrimp, at least one of which was bad, so that all came up (sorry for the graphic description) in the middle of the night so Saturday I couldn´t drink or hardly eat all day. Stick to the beef. Annie had a great filet mignon there. I had just told the waiter we would tripadvisor the place very favorably so hmmmmm.

We also walked around to various pharmacies to buy RetinA which we ended up buying Receal A .01% for $9US a 60 gram tube. Other places, the stuff called RetinA on the box was like $27 or more although it was a higher percentage. I´ve been trying to google what the difference is without much luck.

Our pal Greg from Dec 07 shows up at the beach bar the other day and although he was supposed to be leaving the day after we did in Dec 07 he´s still here, having rented an apartment on 38th St. and now has some jealous Mexican girlfriend named Claudia who called him about 8 times while we were at the bar, finally threatening to walk into the ocean if he didn´t come home pretty soon. Which he didn´t.

OK off to the beach. Had breakfast today at Tropicale where we had eggs AND fruit plate with granola and yogurt because we had hardly eaten yesterday.

Friday the 13th

Very eventful week: contained a full moon, Friday the 13th and tomorrow, Valentine´s Day.

Last night we went to the Bad Boys on the Beach where a band of Americans played songs like Taking Care of Business and Sweet Home Alabama and some Pink Floyd and there was much consumption of beer and Miss Annie being picked up by American men our age. When it was over at 9 p.m. we were too tanky to dine out so we got some pizza off a street vendor and ate it in our room and went to sleep.

Yesterday, I couldn´t go to the beach at all because I needed no more sun and I was, uh, listless from having drunk quite a bit of whiskey the night before. I swung in our balcony hammock and read and later went to the beach bar at the hotel for a mineral water with lime.

There are several restaurants we haven´t eaten at yet. And a couple we are marking off our list: Media Luna and La Caprichoza.

Two days later

Well as I always say, we are not losing any weight down here. The weather has improved, if that´s possible. Not as much wind and warmer. 87 today. Looks to continue throughout the week.

More good food has been eaten. Tonight we are going to La Carpichoza where they make a fab caesar salad at your table. Last night we tried to go to Yaxche, a Mayan restaurant, but it was packed so we went to Maktub, a Lebanese restaurant where i had chicken kabob and Annie had vegetarian platter which was great.

We went to the Mexican equivalent of WalMart the other night and bought beer and wine and Jack Daniels, in a frugal way, and some bread and cheese which we have had for afternoon snack two days in a row.

Thursday night we are going to Bad Boys on the Beach where a band called the Nasty Bastards plays.

Otherwise, I don´t what we´ll do with ourselves. We are blasting through books like crazy. Because you can only take so much lying on the beach, believe it or not. Today, I had to lie under an umbrella because I am kinda red. But not real bad. I can hear the no sympathy from here.

Besos, chicos.

Ola chicos!

Well we got here Saturday with no problem and were on a barstool yesterday by 3. It rained lightly but not enough to keep us from the palapa bar. We were fairly wiped out from the traveling so we had an early dinner at Media Luna which has become unremarkable after remodeling and moving to the second floor.

Yesterday we ate breakfast at Hot which was very good. Later we had a mexicano platter at the bar at the hotel and we thought we were too burnt (out and sun) to go out for dinner but later we recovered and had a great meal at El Bistro at La Torguga on 10th Ave. This is something to keep in mind--anything you can get on Fifth Ave is probably better and cheaper on 10th. We had mussels for an appetizer and then had big salads--Annie with the pear gorgonzola and me with a smoked salmon pecan. We had a bottle of Argentinian Malbec which pretty much cost as much as the food.

Today we had breakfast on 5th at Tropical where Annie had a vampira smoothie (beet juice and stuff) and a bagel and I had yogurt with granola and some banana bread with cream cheese. We started out both days with coffee from Java Joe´s which is just a block from our hotel.

The first night, the thumping music from hell started up about 1030 at a bar two hotels away from ours and continued on to 4 a.m. Yesterday we bought earplugs but last night, no music. Hopefully this is just a weekend thing. We could stay cheaper away from the beach but it´s so nice when you´re down there to run up to the room for stuff. What princesses.

Have had one marg today and now it´s 230 and we are taking a beach break, going to the ATM, where the exchange rate is very good. Took out 1500 pesos and it cost 100 American. Muy bien.

More later. Weather is fabulous. I see it is nearly summery in BG.

OMG get me out of here

I can't even keep track of all the crappy weather we've had. It's real damn cold all the time and the snow is still a foot deep on the ground. But in just a couple of days I will be in Mexico for 10 days. Mmmmmmmmmm. It's my only hope, Obi-wan.

For a couple weeks there a couple weeks ago, I was exercising and eating sensibly so as to not appear too blimpish in a swimsuit but alas this last week I have fallen mightily so whatever. I'm sure fatter people will be on the beach.

Just a few last minute things to do, like buying cat litter and getting a big pile of cash out of the bank. I'll try and do a better job of posting during the vacation than the last time I was in Mexico.
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No blog since the Inaug

Man, it is just tiresome, the continual talk of financial ruin, driving 45mph to and from work because the roads are bad. Unending task completion at work. Shoveling. It's a good thing I have a few bright spots in my life. You know who you are.

The Big is nearly apoplectic that he can't use the yard as his litterbox. He goes out daily and marches from the front to the back and I let him back in.

Update on the mom saga: she was going to move in the old folks apt. complex but the one she would get isn't ready until the middle of Feb. so now she feels stuck in the trailer for another month but I told her I would fork out some rent money if she needs it for the new place. So I don't have to go down tomorrow and help her pack.

The line-up for Wheeling has been released and while it's big, we've seen all those people recently or enough. I keep waiting for the release of the Madison Ribberfest line-up, but no dice. It's on my birthday weekend.

Just holding on until Mexico. One week from tomorrow. I tried on swimsuits last night and while it wasn't a beauty pageant, I've seen worse. And those boys in Mexico will bring you a beer to your beach chair no matter what you look like. Smiling.

I went to buy the new books by Wally Lamb and Chuck Pahliniuk but they're both still only in hardcover and too heavy to tote to the beach. So I bought a handful of stuff at GFT instead which I'm sure will be plenty amusing.

Lyle and Judy's Inauguration Party was a fun time. It was a huge crowd and I shoulda worn some red, white and blue.



At least they had those festive hats which were big enough for my giant head.

I missed Calvin Cooke at GFT and Anthony Gomes at FFB. And my upcoming show is way outdated. Sigh.

So I had ordered this luggage from Overstock.com and it was no better than the one I have in the basement so I sent it back at my expense and then they charged me for it being scratched so just now I had an online chat with a service rep and they gave me all my money back. Just a lesson in don't let the man get you down.
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MLK weekend

Well, it was pretty quiet and I didn't do any National Day of Service stuff that I heard a bunch about on NPR this afternoon.

Friday on the way home from work I stopped at Churchill's and got a bunch of stuff. Kielbasa that I made yesterday. Some fancy cheese. Some guacamole the consistency of wallpaper paste. English muffins. Local honey. Grouper in chipotle marinade which was very tasty. I don't know what else but it came to $67. Saturday I spent $90 at Meijer. So I should have a ton of food.

Saturday night Amy and I played Casino Yahtzee which was a ton of fun! We must play more.

Did not exercise one bit other than shoveling. Was very sunny but about a high of 18 both days. Talked to Annie today for an hour.

I've decided to return that luggage I bought because it is not appreciably smaller than that one bag I have that sometimes they let me take on board and sometimes make me check.

Sunday night I talked to my daughter on the phone for an hour. Watched Singin in the Rain on Netflix online. Did not watch Before Night Falls.

Today I tanned which I have 5 more of. Went to the St. Julian's Fitness where they transferred my gym membership and they do have classes so I will start going there. Yes I will. One thing they have is Zumba which is just dancing around but I did a five-minute one off You Tube and was tuckered out. How fit can I get in 3 weeks? Tried on my shorts which are tight but what am I going to do? They don't have shorts at the Goodwill this time of year.

I also made the lasagna Bolognese in the Cook's Illustrated sample magazine I got in the mail. It's in the oven. It took the better part of 3 hours to do this and it seems that it will be bland. There are no spices in it. None. Not even garlic. And you make two sauces: one with meat and milk and canned tomatoes and the other, a Bechamel with MORE milk. Plus at the end I had way too much sauce left over. So I froze it.

So now, I have to go back to work tomorrow and my house is a mess because I got a bunch of stuff out to look at and haven't put it back.

And tomorrow at last is 1/20/2009, when we will be rid of the Dubya. Although Helen Thomas on NPR today called him Bush 3.

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Slogging through

Today, my daughter calls who has been sick since Friday. With a sore throat. We agree she should go to the doctor in case it's strep. The doctor says her throat looks as if it's been burned by hot liquid. So whatever. He gave her some soothing throat balm and an optional prescription for antibiotic which she has declined.

This Friday, Joe Bob Duda is playing at the old S. Main school for the salamander meander artist reception. 5-7.

Paul Thorn is at the Ark on March 28. I'm thinking about going. How about you? Let me know. Starvin for Your Kisses. It's a Saturday. Good fun in Ann Arbor.

I got my new luggage and at first I thought it was substandard, too heavy, made in China. But I think it will be fine and it swivels. So bonus. I'll keep it. Because it's Mexico three weeks from Saturday.

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Busy snow day

Shoveled a bunch. We musta got 7 or 8 inches. Noticed that my bamboo fence had a bad sag in one spot so tromped through the snow in the behind the fence and pulled it tight with a piece of vinyl-wrapped wire I had lying around. Put another coat on the fireplace flooring stuff. Filled the bird feeder which is now besieged by fat squirrels. Dammit. Tidied up the computer desk and found an American Express bill that was due Jan. 5 for $21 so now I suppose I will incur a $30 late fee, although I paid it online and none appeared. This is 2 bills in one month that I have overlooked. Must be more organized.

Ha ha had clear liquid confusion. I got a bottle out from under the sink that I thought was vinegar and poured some in a plastic dish to soak my shower head and notice a very strong odor. It was ammonia. Now it's soaking in vinegar so either it will be really clean or ruined.

Big breakfast, laundry, library, returned some stuff to Connie and now sequestered once again in the cozy home.

Four weeks to Mexico

Just hunkering down here for the MAJOR WINTER STORM with snow up 10 INCHES. We'll see when we wake up in the AM. A very quiet Friday night at home, reading through many New Yorkers, drinking wine. Called Miss Annie for a bit but that's all. Made a list of stuff to do around the house like crack caulking and hearth painting. I have one coat on. Needs at least one more.

Earlier this week, I called my mom to see if I should come help her pack up on Saturday to move (which as it turns out would have been a bad idea, travel-wise) and ALAS Karen has not got a check for disability (surprise, surprise) so my mom is stuck there until something happens with that. Grrrrrrrrr.

Didn't do doodly squat the rest of this week at night but it is winter, after all. They are lucky I showed up at work daily, what with the radar being funky on 13abc.com (which is now resolved) and various ad crap having to be dealt with and my continuing campaign to get the newsroom to realize that pretty soon, it will be ALL internet, your linearally programmed news shows are of no importance. Evangelizing is so hard.

Ordered this bag off Overstock.com which should arrive any day now. Tired of lugging my duffel through the airports. In olive, not your usual red or black.

Last night I did an exercise DVD off Netflix. Why do my abs not hurt? Obviously, I am not doing something right. Then I watched two Barbara Stanwyck movies from the 50s, To Please a Lady and Jeopardy, in both of which she gets slapped in the face by a man. Hmmmmm. Not liking this pattern. At least the first one had many fabulous outfits. Here's a pic of Barbara and Clark Gable after the slap and when they are IN LOVE.

Hmm it looks like the Madison Indiana Best Western is out of business and the next cheapest place has no rooms left for the Ribberfest. I better get on this.

Full moon Saturday.

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