My house is a freaking mess. There are two empty cases of wine bottles in the kitchen, Way too much candy hanging around. And I should be at a new year's eve party.
This Christmas was a blast. The kids were home. I got some fine gifts including this iPad keyboard dock so I can blog mo better. And a beautiful silver bracelet from China.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Jing jing-a-ling
As usual, the spirit strikes me with only days left to go. So yesterday I went to Bass Pro and Kohl's. At Kohl's I decided to get all 5 of my Christmas Eve guests the same present. I spent $88 and saved $226! Also had to get myself a holiday necklace. Tried to assemble my old fake tree but alas it somehow would not connect together so I stopped at Lowe's and got a new one for $14!! That's right -- fourteen dollah. Assembled and lights on just a couple hours later.
Did a radio show yesterday that was heavily holiday tuneage. Next weekend, on the day itself, Connie and I are doing six hours of holiday music. Tune in! 88.1 or at www.wbgufm.com.
Last night, we went to hear Richard Barone at GFT. He kept saying how the songs he writes have such hard guitar chords. I could feel Joe Baker, just 2 seats away, rolling his eyes. Plus they weren't hard chords. He was certainly no Will Kimbrough, just let me say.
Friday night, Amy had a holiday party which turned into hard rockin' casino, with 3 separate tables of gaming. She prepared a meat buffet and many other snacks and cookies, all of which were delish. Around 11, her furnace ceased to function. She called Gearharts Sat. AM and they sent a boy who was unsuccessful at fixing it so Amy opted to wait for the big dog Gearhart on Mon. AM. Hope that works out OK. Not a good weekend to be trying to heat your house with space heaters.
Yesterday, I had bought Miss Jenks this Christmas ornament that I wish I had taken a picture of it, it was so bizarre. A rat/chihuahua/Yoda thing, holding a guitar emblazoned with the word Mexico, with a sombrero hanging down its back. Oh wait, I found a picture of it. You can see more views on eBay.
You can see how I would not notice the nose was chipped. Today I take it back to exchange it, but alas none remained so I sent it to her regardless, hopefully sufficiently packed to avoid further breakage. I had to send it, even chipped, as it was truly odd. Sent her some other stuff too. Hope it gets there by Thursday. SO I had bought it at Kohl's where they were having the sale of the season and I had a 30% off coupon so I get myself a couple long sleeved black tops and then decide to get my 5 Christmas Eve guests all another little something.
Wrapped all that stuff this afternoon, after having put all the hanging baubles on my tree earlier in the day. Way earlier, apparently, as I had done that AND gone to Kohl's and back before noon. Then went to Meijer for avocados for the guac for the work potluck tomorrow and ALAS they had a ton of them but all hard as rocks. So I got BOGO fresh salsa there and a gift card for my full-timer at work, then went to Kroger where they amazingly HAD good avocados and fancy chocolate bars were on sale.
Then I stopped into Barney's for the annual holiday scratch-offs. So I think I have all the stocking stuffers.
I was going to do some cooking and baking today but I did not. Don't have a lot to do this week at night so I should be able to fit that in.
Anne has been texting me, at my request, various foodstuffs I could lay in. Had them all covered, even Splenda and Brie.
Did a radio show yesterday that was heavily holiday tuneage. Next weekend, on the day itself, Connie and I are doing six hours of holiday music. Tune in! 88.1 or at www.wbgufm.com.
Last night, we went to hear Richard Barone at GFT. He kept saying how the songs he writes have such hard guitar chords. I could feel Joe Baker, just 2 seats away, rolling his eyes. Plus they weren't hard chords. He was certainly no Will Kimbrough, just let me say.
Friday night, Amy had a holiday party which turned into hard rockin' casino, with 3 separate tables of gaming. She prepared a meat buffet and many other snacks and cookies, all of which were delish. Around 11, her furnace ceased to function. She called Gearharts Sat. AM and they sent a boy who was unsuccessful at fixing it so Amy opted to wait for the big dog Gearhart on Mon. AM. Hope that works out OK. Not a good weekend to be trying to heat your house with space heaters.
Yesterday, I had bought Miss Jenks this Christmas ornament that I wish I had taken a picture of it, it was so bizarre. A rat/chihuahua/Yoda thing, holding a guitar emblazoned with the word Mexico, with a sombrero hanging down its back. Oh wait, I found a picture of it. You can see more views on eBay.
You can see how I would not notice the nose was chipped. Today I take it back to exchange it, but alas none remained so I sent it to her regardless, hopefully sufficiently packed to avoid further breakage. I had to send it, even chipped, as it was truly odd. Sent her some other stuff too. Hope it gets there by Thursday. SO I had bought it at Kohl's where they were having the sale of the season and I had a 30% off coupon so I get myself a couple long sleeved black tops and then decide to get my 5 Christmas Eve guests all another little something.
Wrapped all that stuff this afternoon, after having put all the hanging baubles on my tree earlier in the day. Way earlier, apparently, as I had done that AND gone to Kohl's and back before noon. Then went to Meijer for avocados for the guac for the work potluck tomorrow and ALAS they had a ton of them but all hard as rocks. So I got BOGO fresh salsa there and a gift card for my full-timer at work, then went to Kroger where they amazingly HAD good avocados and fancy chocolate bars were on sale.
Then I stopped into Barney's for the annual holiday scratch-offs. So I think I have all the stocking stuffers.
I was going to do some cooking and baking today but I did not. Don't have a lot to do this week at night so I should be able to fit that in.
Anne has been texting me, at my request, various foodstuffs I could lay in. Had them all covered, even Splenda and Brie.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Amy's holiday casino
Sherry and I smoked all others at euchre. I think her reindeer antennae were our secret weapon.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Holidays are upon us
Hmm, those first two weeks of December went right by.
Trying to move stuff around here to make room for that blow-up bed in the green room. Moved a small green chair to the bedroom to make room for the bookcase out of the green room. Moving that now-emptied CD cabinet thing to the basement. Ack, there's just stuff everywhere.
Snowing like crazy outside. Apparently the wind is supposed to pick up and make stuff a mess, plus be below zero wind chill. Went out and put my car in the garage.
I hosted poker Friday night. It was well attended and Amy lost some cash and Kim and Stubbs won it. I also had GNO on Dec. 1 which was very well attended. Plenty o snax (pic on Facebook). See, that's why I don't blog-- damn Facebook.
Holiday tips: Start making ice cubes now and bag them in the freezer. Also start buying odd ingredients-- maraschino cherries, powdered sugar, various cheeses, crescent rolls in the tube, Haagen-Dasz ice cream (some great flavors: banana split, butter pecan, white truffle raspberry). You never know what you might want to make suddenly.
Have no presents for anybody however. DO have however, tickets to Band of Heathens, Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, and the Wailers over the next 3 months in Ann Arbor. It's all about meeeee!!!!
________________________
Trying to move stuff around here to make room for that blow-up bed in the green room. Moved a small green chair to the bedroom to make room for the bookcase out of the green room. Moving that now-emptied CD cabinet thing to the basement. Ack, there's just stuff everywhere.
Snowing like crazy outside. Apparently the wind is supposed to pick up and make stuff a mess, plus be below zero wind chill. Went out and put my car in the garage.
I hosted poker Friday night. It was well attended and Amy lost some cash and Kim and Stubbs won it. I also had GNO on Dec. 1 which was very well attended. Plenty o snax (pic on Facebook). See, that's why I don't blog-- damn Facebook.
Holiday tips: Start making ice cubes now and bag them in the freezer. Also start buying odd ingredients-- maraschino cherries, powdered sugar, various cheeses, crescent rolls in the tube, Haagen-Dasz ice cream (some great flavors: banana split, butter pecan, white truffle raspberry). You never know what you might want to make suddenly.
Have no presents for anybody however. DO have however, tickets to Band of Heathens, Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, and the Wailers over the next 3 months in Ann Arbor. It's all about meeeee!!!!
________________________
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Last weekend of November
I continued on Friday being a slug so I made a fresh start Saturday. Sort of. I put up Christmas lights and brought up some Santas and did a radio show and ate some Hutchings leftover Thanksgiving meals on wheels and then drove Chip and Tim out to Kim n Jim's for cards. Ha ha. Getting both those boys in my small car was a challenge. But they were glad for the DD.
Big news: Kim's daughter Brittany is pregnant, due in July. So just barely but she looks healthy. Kim's already talking booties and onesies and other gear. We had fun playing poker and got home after midnight. I think I may have won $10.
Today I washed the windows on the east side of the house and did laundry and tidying and changed the bed, etc. Got Tom a birthday card at Calico Sage and my gifts to the ladies for GNO. Bought some goods at Meijer including a frou frou necklace.
Infuriating note: I'm painting my toenails in the bathroom and the little kitty darts in, just long enough to knock over the polish bottle and make it spin like a Spirograph, spewing a circular trail of poppy on the floor and the rug. Floor, not so bad; rug, ruined.
Overall, a relaxing weekend but I could have made better use of my time. Spent too much time on Facebook on the iPad.
This week: Tuesday pick Amy up at the airport late when it's supposed to be crappy weather; GNO here Weds. but I'm taking the day off so no big deal. Poker here Dec. 10. I thought I had a radio meeting, but the Atomic Mama points out it's still November.
Time to get ready for another imported meal.
___________________________
Big news: Kim's daughter Brittany is pregnant, due in July. So just barely but she looks healthy. Kim's already talking booties and onesies and other gear. We had fun playing poker and got home after midnight. I think I may have won $10.
Today I washed the windows on the east side of the house and did laundry and tidying and changed the bed, etc. Got Tom a birthday card at Calico Sage and my gifts to the ladies for GNO. Bought some goods at Meijer including a frou frou necklace.
Infuriating note: I'm painting my toenails in the bathroom and the little kitty darts in, just long enough to knock over the polish bottle and make it spin like a Spirograph, spewing a circular trail of poppy on the floor and the rug. Floor, not so bad; rug, ruined.
Overall, a relaxing weekend but I could have made better use of my time. Spent too much time on Facebook on the iPad.
This week: Tuesday pick Amy up at the airport late when it's supposed to be crappy weather; GNO here Weds. but I'm taking the day off so no big deal. Poker here Dec. 10. I thought I had a radio meeting, but the Atomic Mama points out it's still November.
Time to get ready for another imported meal.
___________________________
Friday, November 26, 2010
It's all so exciting!
We went to a wine dinner at SamB's last Tuesday night. The 16th. It was very good and if I hadn't had seconds on the port that was the dessert wine, I woulda been OK. That stuff has some high alcohol content. But I recovered. As always.
Then Friday we went to a TS4A fundraiser where the theme was trailer park trash and apparently I overdressed as the bartender girl pointed out I had on similar stockings to her and she was dressed up.
Saturday was the holiday parade in BG, preceded by breakfast at the Corner Grill, then we went to Ann Arbor and ate at Logan and saw Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Then Sunday I had a small gathering for Karen and Wendell from Dallas.
Then I worked 2 and a half lackluster days and went to Delaware Wednesday night. My mom is not well. She's barely able to stay awake or walk. But I made the giant meal: fried chicken a la mom, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (fresh) with syrup and marshmallows, Stove Top Stuffing, crescent rolls, cole slaw (fresh made), deviled eggs, no actual vegetable, my mom's odd peach cake thing. There was a pumpkin pie which wasn't cut in my presence and sadly I took home the whipped cream, so if they had some later, it was plain.
Today, omg. I did put in my glass front door and do some laundry and buy some coffee at GFT and eat some but basically I watched video. Quite a few episodes of Modern Family which I have the entire first season DVD of and How to Tame Your Dragon, which taught me many things: children are our hope of salvation, dragons are our friends, make love not war, the big thing in control can be vanquished, women too can hunt dragons, and of course, love is a wonderful thing.
I vacillated between feeling guilty and feeling luxurious. I'm going with luxurious.
I apparently have successfully synched my iPod with my updated iTunes library. As you know, I have struggled with this recently. Getting the iTunes to ingest, etc.
I may or may not have a radio show tomorrow depending on whether the Falcon women lose or win tonight. Although at BGSUFalcons.com, it says they play at either 6 or 8 pm PST, so it seems like I'd be on. We'll see.
And Kim and Jim have cards Sat. night.
Next week is GNO at my house. I'm taking that day off because I can and I'm picking Amy up at the airport late Tuesday night. Although she had to go to work Weds.
Then Friday we went to a TS4A fundraiser where the theme was trailer park trash and apparently I overdressed as the bartender girl pointed out I had on similar stockings to her and she was dressed up.
Saturday was the holiday parade in BG, preceded by breakfast at the Corner Grill, then we went to Ann Arbor and ate at Logan and saw Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Then Sunday I had a small gathering for Karen and Wendell from Dallas.
Then I worked 2 and a half lackluster days and went to Delaware Wednesday night. My mom is not well. She's barely able to stay awake or walk. But I made the giant meal: fried chicken a la mom, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (fresh) with syrup and marshmallows, Stove Top Stuffing, crescent rolls, cole slaw (fresh made), deviled eggs, no actual vegetable, my mom's odd peach cake thing. There was a pumpkin pie which wasn't cut in my presence and sadly I took home the whipped cream, so if they had some later, it was plain.
Today, omg. I did put in my glass front door and do some laundry and buy some coffee at GFT and eat some but basically I watched video. Quite a few episodes of Modern Family which I have the entire first season DVD of and How to Tame Your Dragon, which taught me many things: children are our hope of salvation, dragons are our friends, make love not war, the big thing in control can be vanquished, women too can hunt dragons, and of course, love is a wonderful thing.
I vacillated between feeling guilty and feeling luxurious. I'm going with luxurious.
I apparently have successfully synched my iPod with my updated iTunes library. As you know, I have struggled with this recently. Getting the iTunes to ingest, etc.
I may or may not have a radio show tomorrow depending on whether the Falcon women lose or win tonight. Although at BGSUFalcons.com, it says they play at either 6 or 8 pm PST, so it seems like I'd be on. We'll see.
And Kim and Jim have cards Sat. night.
Next week is GNO at my house. I'm taking that day off because I can and I'm picking Amy up at the airport late Tuesday night. Although she had to go to work Weds.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving
My mom is making a peach cobbler but she doesn't like lumpy cobbler batter so shes making a Jiffy cake mix with peaches baked into the top. Hmmmm.
Monday, November 22, 2010
More holiday preps
I've been hitting LLBean.com to see what they've got on sale and today they had a queen size inflatable bed that has great reviews so it was on sale AND free shipping AND 10% more off if I'd open an LLBean Visa, which I did. No more visitor difficulty in the sleeping section.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Holiday madness approacheth
Next Sunday, I am hosting a party for Karen and Wendell from Dallas. A little evening massive drinking affair that you should feel free to attend. Particularly if you have a guitar Wendell can borrow and bring one for yourself.
Then Weds. I'm going to my mom's and making a big Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday: fried chicken, stove top, creamy mashed, vegetables (although not green line green beans, which I made last year and neither my mom nor sister would eat), cranberry in the can, rolls, etc.
The next week, it's GNO chez moi at which I am preparing all the snacks. Really. Don't bring any -- unless you want to bring homemade Christmas cookies that I can then freeze for when my kids arrive, 22 days later.
And there's second Friday poker chez moi on Dec.10 and Amy's having a holiday open house on Friday Dec. 17. And cards at Kim and Jim's the Friday after Thanksgiving.
At least I got all the leaves raked out of the far back of my yard. It could still stand a mowing. Hopefully I can rake out that slurry in the southeast corner of the fenced part of my yard the day after Thanksgiving, which I have off.
Today at Meijer I started the stockup: crackers on sale, creme fraiche, chocolate chips, raspberry jam for thumbprint cookies.
____________________________
Then Weds. I'm going to my mom's and making a big Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday: fried chicken, stove top, creamy mashed, vegetables (although not green line green beans, which I made last year and neither my mom nor sister would eat), cranberry in the can, rolls, etc.
The next week, it's GNO chez moi at which I am preparing all the snacks. Really. Don't bring any -- unless you want to bring homemade Christmas cookies that I can then freeze for when my kids arrive, 22 days later.
And there's second Friday poker chez moi on Dec.10 and Amy's having a holiday open house on Friday Dec. 17. And cards at Kim and Jim's the Friday after Thanksgiving.
At least I got all the leaves raked out of the far back of my yard. It could still stand a mowing. Hopefully I can rake out that slurry in the southeast corner of the fenced part of my yard the day after Thanksgiving, which I have off.
Today at Meijer I started the stockup: crackers on sale, creme fraiche, chocolate chips, raspberry jam for thumbprint cookies.
____________________________
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Fabulous weekend
Blue skies, moderately cool, plenty of lounging around, some drinking.
My daughter bought a 2008 Honda Civic Saturday. With 38,000 miles so practically brand new for a Honda. They let her drive it home from the deal. She's now working at both Levis fulltime and for Bradley Bayou parttime. Link is a Facebook so hope you're on.
Tom is back in the US with an apartment "an indefinite sublease in the Haight/Castro" and a job at Foreign Cinema. How he acquired either of these from Asia where a good part of the time he was unable to be on the Internet is beyond me.
Friday night I went out to the farm and had lamb chops and wine and Myles Baker St. desserts. Saturday I had a radio show. I musta done something else. Amy and Sherry came over and we had some drinks and gossip. Oh right, I cleaned on Saturday, like massive floor maintenance and tidying up.
Yesterday, a giant gang of teens tore down Curtis Ave., raking everybody's lawns! OMG can one even fathom!! I was prepared to go out and hand them some cash, but they just moved on. Maybe some community service requirement? Whatever: a miracle.
Today, I fertilized and watered my new rose bush. Bought some groceries. Made some squash soup with black beans and corn and red bell pepper. Made banana bread pudding with caramel sauce. Have some baking potatoes in and waiting for the main course-- lamb shanks-- to show up.
Reading Bucolic Plague about these 2 gay guys who buy and refurbish a working farm from 1802 in upstate New York. Although I thought it was one of those Live Your Best Life stories, mainly these guys had a boatload of cash from working in NYC plus one guy was a regular guest on Martha Stewart's TV show which enabled them to get free product placement and turn their farming op into a world wide enterprise.
That's what I need-- a world wide enterprise-- as our TV station was sold last week to a private investor so we are no longer part of the Disney/ABC family. We'll still be an ABC affiliate but not the same in many people's minds. I waffle between thinking I'll just wait and see how the new regime will be AND trying to plot out a new career(s). One FABULOUS perk from the deal is since I am 55 and have worked there 10 years, I'll get a Disney silver pass, every year FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. Now there's a retirement plan, move to Florida, take people to the park for free. That's right-- I can take 3 people into any Disney park worldwide (except maybe that Tokyo one) every day forever. OR I could effect this scheme at Disney Land, which is in the state my children reside in. Hmm, $300 dollars a day.... ( a cut rate compared with the $200 a day for adults, $185 for kids) I could give people a real deal.
Also, I'm thinking about opening a food truck. And an asset management firm. Assets like your pictures are on your phone and you want them transferred to your computer and burned to a disk to print out. Or you have a local restaurant/venue website and it never gets updated. Or your old parent has a mountain of health care related paperwork that needs to be sorted and you don't live around here.
Whatever. The whole sale deal is a door opened to opportunity. I must enter.
Otherwise, just happy we've not had any bad weather yet in November and we're 1/3 the way through.
Going to the Ark to see Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams on Oct. 20, a day I have no radio show.
________________________________
My daughter bought a 2008 Honda Civic Saturday. With 38,000 miles so practically brand new for a Honda. They let her drive it home from the deal. She's now working at both Levis fulltime and for Bradley Bayou parttime. Link is a Facebook so hope you're on.
Tom is back in the US with an apartment "an indefinite sublease in the Haight/Castro" and a job at Foreign Cinema. How he acquired either of these from Asia where a good part of the time he was unable to be on the Internet is beyond me.
Friday night I went out to the farm and had lamb chops and wine and Myles Baker St. desserts. Saturday I had a radio show. I musta done something else. Amy and Sherry came over and we had some drinks and gossip. Oh right, I cleaned on Saturday, like massive floor maintenance and tidying up.
Yesterday, a giant gang of teens tore down Curtis Ave., raking everybody's lawns! OMG can one even fathom!! I was prepared to go out and hand them some cash, but they just moved on. Maybe some community service requirement? Whatever: a miracle.
Today, I fertilized and watered my new rose bush. Bought some groceries. Made some squash soup with black beans and corn and red bell pepper. Made banana bread pudding with caramel sauce. Have some baking potatoes in and waiting for the main course-- lamb shanks-- to show up.
Reading Bucolic Plague about these 2 gay guys who buy and refurbish a working farm from 1802 in upstate New York. Although I thought it was one of those Live Your Best Life stories, mainly these guys had a boatload of cash from working in NYC plus one guy was a regular guest on Martha Stewart's TV show which enabled them to get free product placement and turn their farming op into a world wide enterprise.
That's what I need-- a world wide enterprise-- as our TV station was sold last week to a private investor so we are no longer part of the Disney/ABC family. We'll still be an ABC affiliate but not the same in many people's minds. I waffle between thinking I'll just wait and see how the new regime will be AND trying to plot out a new career(s). One FABULOUS perk from the deal is since I am 55 and have worked there 10 years, I'll get a Disney silver pass, every year FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. Now there's a retirement plan, move to Florida, take people to the park for free. That's right-- I can take 3 people into any Disney park worldwide (except maybe that Tokyo one) every day forever. OR I could effect this scheme at Disney Land, which is in the state my children reside in. Hmm, $300 dollars a day.... ( a cut rate compared with the $200 a day for adults, $185 for kids) I could give people a real deal.
Also, I'm thinking about opening a food truck. And an asset management firm. Assets like your pictures are on your phone and you want them transferred to your computer and burned to a disk to print out. Or you have a local restaurant/venue website and it never gets updated. Or your old parent has a mountain of health care related paperwork that needs to be sorted and you don't live around here.
Whatever. The whole sale deal is a door opened to opportunity. I must enter.
Otherwise, just happy we've not had any bad weather yet in November and we're 1/3 the way through.
Going to the Ark to see Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams on Oct. 20, a day I have no radio show.
________________________________
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Fabulous weekend excitement!
NOTE: Apparently Blogger has changed something about uploading photos from mobile devices and I am unaware. Check back after I figure out how to make the photos show up in the copy below.
Last week, I left work late 4 out of 5 days, one of which was Friday when there was some emergency conference call about 40 people all over the US about whether our livestreams are ready in case we release the iPad app. Man, I had a party to get to.
Chip and Tim went fishing last week.
Which was a GREAT party! The Atomic Mama was honored for several decades of earth residence and there was much music
and gifting and wearing of the kitty ears
and beveraging and dancing and stuff.
Saturday I did the usual cleaning up and am fixing breakfast when I hear that something is amiss on the Blues Breakfast, too many promos and dead air and continuous canned jazz. So the DJ calls me and I speed over but alas there's no parking and by now Muddy has figured out his problem and is broadcasting live. etc.
I finish with the breakfast and then go join the Community Center and sign up for two classes Tuesday and Thursday. Radio show and then Amy and I race to Fallen Timbers and see Hereafter. Which had some draggy parts but overall was a wonderful movie. And even though we had had movie snacks, we wanted a bite so we went to Swig's and split a smoked pork tenderloin sandwich and fries. Which was just enough. Then we had some wine.
Today my house painting got finished by Mr. Black. We have a potluck at work Monday so I went to Meijer and got avocados for my famous guacamole. Then I went to work for a few hours to get the election stuff ready for Tuesday night.
Then Amy and I went to the Atomic Mama's abode to deliver a birthday gift and when I got home, I planted that rosebush I got at the Denny Bene out front where that ancien rosebush was struggling. RIP. And moved a couple things and watered my pine tree. It was a beautiful afternoon. Again this weekend. Yay.
Then I went out to the farm for dinner where we had roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and mashed potatoes en croute and chicken soup with dumplings.
And pumpkin pie and a maple walnut torte. And wine. And stuff.
This week: radio meeting, election night during which I will come home for a couple hours to go to the class at the gym, Weds. GNO, Saturday Griswold birthday at Hines Farm.
Last week, I left work late 4 out of 5 days, one of which was Friday when there was some emergency conference call about 40 people all over the US about whether our livestreams are ready in case we release the iPad app. Man, I had a party to get to.
Chip and Tim went fishing last week.
Which was a GREAT party! The Atomic Mama was honored for several decades of earth residence and there was much music
and gifting and wearing of the kitty ears
and beveraging and dancing and stuff.
Saturday I did the usual cleaning up and am fixing breakfast when I hear that something is amiss on the Blues Breakfast, too many promos and dead air and continuous canned jazz. So the DJ calls me and I speed over but alas there's no parking and by now Muddy has figured out his problem and is broadcasting live. etc.
I finish with the breakfast and then go join the Community Center and sign up for two classes Tuesday and Thursday. Radio show and then Amy and I race to Fallen Timbers and see Hereafter. Which had some draggy parts but overall was a wonderful movie. And even though we had had movie snacks, we wanted a bite so we went to Swig's and split a smoked pork tenderloin sandwich and fries. Which was just enough. Then we had some wine.
Today my house painting got finished by Mr. Black. We have a potluck at work Monday so I went to Meijer and got avocados for my famous guacamole. Then I went to work for a few hours to get the election stuff ready for Tuesday night.
Then Amy and I went to the Atomic Mama's abode to deliver a birthday gift and when I got home, I planted that rosebush I got at the Denny Bene out front where that ancien rosebush was struggling. RIP. And moved a couple things and watered my pine tree. It was a beautiful afternoon. Again this weekend. Yay.
Then I went out to the farm for dinner where we had roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and mashed potatoes en croute and chicken soup with dumplings.
And pumpkin pie and a maple walnut torte. And wine. And stuff.
This week: radio meeting, election night during which I will come home for a couple hours to go to the class at the gym, Weds. GNO, Saturday Griswold birthday at Hines Farm.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Musings
I just walked downtown and back and I was thinking how it's been like summer most of October so only 4 bad months ahead, if you think how occasionally it's marginally ok in March sometimes. Although it can be a slog as well. What a Pollyanna!
Today I ripped out the tomato cages and potted the rosemary to take inside and planted daffodil bulbs out front and took down the bamboo fence. Have sheets on the line for like the 20th week in a row. Had a big breakfast and am just waiting to go to the Denny Graf benefit about 4 and get me some spaghetti dinner and buy some silent auction stuff. Blogging on my iPad. On the deck, where I ate my big breakfast. Drinking a beer. Aahhhhh.
Didn't say how fab the GNO was at my house. Highly attended and the weather was perfect. Also I offered to have the December one and everybody seemed good with that.
Amy and I decided we need to have a poker night on a monthly basis so we're starting in November. It's the second Friday of the month and all are welcome, mens and wimmens. But we're playing poker. So you're welcome to come and hang but we're playing poker.
So just now Anne calls to say that the fashion designer people just texted her to say they'd like her to come on part time until the first of the year when she could be full time. Right after her first day on the job as assistant manager of the Levis store in Santa Monica. Oh life. It's so wacky.
Rest up now because we'll all be having too much fun on Friday at GFT.
Today I ripped out the tomato cages and potted the rosemary to take inside and planted daffodil bulbs out front and took down the bamboo fence. Have sheets on the line for like the 20th week in a row. Had a big breakfast and am just waiting to go to the Denny Graf benefit about 4 and get me some spaghetti dinner and buy some silent auction stuff. Blogging on my iPad. On the deck, where I ate my big breakfast. Drinking a beer. Aahhhhh.
Didn't say how fab the GNO was at my house. Highly attended and the weather was perfect. Also I offered to have the December one and everybody seemed good with that.
Amy and I decided we need to have a poker night on a monthly basis so we're starting in November. It's the second Friday of the month and all are welcome, mens and wimmens. But we're playing poker. So you're welcome to come and hang but we're playing poker.
So just now Anne calls to say that the fashion designer people just texted her to say they'd like her to come on part time until the first of the year when she could be full time. Right after her first day on the job as assistant manager of the Levis store in Santa Monica. Oh life. It's so wacky.
Rest up now because we'll all be having too much fun on Friday at GFT.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The usual excitement
Today my daughter calls and wants $1800 for a security deposit on an apartment in Hollywood. So I go get it in crisp $100 bills and drive to Milan, MI because that's the closest Chase bank, where her account is. They're getting a 3-bedroom apartment which she described in glowing terms. Also she has been offered one job but is waiting til tomorrow to tell them yay or nay because she might be getting another job, both in retail management. The fashion assistant hasn't worked out. So far. Anyway, things are good with her. Thank heavens.
I had some FB chat with my son the other day. He's in Thailand. He says it's amazing and I must see it someday. Thailand. The airfare alone is astronomical but he says the cost of being there is very low. They have about 3 weeks left over there. He says they're looking for an apartment in San Francisco. On the internet. Watch, they'll come up with a great place mysteriously. And jobs.
Full moon Saturday. Be on guard.
Sunday is the Denny Graf benefit in Tontogany. I'm sure you'll be there. Bring plenty of cash for silent auction and raffling.
Amy and I saw The Social Network, the Facebook movie. It was really really good. We also saw about 10 previews, most of which sucked except for True Grit, the new Coen bros. flick starring Jeff Bridges.
Sunset on the farm
_______________________
I had some FB chat with my son the other day. He's in Thailand. He says it's amazing and I must see it someday. Thailand. The airfare alone is astronomical but he says the cost of being there is very low. They have about 3 weeks left over there. He says they're looking for an apartment in San Francisco. On the internet. Watch, they'll come up with a great place mysteriously. And jobs.
Full moon Saturday. Be on guard.
Sunday is the Denny Graf benefit in Tontogany. I'm sure you'll be there. Bring plenty of cash for silent auction and raffling.
Amy and I saw The Social Network, the Facebook movie. It was really really good. We also saw about 10 previews, most of which sucked except for True Grit, the new Coen bros. flick starring Jeff Bridges.
Sunset on the farm
_______________________
Sunday, October 03, 2010
One post in September
A testament to a busy life. And a malfunctioning computer. My home computer (which belongs to work) is so sluggish, it's a chore to just start it up, let alone blog. Let's remedy that right now!
September: Labor Day at the Sonnenbergs, GNO (which was supposed to be at my house but it was so HOT (remember hot?) that we had it at 149), the BSAF, Karen up from Dallas, my 40-year class reunion, and it was over. Plus I have to continue to hold down that damn job. October looks a little calmer--not.
Also I have spent too much time on that damn iPad, checking Facebook obsessively, watching video. I saw three movies a couple weeks ago in 2 days: K-PAX (pretty good), The Men Who Stare at Goats (great cast, great performances, quirky), and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, which I HIGHLY recommend.
Friday night, Amy and I went to see Winter's Bone, which won the big prize at the Sundance Festival. Sometimes I think those Hollywood types are too taken with the portrayal of a strange culture, as if it could not possibly exist, like those Ozark meth-makers and their "families" and allegiances and secretiveness. Then some boys came over and we played some euchre.
Last night was the Harvest Party. A brisk wind blew from the northeast and despite 2 fires, I couldn't hold out past 8 p.m. The food was widely varied and fabulous. Many dishes employing butternut squash--very harvest-y. I took deviled eggs and started passing them out as I got out of the car so by the time I got to the house, there were 4 left.
Today I took my brush out to the curb and now, when I came home from Meijer, someone has taken the larger pieces of wood. Thank you. Also I brought in the jade plant and the hibiscus which was literally shivering.
I bought my kids plus one plane tickets home at Christmas. In a weird coincidence, they both fly to Phoenix and get on the same plane to get to Detroit and then they both fly out of Detroit on the same plane to Denver, where they diverge. This is of course assuming Jess and Tom are in the US when Christmas time comes. They have been in China since the beginning of September and on the 25th, Tom cautions on Facebook that now they will be out of range of internet use.
I also stained my deck which looks great! And I bought 3 cans of paint to paint my siding on the house. I need to take a day off pretty soon to accomplish that. Just need that one day more than a weekend.
Sunday, Oct. 24 is a benefit at the Tontogany American Legion for Amy's brother Denny Graf. Spaghetti dinner, silent auction. 3:30 to 7. Be there. Eat. Buy stuff. I hear a lovely Coach handbag has been donated along with some jewelry.
Now I'm making macaroni and cheese, which I have been craving and then a pear cobbler with crystallized ginger and chocolate chip topping. Plus I bought some chicken thighs to crockpot some day this week. A big week, with radio meeting Monday and GNO at my house (nice weather or not) and a party in Fremont on Saturday night.
So I have no bread crumbs and run to Kroger while the mac n cheese is in the oven. And then I start to make the cobbler and I have no baking soda. Who runs out of baking soda? You think you'd remember scraping the bottom of that cardboard box. But alas. So I'm in holding pattern on the cobbler but fortunately, I think I can pull it off with a quick trip to yet another store for some baking soda.
___________________________
September: Labor Day at the Sonnenbergs, GNO (which was supposed to be at my house but it was so HOT (remember hot?) that we had it at 149), the BSAF, Karen up from Dallas, my 40-year class reunion, and it was over. Plus I have to continue to hold down that damn job. October looks a little calmer--not.
Also I have spent too much time on that damn iPad, checking Facebook obsessively, watching video. I saw three movies a couple weeks ago in 2 days: K-PAX (pretty good), The Men Who Stare at Goats (great cast, great performances, quirky), and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, which I HIGHLY recommend.
Friday night, Amy and I went to see Winter's Bone, which won the big prize at the Sundance Festival. Sometimes I think those Hollywood types are too taken with the portrayal of a strange culture, as if it could not possibly exist, like those Ozark meth-makers and their "families" and allegiances and secretiveness. Then some boys came over and we played some euchre.
Last night was the Harvest Party. A brisk wind blew from the northeast and despite 2 fires, I couldn't hold out past 8 p.m. The food was widely varied and fabulous. Many dishes employing butternut squash--very harvest-y. I took deviled eggs and started passing them out as I got out of the car so by the time I got to the house, there were 4 left.
Today I took my brush out to the curb and now, when I came home from Meijer, someone has taken the larger pieces of wood. Thank you. Also I brought in the jade plant and the hibiscus which was literally shivering.
I bought my kids plus one plane tickets home at Christmas. In a weird coincidence, they both fly to Phoenix and get on the same plane to get to Detroit and then they both fly out of Detroit on the same plane to Denver, where they diverge. This is of course assuming Jess and Tom are in the US when Christmas time comes. They have been in China since the beginning of September and on the 25th, Tom cautions on Facebook that now they will be out of range of internet use.
I also stained my deck which looks great! And I bought 3 cans of paint to paint my siding on the house. I need to take a day off pretty soon to accomplish that. Just need that one day more than a weekend.
Sunday, Oct. 24 is a benefit at the Tontogany American Legion for Amy's brother Denny Graf. Spaghetti dinner, silent auction. 3:30 to 7. Be there. Eat. Buy stuff. I hear a lovely Coach handbag has been donated along with some jewelry.
Now I'm making macaroni and cheese, which I have been craving and then a pear cobbler with crystallized ginger and chocolate chip topping. Plus I bought some chicken thighs to crockpot some day this week. A big week, with radio meeting Monday and GNO at my house (nice weather or not) and a party in Fremont on Saturday night.
So I have no bread crumbs and run to Kroger while the mac n cheese is in the oven. And then I start to make the cobbler and I have no baking soda. Who runs out of baking soda? You think you'd remember scraping the bottom of that cardboard box. But alas. So I'm in holding pattern on the cobbler but fortunately, I think I can pull it off with a quick trip to yet another store for some baking soda.
___________________________
Friday, September 10, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Last weekend of August
That produce stand on Wooster across from the hospital has some great stuff. Really good tomatoes (I didn't grow any red ones), various peppers, apricots, pears. It's that one in somebody's driveway where you just pay what you think is best. Plus it seems like I busted my ass before my radio show but now I can't remember what I did. Besides have a BLT with bacon from Belleville.
Later I went to Amy's and had steak and baked potatoes and grilled veggies and caprese salad and then I went out to the country to see the sun set.
Today I watered in the AM then went to visit my mom in the hospital who looked pretty good and is having some bowel scope tomorrow and thinks she will get to go home then. I told her I would come down next week and take her out to lunch.
Then I came home and washed and ironed and rehung all my curtains and my shower curtains and polished some hardwood and got some cobwebs down and ate a delicious grilled cheese/tomato/avocado and watered other stuff than I did this morning and now am watching the Emmys although I should be tidying up my bedroom.
Tomorrow night is the damn radio meeting and Wednesday GNO is chez moi and Thursday is Nick Moss at the Clazel and then it's Labor Day weekend. I was going to take the whole week off after Labor Day but now I think I'll just take Tuesday and Friday so I can take Sept. 16 off and pick up Karen Schaller from the airport.
This concert Sept. 4 at Promenade Park looks cool. As does this show at UT's Glass Bowl which is unfortunately the same night at Nick Moss.
Remember, it's Gus and Annette's on Labor Day, starts at 2, eat at 5:30. I'm taking deviled eggs. The first time I've made them all summer. Several years ago, I was making them about every weekend.
So anyway, guess I'll go to work tomorrow and see how things go.
_________________
Later I went to Amy's and had steak and baked potatoes and grilled veggies and caprese salad and then I went out to the country to see the sun set.
Today I watered in the AM then went to visit my mom in the hospital who looked pretty good and is having some bowel scope tomorrow and thinks she will get to go home then. I told her I would come down next week and take her out to lunch.
Then I came home and washed and ironed and rehung all my curtains and my shower curtains and polished some hardwood and got some cobwebs down and ate a delicious grilled cheese/tomato/avocado and watered other stuff than I did this morning and now am watching the Emmys although I should be tidying up my bedroom.
Tomorrow night is the damn radio meeting and Wednesday GNO is chez moi and Thursday is Nick Moss at the Clazel and then it's Labor Day weekend. I was going to take the whole week off after Labor Day but now I think I'll just take Tuesday and Friday so I can take Sept. 16 off and pick up Karen Schaller from the airport.
This concert Sept. 4 at Promenade Park looks cool. As does this show at UT's Glass Bowl which is unfortunately the same night at Nick Moss.
Remember, it's Gus and Annette's on Labor Day, starts at 2, eat at 5:30. I'm taking deviled eggs. The first time I've made them all summer. Several years ago, I was making them about every weekend.
So anyway, guess I'll go to work tomorrow and see how things go.
_________________
Friday, August 27, 2010
don't have to live like a refugee
Man, I am never home. And on the rare occasions, I am I don't know what to do with myself. I do housekeepery stuff like dishes and laundry and vacuuming. But otherwise I just pretty much float in and out of here, making an egg sandwich, packing a sensible lunch. You know my grocery list is pretty much kitty din, half and half, and chocolate.
And it's been another week of just that. Monday we went to see Todd Snider at the Ark in Ann Arbor. This after a weekend away in Madison, IN, at a blues fest but more about that later. So Todd. We went to the Clay Gallery on Main St. and I received this as a birthday present.
I'm sure my potter friend would have been passing it off as a second, but it caught my eye. Then we ate at the bar at Gratzi: calamari, pizza genovese with a great thin crust and good mozzarella and artichoke hearts and kalamata olives, and a smoked salmon carpaccio with crostini and mache. Yumba. With a bottle of Joel Gott cab.
Got in the Ark at 8, had to wait til 8:25 before Todd came out and he played til 9:10 and took a break. But he came back about 9:40 and played til 10:50. I thought he might not have been at the top of his game but I listened to the bootleg CD I have from when we saw him there last year and he was the same. So I get home about midnight. Yawn.
Tuesday I went out to the country and made about a gallon of fresh tomato sauce which we froze up in individual portions. Hope it's half as good thawed out as it was fresh. Yumba.
Wednesday night home, doing the housekeepery thing and I spoke with our northern correspondent for quite a while. Although I felt I was getting sick which is just this possibly allergy seasonal change thing that is laying many low at this time.
Last night, Amy came over and I fed her some sauce and pasta but she was not feeling good. So I watched some stupid TV and went to bed.
Tonight, although it would have been a beautiful night to just sit on my deck, I went to the Clazel to see Rod's Collision open for Levee Town. There were 15 people there when it started and you know 80 percent of them. Some more came in but when I left at 9:45, it was pretty sparse and us old guys were even filing out.
So the weekend in Madison was great although extremely HOT. Like 95. Good bands: Greg Filmore Band, Stacy Mitchhart, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps, Delbert McClinton who sang some duets with Teresa. Cryin' Time. Ate some barbecue and a banana split coz it was my birthday.
My friend from Texas called while I was in Indiana to say she had won a ticket on the radio to see Rod's tonight so that's how I got in tonight.
We toured the Lanier Mansion and went in one of the many wineries they have down there and had a sample but all that Midwest wine is too sweet for me.
We drove 75 to 275 to 50 to 421 there. Back we took 421 to I-71 to I-75 and through Cincinnati and home. Although the home trip was less time, it was pretty stressful driving, interstate at 80 mph and construction. I like that hour of wandering Indiana.
My mom is in the hospital. She went on her birthday Wednesday because her medications were out of whack, or so she says. I talked to her last night and she was disoriented, thinking it was 8 AM when it was 8 PM. So I didn't call today but I will tomorrow because I was going down there Sunday anyway.
I bought some new clothes this week: two belts--one sensible black braid, one silver chain, a yellow sleeveless blouse and matching sweater at Talbot's, a pair of low strappy grey boots.
Remind me later I own this stuff...
And it's been another week of just that. Monday we went to see Todd Snider at the Ark in Ann Arbor. This after a weekend away in Madison, IN, at a blues fest but more about that later. So Todd. We went to the Clay Gallery on Main St. and I received this as a birthday present.
I'm sure my potter friend would have been passing it off as a second, but it caught my eye. Then we ate at the bar at Gratzi: calamari, pizza genovese with a great thin crust and good mozzarella and artichoke hearts and kalamata olives, and a smoked salmon carpaccio with crostini and mache. Yumba. With a bottle of Joel Gott cab.
Got in the Ark at 8, had to wait til 8:25 before Todd came out and he played til 9:10 and took a break. But he came back about 9:40 and played til 10:50. I thought he might not have been at the top of his game but I listened to the bootleg CD I have from when we saw him there last year and he was the same. So I get home about midnight. Yawn.
Tuesday I went out to the country and made about a gallon of fresh tomato sauce which we froze up in individual portions. Hope it's half as good thawed out as it was fresh. Yumba.
Wednesday night home, doing the housekeepery thing and I spoke with our northern correspondent for quite a while. Although I felt I was getting sick which is just this possibly allergy seasonal change thing that is laying many low at this time.
Last night, Amy came over and I fed her some sauce and pasta but she was not feeling good. So I watched some stupid TV and went to bed.
Tonight, although it would have been a beautiful night to just sit on my deck, I went to the Clazel to see Rod's Collision open for Levee Town. There were 15 people there when it started and you know 80 percent of them. Some more came in but when I left at 9:45, it was pretty sparse and us old guys were even filing out.
So the weekend in Madison was great although extremely HOT. Like 95. Good bands: Greg Filmore Band, Stacy Mitchhart, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps, Delbert McClinton who sang some duets with Teresa. Cryin' Time. Ate some barbecue and a banana split coz it was my birthday.
My friend from Texas called while I was in Indiana to say she had won a ticket on the radio to see Rod's tonight so that's how I got in tonight.
We toured the Lanier Mansion and went in one of the many wineries they have down there and had a sample but all that Midwest wine is too sweet for me.
We drove 75 to 275 to 50 to 421 there. Back we took 421 to I-71 to I-75 and through Cincinnati and home. Although the home trip was less time, it was pretty stressful driving, interstate at 80 mph and construction. I like that hour of wandering Indiana.
My mom is in the hospital. She went on her birthday Wednesday because her medications were out of whack, or so she says. I talked to her last night and she was disoriented, thinking it was 8 AM when it was 8 PM. So I didn't call today but I will tomorrow because I was going down there Sunday anyway.
I bought some new clothes this week: two belts--one sensible black braid, one silver chain, a yellow sleeveless blouse and matching sweater at Talbot's, a pair of low strappy grey boots.
Remind me later I own this stuff...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)