I've been told I must update. Umm.... what's the haps?
Yesterday went to a party at Stacey's. She's looking pretty good considering she got konked in the head with a baseball bat last Monday. Yep.
Tori and Audra were practicing their swings close to where Stacey was bending over working on fixing a piece of equipment. Somehow their positions shifted a bit and Stacey's head ended up within Tori's range. She caught it on her forehead just above her right eye. She was lucky it didn't get her in the nose or eye socket. But it did give her a concussion and a nasty shiner. She's supposed to be taking it easy but that's not her style. It's Memorial Day weekend after all.
It was a fun party. Mostly their friends from softball so there were a ton of kids there. After a great dinner we all played softball, kids against adults. They whooped us. We left not too long after the game ended. I talked to Stacey this morning and she said the party lasted until about 11:30. Long day!
Jim and I have been workiing on getting the workshop cleaned up and organized. We're s l o w l y getting things moved into the trailer. There's just way too much crap to go through. We put this off for too long. But it feels good to get things moving.
I've been practicing the uke a lot lately and I'm showing some improvement. Jim bought a pickup for it so now I'm amplified. Oh yeah! Right now it just sticks on the outside but we're going to install it permanently on the inside. I really like how it sounds. Jeff sent me some great sites that have a lot of songs and chord progressions. I've been spending a lot of time on those.
Tonight I'm going to open mike. I don't think I'll perform, though. I'll just go to listen and hang out with the Odiens. Tomorrow Stacey and Brendan are coming over. I'm going to help B make a dragon for a school project.
Ok, Kyle, how's that?
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Better now.
Nothing important happening. I just wanted to write. Jim's been bugging me to blog.
Let's see, what haven't I written about? We've all decided that the Kyle band is going to be just us four for now. That's Jim, Lindsay, Kyle and me. The other guys just weren't able to make the necessary commitment. Also, we had drummer issues. We're going to work on the songs and get them polished enough to perform. Then when we're ready we'll bring in a drummer friend of Kyle's. It'll be a bummer not having a bass player but we can deal with that.
I think I've dropped a few pounds. The jeans that were too tight to wear in January are now too loose. Happy dance.
Paige and Rory went to the prom last weekend. We had to do a lot of last minute shopping but we managed to pull everything together. Paige looked just beautiful. I'll post some photos when I can get Jim to help me. I always forget how to do it.
Dad's doing ok but he always seems to be at the edge of a freak out. As long as things are going smoothly he's fine. But he does get flustered easily and he's become more forgetful. We might be seeing the beginnings of a slide.
Jim and I have been working on cleaning out the big trailer. We're going to use it for storage and get rid of the container we've been renting. On Monday we built some shelves that will hold about 20 of those plastic flip top bins. We can start moving things in now. Drew and Mindy had some furniture stored in there, including a sofa and chair from the 60s. I think they're pretty cool looking and they said we could have them. They need to be reupholstered of course. I'm going to do some calling around and find out how much that would cost. They seem pretty solid. Jim and I sat on the sofa and it didn't fall apart. Good sign!
Moving our storage into the trailer will really help things get organized around here. Right now we can't really use the workshop because there's no room. This will be a good opportunity to get rid of some stuff. I want to do a major purge.
Friday is Kyle's 27th birthday. We're going to the Trucker show. Happy Birthday, Kyle!!!
Let's see, what haven't I written about? We've all decided that the Kyle band is going to be just us four for now. That's Jim, Lindsay, Kyle and me. The other guys just weren't able to make the necessary commitment. Also, we had drummer issues. We're going to work on the songs and get them polished enough to perform. Then when we're ready we'll bring in a drummer friend of Kyle's. It'll be a bummer not having a bass player but we can deal with that.
I think I've dropped a few pounds. The jeans that were too tight to wear in January are now too loose. Happy dance.
Paige and Rory went to the prom last weekend. We had to do a lot of last minute shopping but we managed to pull everything together. Paige looked just beautiful. I'll post some photos when I can get Jim to help me. I always forget how to do it.
Dad's doing ok but he always seems to be at the edge of a freak out. As long as things are going smoothly he's fine. But he does get flustered easily and he's become more forgetful. We might be seeing the beginnings of a slide.
Jim and I have been working on cleaning out the big trailer. We're going to use it for storage and get rid of the container we've been renting. On Monday we built some shelves that will hold about 20 of those plastic flip top bins. We can start moving things in now. Drew and Mindy had some furniture stored in there, including a sofa and chair from the 60s. I think they're pretty cool looking and they said we could have them. They need to be reupholstered of course. I'm going to do some calling around and find out how much that would cost. They seem pretty solid. Jim and I sat on the sofa and it didn't fall apart. Good sign!
Moving our storage into the trailer will really help things get organized around here. Right now we can't really use the workshop because there's no room. This will be a good opportunity to get rid of some stuff. I want to do a major purge.
Friday is Kyle's 27th birthday. We're going to the Trucker show. Happy Birthday, Kyle!!!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Sigh...
I took Dad to the doctor this morning. I called him before we left and he suggested we take his car. I told him we couldn't because it's not insured anymore. He flipped. I told him to stop yelling at me and ended the conversation. When I picked him up he started yelling at me again. He accused me of reporting him to the DMV and "starting this whole mess". I stopped the car and wasn't going to move until he stopped yelling. I told him the doctor was the one who reported him and he said, "Oh yeah, blame the doctor! JUST DRIVE!!!" He shut up and didn't say another word until we got to the VA. We didn't talk much during the whole visit. I think he knew he blew it.
When we were waiting he kept asking me why we were there. I explained several times that he needed to get all his meds up to date and he needed to have the doc look at his toe. When we went in to see her he started going off about his car. I had to keep explaining that he couldn't get insurance because he didn't have a license. He kept yelling that "they" can't keep him from owning a car. We went in circles with that one for a while. She asked about the anxiety medication that she had prescribed before Christmas. We never gave it to him because it had some nasty side effects and the problem went away on its own because the stresses of the Christmas season ended with the tree sales. He smirked and said, "Oh, there was no stress at Christmas!" (I can hear you all now. You're saying waWAWHAT??????) Dr. Griffin kept looking at me like she knew exactly what I was talking about.
After we left her office we went upstairs to the lab. Dad didn't have any current blood work and they needed it to renew his prescriptions. Then we came home, still not talking.
I was talking to David the junk guy the other day. He said that Dad again asked him if he knew anything about where his big trucks went. These trucks had been stored out in the junk yard and most of their essential working parts had been stolen. They were pretty much worthless. The pink slips were signed and turned over to David and he cut them up for scrap. We've told Dad this many, many times. Anyway, he asked David about them and David said he didn't know anything about it. If he had told Dad the truth he would have gone off. Dad said, "Well, my daughter must have given them to someone."
This is the pattern. Any time Dad doesn't have an answer for something he thinks I did it. I'm the one who reported him to the DMV, I'm the one who got rid of his trucks, I'm the one who told Ruth and Molly that he has AD (he did!), I'm the one who took all his medication (they were in his medicine cabinet). I hear this kind of thing over and over again.
I swear he's slipping again. Things were stable for a while but now it's pretty noticeable that he's not doing as well as he had been. There are some goofy times ahead.
When we were waiting he kept asking me why we were there. I explained several times that he needed to get all his meds up to date and he needed to have the doc look at his toe. When we went in to see her he started going off about his car. I had to keep explaining that he couldn't get insurance because he didn't have a license. He kept yelling that "they" can't keep him from owning a car. We went in circles with that one for a while. She asked about the anxiety medication that she had prescribed before Christmas. We never gave it to him because it had some nasty side effects and the problem went away on its own because the stresses of the Christmas season ended with the tree sales. He smirked and said, "Oh, there was no stress at Christmas!" (I can hear you all now. You're saying waWAWHAT??????) Dr. Griffin kept looking at me like she knew exactly what I was talking about.
After we left her office we went upstairs to the lab. Dad didn't have any current blood work and they needed it to renew his prescriptions. Then we came home, still not talking.
I was talking to David the junk guy the other day. He said that Dad again asked him if he knew anything about where his big trucks went. These trucks had been stored out in the junk yard and most of their essential working parts had been stolen. They were pretty much worthless. The pink slips were signed and turned over to David and he cut them up for scrap. We've told Dad this many, many times. Anyway, he asked David about them and David said he didn't know anything about it. If he had told Dad the truth he would have gone off. Dad said, "Well, my daughter must have given them to someone."
This is the pattern. Any time Dad doesn't have an answer for something he thinks I did it. I'm the one who reported him to the DMV, I'm the one who got rid of his trucks, I'm the one who told Ruth and Molly that he has AD (he did!), I'm the one who took all his medication (they were in his medicine cabinet). I hear this kind of thing over and over again.
I swear he's slipping again. Things were stable for a while but now it's pretty noticeable that he's not doing as well as he had been. There are some goofy times ahead.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Work to do
Yesterday's performance was..... not good.
Lots of reasons for that. We didn't get to rehearse on Thursday. Trying to do unfamiliar material without rehearsing is a big mistake. Some of Kyle's songs we did ok on. Some we butchered. Also, this bar was NOT the right scene for Kyle's material. The audience was waaaay too old. They did enjoy the Casual Sunday stuff. We're pretty sure we'll be playing Worthington's again. It just won't be the place for the Kyle show.
It's a teeeeny bar. We were totally squished in. A couple times Ken had to move aside to let people in the front door. Ken had the levels set high for the sound check and didn't turn them down again. We started out loud and we stayed loud and I HATE that. I used ear plugs for most of the day.
After the show I wanted to get the hell out of there. I felt bad that Kyle's songs didn't go well. I was wrong to have set my expectations so high. Jim, Lindsay, Kyle and I went to Marie Callender's afterward for comfort food (pie). By the way, I highly recommend the quiche and salad combo. Ham and broccoli quiche with a Waldorf salad and a spinach salad with candied pecans. It put me in my happy place.
Anyway, after a hot bath last night (good for mulling things over) and talking about it with Jim and Ken and the kiddos I think we all feel better. There may be a personnel shift and some instrument swapping and there certainly will be more rehearsing and studying. Also, we want the rest of the band to go see some L.A. shows so they'll see what we're aiming for. We gotta tighten this baby up fer sherr.
On Saturday we went to the Trucker show. Good golly, that was fun! T-Bones was there this time and he was a total hoot. And the Trucker was more naked than he was the first two times I saw him. But he held that guitar firm and he never turned around. Dang-o-rama. Afterward we all went out to the House Of Pie. Andy, the drummer, sat with us. He said he had Gruber's "junk" in his face the whole night. He now calls him "Dimples". Nuff said.
Today I am goofing off. I'll get dressed in a little while and go walk the Rube. I need it. I had pie two nights in a row.
Lots of reasons for that. We didn't get to rehearse on Thursday. Trying to do unfamiliar material without rehearsing is a big mistake. Some of Kyle's songs we did ok on. Some we butchered. Also, this bar was NOT the right scene for Kyle's material. The audience was waaaay too old. They did enjoy the Casual Sunday stuff. We're pretty sure we'll be playing Worthington's again. It just won't be the place for the Kyle show.
It's a teeeeny bar. We were totally squished in. A couple times Ken had to move aside to let people in the front door. Ken had the levels set high for the sound check and didn't turn them down again. We started out loud and we stayed loud and I HATE that. I used ear plugs for most of the day.
After the show I wanted to get the hell out of there. I felt bad that Kyle's songs didn't go well. I was wrong to have set my expectations so high. Jim, Lindsay, Kyle and I went to Marie Callender's afterward for comfort food (pie). By the way, I highly recommend the quiche and salad combo. Ham and broccoli quiche with a Waldorf salad and a spinach salad with candied pecans. It put me in my happy place.
Anyway, after a hot bath last night (good for mulling things over) and talking about it with Jim and Ken and the kiddos I think we all feel better. There may be a personnel shift and some instrument swapping and there certainly will be more rehearsing and studying. Also, we want the rest of the band to go see some L.A. shows so they'll see what we're aiming for. We gotta tighten this baby up fer sherr.
On Saturday we went to the Trucker show. Good golly, that was fun! T-Bones was there this time and he was a total hoot. And the Trucker was more naked than he was the first two times I saw him. But he held that guitar firm and he never turned around. Dang-o-rama. Afterward we all went out to the House Of Pie. Andy, the drummer, sat with us. He said he had Gruber's "junk" in his face the whole night. He now calls him "Dimples". Nuff said.
Today I am goofing off. I'll get dressed in a little while and go walk the Rube. I need it. I had pie two nights in a row.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Stuff
No real news. I'm blogging just cuz.
Just got back from walking the Rube and I be pooped. I don't understand why some days are easier than others. Yesterday I zoomed up, today it was hard. Oh well.
We're still dealing with Timio residue. It's going to be that way for a while. Today David the junk guy found some cockatiels in a cage that were left behind. Are thy coming back for them? We don't know. They had water but all the food had been eaten and there was nothing left but empty seed hulls. The cage is this weird home-built thing that looks like it's never been cleaned. I gave them some wild bird seed that I had. David says he has an aviary at home so he's going to take them.
I called the guy who owns the cement truck that's been parked out in the junk yard for a year. He came over to check it out. It's been geting vandalized and parts have been stolen. He's going to bring a battery for it and fix the tires so he can get it out of here. He also says he paid Dad for the back rent. I dunno. He seems like a nice guy, maybe he did.
Scotty said our realtor is going to put a sign up to advertise the property. It's funny but that bit of news gave me a little emotional jolt. I don't think I'll like seeing a For Sale sign hanging on the fence. But I'll get over it.
Let's see... Friday we're going to see Ramona's production of Once Upon A Mattress. Paige is playing in the band. Saturday we're going to see Naked Trucker and T-Bones. There might be a band practice in there somewhere. We might be playing at Jessica's bar on the 7th or the 14th. It'll be the first time in a looong time that Casual Sunday has performed. And it will be the first time we perform all the Kyle songs we know. Yeah, baby! We're gittin' a show together!
That's about it, I think. Next, a hot bath. My feet hurt.
Just got back from walking the Rube and I be pooped. I don't understand why some days are easier than others. Yesterday I zoomed up, today it was hard. Oh well.
We're still dealing with Timio residue. It's going to be that way for a while. Today David the junk guy found some cockatiels in a cage that were left behind. Are thy coming back for them? We don't know. They had water but all the food had been eaten and there was nothing left but empty seed hulls. The cage is this weird home-built thing that looks like it's never been cleaned. I gave them some wild bird seed that I had. David says he has an aviary at home so he's going to take them.
I called the guy who owns the cement truck that's been parked out in the junk yard for a year. He came over to check it out. It's been geting vandalized and parts have been stolen. He's going to bring a battery for it and fix the tires so he can get it out of here. He also says he paid Dad for the back rent. I dunno. He seems like a nice guy, maybe he did.
Scotty said our realtor is going to put a sign up to advertise the property. It's funny but that bit of news gave me a little emotional jolt. I don't think I'll like seeing a For Sale sign hanging on the fence. But I'll get over it.
Let's see... Friday we're going to see Ramona's production of Once Upon A Mattress. Paige is playing in the band. Saturday we're going to see Naked Trucker and T-Bones. There might be a band practice in there somewhere. We might be playing at Jessica's bar on the 7th or the 14th. It'll be the first time in a looong time that Casual Sunday has performed. And it will be the first time we perform all the Kyle songs we know. Yeah, baby! We're gittin' a show together!
That's about it, I think. Next, a hot bath. My feet hurt.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Naked Trucker and Open Mike
Jim had a gig on Saturday. He played with Dave Hockett's band at a posh party up in the hills near Temecula. He said it went really well and the house they played at was huge and awesome.
Lindsay and I went to Naked Trucker. We drove down early and met up with Kyle and Arica and had dinner. Chris came later. Again, a fun show. Jill Sobule was a special guest. I enjoyed her a lot. Her songs were intelligently written and she rocked on guitar.
After the show we went to House Of Pie. Gruber (the trucker) and Andy Paley (composer who wrote the Moobeard music and a bunch of other stuff) showed up later with two girls that I had met earlier. We had a fun time with them. Gruber picked up the tab for everyone. Nice. I was hoping I'd be able to talk to Gruber and Andy about the TV's Kyle show but it wasn't the right scene. I'd like to get their input on doing live shows around L.A. Another time. I got home around 4am.
Sunday we practiced the Kyle stuff at Ken's. It was a good rehearsal, very productive. Then Jim, Lindsay, Kyle and I drove to Claremont for open mike. This one wasn't nearly as good as last month. Most of the performers were snoozers. We screwed up a bit. Jim and I flubbed a few times and at one point Kyle forgot the words to the song. This time Kyle didn't play accordion and I played dumbek instead of the uke. That left Jim to carry the song on keyboard. We sounded kinda puny. So, it wasn't the big bang we gave them last time but it was a good learning experience. Next time, more instruments and more practice. They're letting people take 7 minutes to perform now so next time we're going to do 2 songs.
This afternoon I worked on cleaning out the big trailer we now have parked behind the house. It's a 40 foot container van that we're going to use for storage. Dad came out just as I was finishing up for the day. He saw the oil that had been spilled on the ground by out back gate. He said, "Hey, don't let anyone do that again. That's bad!" AAARRGH! I've been bitching about Timio's oil spills for 2 years now and his attitude was always hey, no big deal. Then he'd tell me about how much Timio has done for him. Well, now Timio has moved out and left a ton of crap and numerous oil spills AND a litter of kittens in the barn! Dad said, "Next time you see him here follow him home so we'll know where he lives." Yeah, right.
I'm going for a walk.
Lindsay and I went to Naked Trucker. We drove down early and met up with Kyle and Arica and had dinner. Chris came later. Again, a fun show. Jill Sobule was a special guest. I enjoyed her a lot. Her songs were intelligently written and she rocked on guitar.
After the show we went to House Of Pie. Gruber (the trucker) and Andy Paley (composer who wrote the Moobeard music and a bunch of other stuff) showed up later with two girls that I had met earlier. We had a fun time with them. Gruber picked up the tab for everyone. Nice. I was hoping I'd be able to talk to Gruber and Andy about the TV's Kyle show but it wasn't the right scene. I'd like to get their input on doing live shows around L.A. Another time. I got home around 4am.
Sunday we practiced the Kyle stuff at Ken's. It was a good rehearsal, very productive. Then Jim, Lindsay, Kyle and I drove to Claremont for open mike. This one wasn't nearly as good as last month. Most of the performers were snoozers. We screwed up a bit. Jim and I flubbed a few times and at one point Kyle forgot the words to the song. This time Kyle didn't play accordion and I played dumbek instead of the uke. That left Jim to carry the song on keyboard. We sounded kinda puny. So, it wasn't the big bang we gave them last time but it was a good learning experience. Next time, more instruments and more practice. They're letting people take 7 minutes to perform now so next time we're going to do 2 songs.
This afternoon I worked on cleaning out the big trailer we now have parked behind the house. It's a 40 foot container van that we're going to use for storage. Dad came out just as I was finishing up for the day. He saw the oil that had been spilled on the ground by out back gate. He said, "Hey, don't let anyone do that again. That's bad!" AAARRGH! I've been bitching about Timio's oil spills for 2 years now and his attitude was always hey, no big deal. Then he'd tell me about how much Timio has done for him. Well, now Timio has moved out and left a ton of crap and numerous oil spills AND a litter of kittens in the barn! Dad said, "Next time you see him here follow him home so we'll know where he lives." Yeah, right.
I'm going for a walk.
Monday, April 17, 2006
New Post!
I seem to be blogging after the weekends lately.
Happy Easter, everybody! On Saturday we had the boys over for dinner and egg dyeing. I left them to it and went out to the studio to work on mosaics. I'm kinda into that right now. I just finished covering a couple styrofoam balls with broken bits of ceramic. They look pretty cool. These are practice pieces. I want to do a table next.
Late Saturday night I played Easter bunny and hid the eggs and put baskets together. Now, earlier I was enjoying a mellow evening doing my little art thing and sipping tequila. But it wasn't THAT much tequila. I hid 21 eggs but they could only find 15 of them. I'm thinking probably some critter got 'em. But I couldn't remember all the hiding spots so we'll never know for sure.
I gave Rory his Easter basket when he went home. Kyle spent the night. It was a little strange setting out 3 Easter baskets on the mantle. It was the first time ever that we had an extra kid (?) for the egg hunt. Yes, we still do egg hunts. I'll be hiding eggs when I'm 80 years old and pushing a walker. This year our egg hunters were ages 15, 21 and 26 (almost 27)!
Sunday afternoon we worked on some more Kyle songs. It's always a pleasure working on these silly, fun songs. Kyle said he talked to some friends in L.A. who might interested in having us open for their band. Cool!
Timio's been moving his stuff out. The back alley is almost clear. We're still waiting to see what he does with the barn yard. I'm betting he'll take his tools and working equipment and leave us with all the crap. At this point I don't care. I'm just happy to see them go. We're working on a new land deal (The first one fell through. No surprise there.) so being able to get back there and clean is a good thing. We can toss with reckless abandon.
And now I'm going to grout a ball.
Happy Easter, everybody! On Saturday we had the boys over for dinner and egg dyeing. I left them to it and went out to the studio to work on mosaics. I'm kinda into that right now. I just finished covering a couple styrofoam balls with broken bits of ceramic. They look pretty cool. These are practice pieces. I want to do a table next.
Late Saturday night I played Easter bunny and hid the eggs and put baskets together. Now, earlier I was enjoying a mellow evening doing my little art thing and sipping tequila. But it wasn't THAT much tequila. I hid 21 eggs but they could only find 15 of them. I'm thinking probably some critter got 'em. But I couldn't remember all the hiding spots so we'll never know for sure.
I gave Rory his Easter basket when he went home. Kyle spent the night. It was a little strange setting out 3 Easter baskets on the mantle. It was the first time ever that we had an extra kid (?) for the egg hunt. Yes, we still do egg hunts. I'll be hiding eggs when I'm 80 years old and pushing a walker. This year our egg hunters were ages 15, 21 and 26 (almost 27)!
Sunday afternoon we worked on some more Kyle songs. It's always a pleasure working on these silly, fun songs. Kyle said he talked to some friends in L.A. who might interested in having us open for their band. Cool!
Timio's been moving his stuff out. The back alley is almost clear. We're still waiting to see what he does with the barn yard. I'm betting he'll take his tools and working equipment and leave us with all the crap. At this point I don't care. I'm just happy to see them go. We're working on a new land deal (The first one fell through. No surprise there.) so being able to get back there and clean is a good thing. We can toss with reckless abandon.
And now I'm going to grout a ball.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Recovering on Monday
Whew! What a weekend!
Saturday we were supposed to ride the bus to go to Paige's last drumline show. When we got to Ramona there were a lot of parents there who decided to go along on the bus. That worked out well for us because we really needed the day to work around here and get ready for Lindsay's birthday party. We decided we'd go to the show (it was in Rancho Cucamonga) and then come home and work on the house. Turns out the bus never showed up but there were enough parents there to take the kids to the competition.
Jim, Lindsay and I got there just before Ramona went on. I was glad Lindsay got to see the show. The kids did really well. They had added some more movements to their choreography which made their routine much more interesting. They came in 3rd.
Friday and Saturday we spent most of our time cleaning and working on party food. I was so wiped out. That was a lot of work! Sunday morning we hit the ground running. More cooking, more cleaning. We piled everything into the truck and the van and took it over to Ken's. I ended up having to make another trip to the store and to home but mostly we had everything together. But I can't help getting totally scattered. Too tired, brain no work.
The kids actually showed up early (!). No time to decorate. Sherri had some leis that we hung up around the yard. Instant festiveness. Ken and Sherri had taken Jessica out to brunch (it was her birthday, too) and showed up just before the guests
arrived. John and Joe came a little later. After a while we all went into the studio and played the 4 Kyle songs that we practiced. The crowd went wild.
We barbecued mass quantities. I got way too much food. We had ribs, chicken, killer beans, salad, artichoke dip with bread, chips, salsa and fruit. Carrot cake, chocolate cupcakes and ice cream for dessert. Brought most of it home. It's ok, I love leftover party food. After dinner we played the songs again. Then we threw everything into the cars and brought it all home and continued the party here. Pinata time!
Jeez! I think Lindsay and Kyle bought a kevlar pinata. It weighed a ton, totally stuffed full. I thought it would break under its own weight. After beating it with a wimpy plastic wiffle bat we switched to a wooden one and finally got it bashed to bits. Way too much candy.
The kids stayed until 11:30. Everyone had a great time. Lindsay has a good group of friends and I enjoyed being with them. Today I didn't do ANYTHING. Well, I did go up Mt. Rubidoux. I HAD to after eating all those bad carbs yesterday (yes, I fell off the wagon). Tomorrow, back to normal.
Ha!
Saturday we were supposed to ride the bus to go to Paige's last drumline show. When we got to Ramona there were a lot of parents there who decided to go along on the bus. That worked out well for us because we really needed the day to work around here and get ready for Lindsay's birthday party. We decided we'd go to the show (it was in Rancho Cucamonga) and then come home and work on the house. Turns out the bus never showed up but there were enough parents there to take the kids to the competition.
Jim, Lindsay and I got there just before Ramona went on. I was glad Lindsay got to see the show. The kids did really well. They had added some more movements to their choreography which made their routine much more interesting. They came in 3rd.
Friday and Saturday we spent most of our time cleaning and working on party food. I was so wiped out. That was a lot of work! Sunday morning we hit the ground running. More cooking, more cleaning. We piled everything into the truck and the van and took it over to Ken's. I ended up having to make another trip to the store and to home but mostly we had everything together. But I can't help getting totally scattered. Too tired, brain no work.
The kids actually showed up early (!). No time to decorate. Sherri had some leis that we hung up around the yard. Instant festiveness. Ken and Sherri had taken Jessica out to brunch (it was her birthday, too) and showed up just before the guests
arrived. John and Joe came a little later. After a while we all went into the studio and played the 4 Kyle songs that we practiced. The crowd went wild.
We barbecued mass quantities. I got way too much food. We had ribs, chicken, killer beans, salad, artichoke dip with bread, chips, salsa and fruit. Carrot cake, chocolate cupcakes and ice cream for dessert. Brought most of it home. It's ok, I love leftover party food. After dinner we played the songs again. Then we threw everything into the cars and brought it all home and continued the party here. Pinata time!
Jeez! I think Lindsay and Kyle bought a kevlar pinata. It weighed a ton, totally stuffed full. I thought it would break under its own weight. After beating it with a wimpy plastic wiffle bat we switched to a wooden one and finally got it bashed to bits. Way too much candy.
The kids stayed until 11:30. Everyone had a great time. Lindsay has a good group of friends and I enjoyed being with them. Today I didn't do ANYTHING. Well, I did go up Mt. Rubidoux. I HAD to after eating all those bad carbs yesterday (yes, I fell off the wagon). Tomorrow, back to normal.
Ha!
Sunday, April 02, 2006
The weekends
It's getting to be a regular thing here. Rory and Kyle come over, I'll make a big dinner and we'll do some pleasant hanging out. Watch a movie, play music, draw, whatever. Kyle spends a night or two. I'm enjoying these weekends with the boys here.
We had some good rehearsals this weekend. On Saturday Jim and I went over some songs with Kyle. On Sunday we practiced for the first time with the rest of the band at Ken's. It was great!!!! The songs came together fast. We're going to play them at Lindsay's birthday party next weekend. We're doing Why Not?, Lindsay Is Totally Centered, Arica, and Beaverduck.
I'm encouraged. This weekend made me feel like we really could get this thing off the ground. We's makin' a show!
We had some good rehearsals this weekend. On Saturday Jim and I went over some songs with Kyle. On Sunday we practiced for the first time with the rest of the band at Ken's. It was great!!!! The songs came together fast. We're going to play them at Lindsay's birthday party next weekend. We're doing Why Not?, Lindsay Is Totally Centered, Arica, and Beaverduck.
I'm encouraged. This weekend made me feel like we really could get this thing off the ground. We's makin' a show!
Friday, March 31, 2006
What a great week!
And a wonderful visit with Dean. I drove her to the airport last night. That left me in a bit of a weird emotional state. The week went by too fast. (Heh, heh! I just found a sunflower seed shell on the desk. Yes, Dean was here!)
Monday we had a goof off day. We searched the barnyard and came up with some items to mosaic. Dean wanted to learn how to do it. We always seem to find an art project to work on when we're together and this time it was mosaic. Dean did a galvanized bucket and I covered a cement cone. She used tiles and broken dishes, I used mirror pieces and flat marbles. Using broken mirror pieces is a little scary. It was the shiny cement cone of DEATH.
On Tuesday we rode the Metrolink to L.A. That was pretty cool. Not the most scenic ride but it's better than driving and parking. We went to Olvera St. and had breakfast. We had a good time but it would have been much better if it hadn't been raining. That put a damper on things. (Sorry) But we still had a good time. We shopped along Olvera St. and I bought some trinkets for the girls.
Wednesday Dean and I walked up Mt. Rubidoux. The view was beautiful but the mountains were obscured by clouds. Dean never got a good view of the mountains the whole time she was here. Danged weather.
Yesterday she finished her mosaic. Turned out pretty well for a first piece. She left it here for me. I just grouted my mirror thing a little while ago. It's taking a long time to set up. The air is a bit damp today.
Last night we had band practice. Dean always enjoys that. She even sang a song with the band. She also did some filming with her new camera. That camera got a workout this week.
It was a good visit. Too short, tho.
I wonder if that grout has set up yet?
Monday we had a goof off day. We searched the barnyard and came up with some items to mosaic. Dean wanted to learn how to do it. We always seem to find an art project to work on when we're together and this time it was mosaic. Dean did a galvanized bucket and I covered a cement cone. She used tiles and broken dishes, I used mirror pieces and flat marbles. Using broken mirror pieces is a little scary. It was the shiny cement cone of DEATH.
On Tuesday we rode the Metrolink to L.A. That was pretty cool. Not the most scenic ride but it's better than driving and parking. We went to Olvera St. and had breakfast. We had a good time but it would have been much better if it hadn't been raining. That put a damper on things. (Sorry) But we still had a good time. We shopped along Olvera St. and I bought some trinkets for the girls.
Wednesday Dean and I walked up Mt. Rubidoux. The view was beautiful but the mountains were obscured by clouds. Dean never got a good view of the mountains the whole time she was here. Danged weather.
Yesterday she finished her mosaic. Turned out pretty well for a first piece. She left it here for me. I just grouted my mirror thing a little while ago. It's taking a long time to set up. The air is a bit damp today.
Last night we had band practice. Dean always enjoys that. She even sang a song with the band. She also did some filming with her new camera. That camera got a workout this week.
It was a good visit. Too short, tho.
I wonder if that grout has set up yet?
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Open mike
This Sunday is open mike at the folk music center. We're doing a Kyle song. I think it's a good way to get the live TV's Kyle show going. So far we've got Kyle, Jim, Lindsay and me. Haven't heard back from John yet. Ken might be joining us. That tiny stage is gonna be full!
I'm practicing ukulele like mad. Trying to get the mush out of my fingers. There's a chord change that's kinda hard. I probably won't have it down by Sunday but I'm going to keep practicing and get it right for future shows. It's only one chord that's a problem and it goes by so fast I can skip it.
Dean's coming in tomorrow morning. Saturday we're going to Paige's drum line show in Valencia. We'll be back by early evening and Kyle will be here so we can practice. I'm really looking forward to it. Every time I hear these songs I can imagine what they'll sound like live. It's exciting!
Ok, back to house cleaning....
I'm practicing ukulele like mad. Trying to get the mush out of my fingers. There's a chord change that's kinda hard. I probably won't have it down by Sunday but I'm going to keep practicing and get it right for future shows. It's only one chord that's a problem and it goes by so fast I can skip it.
Dean's coming in tomorrow morning. Saturday we're going to Paige's drum line show in Valencia. We'll be back by early evening and Kyle will be here so we can practice. I'm really looking forward to it. Every time I hear these songs I can imagine what they'll sound like live. It's exciting!
Ok, back to house cleaning....
Monday, March 20, 2006
Lunch with Rhoda
Rhoda Fickle sent Dad a card asking him to meet her for lunch. Today I drove him to Tustin and the three of us had lunch at Mimi's. Rhoda looks just great! She seems very much the same as she was when I was a kid. So funny and full of energy. After lunch we drove over to her old house. This is where we used to go every July 4th when I was growing up. I loved it. The house was beautiful and Larry and Rhoda were great hosts.
We'd always start the day by meeting at Irvine Park for a picnic breakfast. We'd spend a few hours there (Irvine Park is gorgeous) and then head over to the Fickle's. They had a great swimming pool, a garden and horses we could ride. The food was always really good. After dinner we'd go out the front yard for fireworks. Every family would buy a big box of them so we always had loads of pretty explosives. Their house was up on a hill above Anaheim so we could also see the fireworks shows from Disneyland and Anaheim Stadium. We always looked forward to 4th of July at the Fickle's.
Now the neighborhood is unrecognizable. Many of the old houses have been torn down and replaced with huge mansionoids. But the Fickle's house is still there. It was a big house to begin with (Larry and Rhoda built it) so there's not much reason to tear it down. There's a guest house where the garden used to be and a new addition is being built at one end. But it's the same house. I'm glad I got to see it again.
I'm also glad I got to spend some time with Rhoda. The last time I saw her was at our wedding. Larry was still alive then although at the time he wasn't doing too well. He was a sweet man.
We'd always start the day by meeting at Irvine Park for a picnic breakfast. We'd spend a few hours there (Irvine Park is gorgeous) and then head over to the Fickle's. They had a great swimming pool, a garden and horses we could ride. The food was always really good. After dinner we'd go out the front yard for fireworks. Every family would buy a big box of them so we always had loads of pretty explosives. Their house was up on a hill above Anaheim so we could also see the fireworks shows from Disneyland and Anaheim Stadium. We always looked forward to 4th of July at the Fickle's.
Now the neighborhood is unrecognizable. Many of the old houses have been torn down and replaced with huge mansionoids. But the Fickle's house is still there. It was a big house to begin with (Larry and Rhoda built it) so there's not much reason to tear it down. There's a guest house where the garden used to be and a new addition is being built at one end. But it's the same house. I'm glad I got to see it again.
I'm also glad I got to spend some time with Rhoda. The last time I saw her was at our wedding. Larry was still alive then although at the time he wasn't doing too well. He was a sweet man.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Blogs are useful
Last night I read over my earliest entries, especially the ones after Dad was diagnosed with AD. Hoo-wee, we've been through a lot! And we're not even into the nitty gritty of Alzheimer's yet. These days Dad is actually doing better than he was a year ago. Medication, I guess. Still, there's nothing that can give me that sinking feeling in my chest like a hard day with Dad.
We're kind of in limbo here. We don't know for sure how long we'll be here on the farm. We don't have any idea at all where we'll live after we leave here. We'll stay in Riverside until after Paige graduates but if the land sale is complete before then we'll need to find a house to rent where we can have our 3 cats and 2 dogs. And then what? Where will we go?
This is the thing that makes me feel like I'm staring into a deep, black hole. Eventually we'll get it figured out and I doubt we'll end up pushing a cart, but for now it pretty much sucks to try to plan for the future.
But I do have some things to look forward to. It's looking pretty good for the band. I'm optimistic about our new drummer. It will be fun to start getting some gigs around town.
I'm really looking forward to getting into some real work on the Live TV's Kyle Show. Jim's been working on transcribing some songs and I've been studying the vocals. I'm going to try adding in some ukulele on some songs. The guys in the band are enthusiastic about the show. Lindsay says Kyle is excited about it. I'm glad because at first I felt like I was railroading him into it.
Dean's coming on Friday! Her visit will be theraputic for both of us. It's good for her and I to get a dose of each other at least once a year.
Open mike is next Sunday. Kyle, wanna do a song?
So, even though I have a cloud of uncertainty hanging over me I try to stay positive. Doing fun stuff helps, meditation class helps, exercise helps a LOT. This blog really, really, REALLY helps. Between this and the weight loss blog I get to talk to some wonderful people. Thanks, you guys!
We're kind of in limbo here. We don't know for sure how long we'll be here on the farm. We don't have any idea at all where we'll live after we leave here. We'll stay in Riverside until after Paige graduates but if the land sale is complete before then we'll need to find a house to rent where we can have our 3 cats and 2 dogs. And then what? Where will we go?
This is the thing that makes me feel like I'm staring into a deep, black hole. Eventually we'll get it figured out and I doubt we'll end up pushing a cart, but for now it pretty much sucks to try to plan for the future.
But I do have some things to look forward to. It's looking pretty good for the band. I'm optimistic about our new drummer. It will be fun to start getting some gigs around town.
I'm really looking forward to getting into some real work on the Live TV's Kyle Show. Jim's been working on transcribing some songs and I've been studying the vocals. I'm going to try adding in some ukulele on some songs. The guys in the band are enthusiastic about the show. Lindsay says Kyle is excited about it. I'm glad because at first I felt like I was railroading him into it.
Dean's coming on Friday! Her visit will be theraputic for both of us. It's good for her and I to get a dose of each other at least once a year.
Open mike is next Sunday. Kyle, wanna do a song?
So, even though I have a cloud of uncertainty hanging over me I try to stay positive. Doing fun stuff helps, meditation class helps, exercise helps a LOT. This blog really, really, REALLY helps. Between this and the weight loss blog I get to talk to some wonderful people. Thanks, you guys!
Monday, March 13, 2006
I missed 3 days of exercise.
Feeling blobby. But I went up the Rube today so I'm good.
Had another nice weekend. Kyle was here. We're starting to work on putting together the live TV's Kyle show. Didn't get a whole lot done, just gathering some lyrics. I'm looking forward to really getting to work on some music.
I grilled some steak and chicken on Saturday. It was going to be a nice dinner with Paige and Rory but Jim had to run off and deal with another car crisis. Lindsay clipped a curb and got a flat. The Grand Am has fancy wheels that are a pain to deal with. Jim was gone a long time. And what made it an even bigger bummer was it was sooooo cold outside. So Paige, Rory and I had dinner and a real nice talk.
Kyle pitched Weird Eddie for us. I love watching these pitches. Kyle said he's pitched Weird Eddie eight times and no one was interested. I'm not sure why. i guess the cartoon execs know what they want and Eddie didn't cut it. Had me laughing, tho. Jim was going to video the pitch but he couldn't get the camera to work. He'll have the bugs worked out eventually.
Had a small blow up with Dad this morning. We were talking about Timio leaving and he said he's going to ask Bud Lyon if one of his guys wants to move in out back. When I tried to tell him he shouldn't do that he got nasty real fast. I ended up walking out on him. He can go from zero to abusive in a split second. Gotta talk to the sibs about this one. I don't think it's a good idea to have someone new living here. But hey, whatever.
Had another nice weekend. Kyle was here. We're starting to work on putting together the live TV's Kyle show. Didn't get a whole lot done, just gathering some lyrics. I'm looking forward to really getting to work on some music.
I grilled some steak and chicken on Saturday. It was going to be a nice dinner with Paige and Rory but Jim had to run off and deal with another car crisis. Lindsay clipped a curb and got a flat. The Grand Am has fancy wheels that are a pain to deal with. Jim was gone a long time. And what made it an even bigger bummer was it was sooooo cold outside. So Paige, Rory and I had dinner and a real nice talk.
Kyle pitched Weird Eddie for us. I love watching these pitches. Kyle said he's pitched Weird Eddie eight times and no one was interested. I'm not sure why. i guess the cartoon execs know what they want and Eddie didn't cut it. Had me laughing, tho. Jim was going to video the pitch but he couldn't get the camera to work. He'll have the bugs worked out eventually.
Had a small blow up with Dad this morning. We were talking about Timio leaving and he said he's going to ask Bud Lyon if one of his guys wants to move in out back. When I tried to tell him he shouldn't do that he got nasty real fast. I ended up walking out on him. He can go from zero to abusive in a split second. Gotta talk to the sibs about this one. I don't think it's a good idea to have someone new living here. But hey, whatever.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
The vibes
Dan and Carol gave Paige a set of vibes for Christmas. This is one happy girl. For a while we had a set of Ramona's vibes in the studio. They took up a lot of room and since the studio sometimes resembles Grand Central Station she didn't get to practice much. Now she has these vibes in her room. She puts in a lot practice time every day. I'm often amazed at the runs she's able to play, very fast and accurate.
Thanks, you guys. You are too good to us.
Some photos
Lindsay stuck on a rock.
Lindsay and Kyle on Mt. Rubidoux.
Donita and Kyle on Mt. Rubidoux. Kyle is showing you his apple slice.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Cripes!
Everything is falling apart! The valve on the washing machine is leaking. We have a big puddle on the laundry room floor. The slow drip of the bathroom faucet has turned into a stream. The auction cars' repairs keep mounting. Lindsay's laptop is in the shop. The bed in the studio has collapsed (ahem).
Fixing the bathroom faucet is a problem because you can't turn the valves all the way off. Same problem with the main house valve. There's always water running. We haven't ripped into the washing machine problem yet.
The frame for the studio bed is a cheapo trundle frame. Might have to trash that thing altogether. Ah yes, mattress on the floor. Just like the good ol' days. We'll get that taken care of before Dean comes to visit.
Dean's coming to visit!
That's a motivator. Let's get this crap handled.
Fixing the bathroom faucet is a problem because you can't turn the valves all the way off. Same problem with the main house valve. There's always water running. We haven't ripped into the washing machine problem yet.
The frame for the studio bed is a cheapo trundle frame. Might have to trash that thing altogether. Ah yes, mattress on the floor. Just like the good ol' days. We'll get that taken care of before Dean comes to visit.
Dean's coming to visit!
That's a motivator. Let's get this crap handled.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
I've been told I'm neglecting me bloggy.
So, I'll write about the weekend so far.
Yesterday we cleaned house and shopped and cooked a big dinner. Kyle is here for the weekend and Rory was here for dinner. Them's my boys. We all had a lovely time. Jim and I found a box of videos that included some early footage of the girls. We watched Lindsay's first birthday party, Paige's birth (not the actual birth, just the bits before and the bits after), Lindsay's ballet recital, Paige's first Christmas, Sally's run. I don't think the girls had ever seen these videos. I loved seeing my babies again and I think even the boys got a kick out of them.
We had ribs for dinner. I'm good at ribs. Paige made dessert. This was a dessert that could seriously injure you if you are anywhere near being a diabetic. We're talkin' brownie with chocolate and vanilla ice cream and Dove chocolate sauce. I skipped it.
Kyle brought Spiral. He getting to be a big boy. Gracie just can't leave him alone. She looooves kittens. He's getting used to her now but if he wants to get away from her he has to walk around on the tables and windowsills.
Later today I'm taking Lindsay and Kyle up Mt. Rubidoux. Paige and Jim might come, too. We'll see. We're going to put a little picnic together and have lunch at the top. This won't be an exercise walk. This will be a leisurely stroll.
Dad came home yesterday. Drew took him to a ball game. Right now he's at chruch. I know he'll be wanting to come over and tell us about his trip but I'd rather spend this time visiting with Kyle and hanging out with our little family. So, I'm glad Dad has activities right now.
We've got both of the "new" cars in decent shape. The Taurus still needs some work done on the brakes and shocks and it needs a new windshield. Lindsay has claimed the Grand Am (Jean-Claude Grand Am). She slapped some flower stickers on it. We're talkin' Rickie-tickie Stickies from the sixties. She installed her dashboard critters.
(Wow. I was out here alone. Now everybody is here except Kyle, who is in the shower. I have an abundance of company.)
That's about it for now.
Yesterday we cleaned house and shopped and cooked a big dinner. Kyle is here for the weekend and Rory was here for dinner. Them's my boys. We all had a lovely time. Jim and I found a box of videos that included some early footage of the girls. We watched Lindsay's first birthday party, Paige's birth (not the actual birth, just the bits before and the bits after), Lindsay's ballet recital, Paige's first Christmas, Sally's run. I don't think the girls had ever seen these videos. I loved seeing my babies again and I think even the boys got a kick out of them.
We had ribs for dinner. I'm good at ribs. Paige made dessert. This was a dessert that could seriously injure you if you are anywhere near being a diabetic. We're talkin' brownie with chocolate and vanilla ice cream and Dove chocolate sauce. I skipped it.
Kyle brought Spiral. He getting to be a big boy. Gracie just can't leave him alone. She looooves kittens. He's getting used to her now but if he wants to get away from her he has to walk around on the tables and windowsills.
Later today I'm taking Lindsay and Kyle up Mt. Rubidoux. Paige and Jim might come, too. We'll see. We're going to put a little picnic together and have lunch at the top. This won't be an exercise walk. This will be a leisurely stroll.
Dad came home yesterday. Drew took him to a ball game. Right now he's at chruch. I know he'll be wanting to come over and tell us about his trip but I'd rather spend this time visiting with Kyle and hanging out with our little family. So, I'm glad Dad has activities right now.
We've got both of the "new" cars in decent shape. The Taurus still needs some work done on the brakes and shocks and it needs a new windshield. Lindsay has claimed the Grand Am (Jean-Claude Grand Am). She slapped some flower stickers on it. We're talkin' Rickie-tickie Stickies from the sixties. She installed her dashboard critters.
(Wow. I was out here alone. Now everybody is here except Kyle, who is in the shower. I have an abundance of company.)
That's about it for now.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Naked Trucker and a couple-a cars
Fun, fun show! We laughed the whole time. The Naked Trucker wasn't totally naked. He wore a loin cloth (an American flag loin cloth) and had his guitar positioned in the usual place, which would have kept him covered in the event of a loin cloth malfunction.
Saturday's show was a little different. Usually it's the Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show but T-Bones wasn't there this time. The Naked Trucker is Dave "Gruber" Allen. He's doing one of the voices for Moobeard. The drummer is Andy Paley, who is doing the music for Moobeard. Yes, there's a Kyle connection here. They also had some special guests performing. There was Andy Kindler who did some stand-up. He's a semi-regular on Everybody Loves Raymond. He had a kind of "insult the audience" act that was pretty funny. There was a guy (didn't get his name) who did a bit with a girl that was freakin' hilarious. He was dressed like Esteban with the hat and sunglasses. She came out holding a guiro and was striking poses and saying, "Meleeeeenda" into the microphone like she was the most fabulous woman on the planet. He kept saying, "She's not supposed to be out here" and she kept posing. It's hard to explain. I guess you had to be there. It was funny as hell. Later the two of them came back and recited some rude haiku. But the trucker's songs were the best. It was a great show.
Afterward Lindsay and Kyle introduced us to Andy Paley and Gruber. Andy is a chatty ball of energy. Gruber was very nice and mellow. I swear he must be 7 feet tall. We couldn't talk much. Too much after-show activity. I hope we can meet them again sometime.
The next morning Jim, Lindsay and I went to the OC auto auction. This time we got to preview the cars. Not a great selection. We ended up buying a '93 Taurus wagon. While Jim and Lindsay were inside waiting in line to handle the paperwork I went back out for the drawing they had at the end of the auction. They were giving away a tv and a car. We didn't win the tv.
We won the car. Don't get all excited. We won an auction car. It's a '90 Pontiac Grand Am. A total grandma car. After getting the paperwork handled, which took FOREVER, they brought out our cars. The Grand Am has one window that came loose from its frame and the other windows won't roll down more than a couple inches. There is no rear view mirror. Jim drove the Taurus home and Lindsay drove the Grand Prize. I followed her home. The Grand Prize was really smoking, especially when she accelerated. Jim said the Taurus clunks like the engine isn't properly mounted. Oh yeah, we brought home a couple of gems. Tomorrow they're both going in for service.
Lindsay really likes the Grand Am. Unless there's something terribly wrong with these cars we'll probably keep them and sell the truck. Paige will be 16 in July so we'll be needing another car anyway.
After we got home we went straight to Ken's to check out this new drummer. He seems like he's pretty good and I think he likes us. He can't practice on Fridays which is a bit of a problem. We can rearrange things to accomodate him. We do need a drummer. I hope he works out.
We got home around 7:30. It seemed so much later. What a freakin' long day. I was kind of stunned.
Man, I hope these cars won't be too expensive to fix.
Hey! Happy Birthday to Brother Atom Bomb Of Reflection! Happy Birthday Brian P! A late Happy Birthday to Brian K!
Saturday's show was a little different. Usually it's the Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show but T-Bones wasn't there this time. The Naked Trucker is Dave "Gruber" Allen. He's doing one of the voices for Moobeard. The drummer is Andy Paley, who is doing the music for Moobeard. Yes, there's a Kyle connection here. They also had some special guests performing. There was Andy Kindler who did some stand-up. He's a semi-regular on Everybody Loves Raymond. He had a kind of "insult the audience" act that was pretty funny. There was a guy (didn't get his name) who did a bit with a girl that was freakin' hilarious. He was dressed like Esteban with the hat and sunglasses. She came out holding a guiro and was striking poses and saying, "Meleeeeenda" into the microphone like she was the most fabulous woman on the planet. He kept saying, "She's not supposed to be out here" and she kept posing. It's hard to explain. I guess you had to be there. It was funny as hell. Later the two of them came back and recited some rude haiku. But the trucker's songs were the best. It was a great show.
Afterward Lindsay and Kyle introduced us to Andy Paley and Gruber. Andy is a chatty ball of energy. Gruber was very nice and mellow. I swear he must be 7 feet tall. We couldn't talk much. Too much after-show activity. I hope we can meet them again sometime.
The next morning Jim, Lindsay and I went to the OC auto auction. This time we got to preview the cars. Not a great selection. We ended up buying a '93 Taurus wagon. While Jim and Lindsay were inside waiting in line to handle the paperwork I went back out for the drawing they had at the end of the auction. They were giving away a tv and a car. We didn't win the tv.
We won the car. Don't get all excited. We won an auction car. It's a '90 Pontiac Grand Am. A total grandma car. After getting the paperwork handled, which took FOREVER, they brought out our cars. The Grand Am has one window that came loose from its frame and the other windows won't roll down more than a couple inches. There is no rear view mirror. Jim drove the Taurus home and Lindsay drove the Grand Prize. I followed her home. The Grand Prize was really smoking, especially when she accelerated. Jim said the Taurus clunks like the engine isn't properly mounted. Oh yeah, we brought home a couple of gems. Tomorrow they're both going in for service.
Lindsay really likes the Grand Am. Unless there's something terribly wrong with these cars we'll probably keep them and sell the truck. Paige will be 16 in July so we'll be needing another car anyway.
After we got home we went straight to Ken's to check out this new drummer. He seems like he's pretty good and I think he likes us. He can't practice on Fridays which is a bit of a problem. We can rearrange things to accomodate him. We do need a drummer. I hope he works out.
We got home around 7:30. It seemed so much later. What a freakin' long day. I was kind of stunned.
Man, I hope these cars won't be too expensive to fix.
Hey! Happy Birthday to Brother Atom Bomb Of Reflection! Happy Birthday Brian P! A late Happy Birthday to Brian K!
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