For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

We had a great time at the AC/DC concert, once we finally sat down! We hid a dead end walking around the lobby, turned around, hit another dead end, finally got into the arena, walked all the way around to the other side and battled vertigo climbing up into the nosebleed section to our seats. When we got there, a giant pillar was in our way! Oops, we were in the wrong section. We finally found the seats. Actually, not too bad. We looked straight down at the side of the stage (better than being all the way in the back). It was fun to look out at the sea of blinking red horns!

Photo from PremierGlow.com

The opening act was The Answer, a hard rocking band from Belfast, Ireland. Lead singer Cormac Neeson had hair like Ernest (if Ernest brushed it out) and sounded like Robert Plant. They were smokin'! "Cheers!"




Here's the opening we couldn't see, from our seats at the side. (We did have a good view of Angus's bald spot, a little incongruous with the schoolboy costume!)





The show was full of great classic tunes. Even the new stuff sounded like the classics. At one point the beat changed and they went into She's Got the Jack, which included an Angus Young striptease.


BeefCake or ManCake, he's not. ScrawnyChickenCake?


Here's the end, complete with cannons!



Fun! We had a great time. In the "it's a the small world" area, I ran into a fellow mom at the store today...her boy and Ernest went to pre-school together. She mentioned her son liking AC/DC and I said, "we saw them last night!" Turns out she had seen them long ago in San Francisco, early in their career.

Can't wait for our last concert of the year, on the Handy Husband's birthday. I'll leave you hanging as to who we are going to see!

Blogoversary

According to that little box on the sidebar, it's my blogoversary today. I started this blog 2 years ago. Predictably, my first post was titled "Procrastination." Like pregnancy and childbirth, the first 9 months were pretty slow, then it got more interesting. Over that first year, a telemarketer swore at me, I battled with reading glasses, one son built a theremin and the other got a kilt, and I started my ongoing series of concert posts. The second year's been a lot of fun.

Speaking of concerts, we are going to AC/DC tonight.

So you can guess what my next post will be about!

Horripilation

I saw that word a few weeks ago on Dictionary.com's word of the day, and I have been savoring it, treasuring it, and waiting for the perfect occasion to use it.

Horripilation: A real or fancied bristling of the hair of the head or body, resulting from disease, terror, chilliness, etc. Goosebumps. You know that creepy crawly deliciously shivery feeling!

Ernest and I saw Sweeney Todd on stage last night:



And I had horipillation. It was awesome.

Here's Mrs. Lovett (Carrie Cimma) and Sweeney Todd (Merritt David Janes). During "A Little Priest," she made him crack. Is there a technical theatrical term for that? When the actor starts laughing and can't continue? (I saw it happen to Nathan Lane in "The Odd Couple.")

Photos by Peter Coombs from Sweeneyontour.com

Bakersfield.com had an article on the show.

We were in New York in 2006 when the revival was on Broadway, and I was sorry we didn't get to see it then. Too many shows, too little time.
Unfortunately the Handy Husband had to work, and Frank just bailed on us. Ernest and I decided to go out to dinner beforehand, so we had a lovely evening.

Sunset

We had a very interesting sunset on Friday, November 28th.

UPDDTE: I need to clarify -- it's not smoke! Just a thick cloud layer, but it was odd the way it stopped right over the hills.

Fruit Schmoot

We had a potluck lunch meeting at work. Fruit salad, that's easy enough.

Whoa! Six bucks for some grapes? What are Holiday grapes? $4 for a melon? This turned into a pricy little dish at a total of $15.14! And what makes it worse? Less than 1/4 of it was eaten.

Family, we're going to be eating fruit salad for a long long time.

How to talk to...

This little 9 year old cutie pie has a book of dating advice. It seems very sensible.

Ernest gets lots of phone calls from a cute girl in his Algebra class. I know her aunt...who says the dad is great at math. So why is she calling Ernest all the time, hmmmmm? I wonder. I've also noticed that his upper lip peach fuzz is darkening. And his voice seems deeper than usual (he's always had a deep gruff voice for a child --- Frank did too). Oh my, puberty approaches.

Mr. Alec Greven has another book coming out in March: How To Talk to Moms. I can't wait.

Neverrrrrrrr......

Yahoo caught my eye with a link to this couple who dress alike.

Even their Crocs match. Croc Attack!

Living in a tourist town, I can't tell you how many times we've seen "dressed alike" couples and I've sworn NEVER to wear the same clothes as my husband, at the same time. I do admit to having "acquired" 2 of his Hawaiian shirts that somehow got too small. Shrinkage, you know. But he's not wearing them anymore.

I freak out am occasionally bothered if we wear the same colors. But you can't avoid red at Christmas. So now I'm going off into my usual tangent.

This was last year's Christmas Party Dress. It was red satin, with a black mesh overlay. Yes, I was OK with him wearing a red shirt because it worked. It coordinated, but was not matchy-matchy. Wow, make-up gives me eyebrows. Note to self: Must remember makeup! And a push-up bra, because The Girls are 48 years old and they need a little more help. It's OK to ask for help. Note to child photographer: don't stand on chair because it makes Daddy's head glow.
This year's dress will also be red/black, but polka-dotty. I'm safe from matchyness because he would not wear dots!!!! He can wear the red shirt again. By the way: I bought this dress last year on sale! It's been in the closet for ever.

Here's my chunky ruby-like necklace, from a local crafts fair. Yes, my closet does resemble a log cabin.

You know I like Coldwater Creek. And here are the cheap Tar-jhay shoes I bought months ago. They were just waiting for the right moment. They have more danceable soles than the adorable black shoes I wore last year. Not that my husband will dance, unless his friends shame him into it again. Shame away, friends!

As always, I may be somewhat [cough] overweight, but with these shoes (and the right bra)? Totally HAWT. Green beans hawt. Party day is December 13th.

Stop spying!

I swear, Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman are spying on my kids. Both of them.

The last one is hard to read. Here's a link to it on the Seattle P-I website. (That's where I have to get my Sunday Mary Worth fix because my newspaper doesn't print it on Sundays. ) (UPDATE: Duh to me. If you click on the picture, you'll get a larger version. I'm so non-techie.)

I think the state of Frank's man cave is a lost cause. We asked him to clean it up recently: he threw out the trash. He still hasn't unpacked boxes from when he moved in July. I guess that's a good thing. At least most of the stuff is still in boxes rather than on the floor.

Ernest had a friend spend the night last week. I put my leopard-clad foot down and said he had to clear the floor first. So he did. I hope it lasts a while.

However, I have a confession... Shhh. Don't tell. I still haven't hung up my own clothes from last week's laundry. So I guess I can't complain too loudly.

Book giveaway

Head on over to my book blog for the first of several giveaways. This one's all about Stephen King.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's 3:45 but we haven't eaten yet. If I eat the big turkey meal at mid-day, I am a goner for the rest of the day. So if we are home alone (which we are), we eat the holiday meal at about 5:00.

The turkey is already done. Stuffing is ready to go in the oven, potatoes are peeled, and I was just about to cut up green beans when I got distracted. I have a secret love for the classic green bean casserole but 1) the handy husband isn't too into casseroles and 2) the kids wouldn't touch cream of mushroom soup. Then I remembered a recipe from the Half-Assed Kitchen. Because it's really about the french-fried onions. And then I thought I'd blog about it.

It's been dark and cloudy most of the day, which confused the cat. She decided it was dinner time before 3:00. It just cleared up just in time for the sunlight to shine into our eyes (gaaahh!) as Ernest and I watch (or not watch) our Pixar marathon. (So far Toy Story 1 and 2, currently watching Cars.) Frank is in his manCave, and his beard is rapidly approaching caveman length. I swear it's grown since yesterday.

The Handy Husband is flipping channels in the other room, and I am not complaining. This is the first real weekend he's had at home for months. All fall, he's been working early, late, and on Sundays to get the new microscope out. The designers tear it apart to fix something, then he puts it together again. Over and over again. They shipped one on Tuesday, and I think the next one goes out next week.

I'm just thankful that he has the whole weekend off to rest and regroup.
I'm thankful Frank's home.
I'm thankful Ernest is still sweet and got a good report card.
I'm thankful for our home and the dinner that will be on the table.
Ernest will be thankful for the gravy!!!!
I'll be really thankful if I get a good night's sleep. C'mon turkey tryptophan, do your magic.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

What am I? Chicken Thigh! Contest

Besides the yummy Shoyu Chicken Thighs. I've also used chicken thighs in Jambalaya (instead of the shrimp -- just brown them at the beginning and keep them in the pan while you cook everything else), Chicken Curry, and Chicken Cacciatore

Please, give me a break from turkey this weekend! Share your favorite special recipe using Chicken Thighs.


I'll pick one and cook it on Saturday night, and hopefully feature photos on Sunday. There may also be a prize involved. What kind of prize, you ask? You know me -- I don't know yet! Possibly it will be poultry-related. There are so many ways I could go with that...poultry seasoning? a chicken-themed dish towel? a rubber chicken?

UPDATE: The winner is...... Chicken Chop Suey from China Panda. Because.... frankly....even I could think of barbecue sauce and beer. Honorable mention to Cheri and Jen because no one else bothered. Love you both, that's the prize.

The 6th Photo Meme - "The Ties that Bind"

Blackbird tagged me for the 6th Photo from the 6th Folder Meme. But I didn't like that picture. I renamed some folders and recounted. I also tried 3 of 3 and 4 of 4. Some of the results were: strangers at a ren Faire, food on a plate, other people's cars. Nothing that resonated with me.

Then I hit on the slightly cheaty bright idea of counting from the bottom! 6th folder from the bottom, 6th photo from the end! And voila! This is a keeper. This is one I can blog about!

August 18, 2004: Ernest is 8 years old. He recently discovered a love of ties--so great a love that his piano teacher gave him a batch of her father's ties. I love the creative contrast of the tie and the tie-dye. On the wall in the background? Frank's silhouette from his 8th grade graduation.

There are two other tie photos in that folder:

Ernest and his precious CatBaby, all dressed up with nowhere to go.

And the tie that started it all...

He wore this in his first theatrical endeavor, with a classy white shirt, not a t-shirt! I have no photos of that, but a videotape exists somewhere. He was sad when he had to return this tie to the costumer, and thus the tie obsession was born. He's got quite a collection now. I should get him a tie rack -- they keep falling off the hanger.

There you go, the 6th photo from the 6th folder, in my own backwards style.

Go tag yourselves!

Playing With Fire

It seems the verdict is in... His own blood relatives did not comment (maybe they voted anonymously) but they know him and would say the same thing: Unless he makes a miraculous repair (which is totally possible) the handy husband will get a barbecue for Christmas, because he likes to play with fire.

Musical interlude, which has nothing to do with barbecues.



And if he burns himself, tears go by... Yet another musical interlude which has even less to do with barbecues. I'm just in the mood for some 60's Stones.




And why am I embedding these "old school" videos? Because my Handy Husband is an "old school" barbecue-er. None of that newfangled propane gassy stuff for him. It's wood, baby, wood all the way. Oak wood fires... Which take an hour to get the coals just right. But the food is ever so tasty when it is done.

So let's leave with a little Norwegian wood.

Thank You, BeanPlate

Melanie at beanpaste has a new cooking blog, "beanplate: Eating Well in Lean Times." Check it out!

I have been on the lookout for new things to do with chicken thighs***, because they are delicious and inexpensive. Melanie's Shoyu Chicken Thighs (Show You?) are incredible. Incredibly tasty, easy and cheap. How can it get better than that?

I used half a tray of thighs (5) so I cut the ingredients in half. Go all out and buy the fresh ginger...you can really taste it.

Ernest said, "These are really good, Mom. Can I have another?"

The rest of the household is out so they missed the deliciousness... we saved a portion for the handy husband, who is working late yet again (the product is supposed to ship tomorrow and then the late nights will end? Please?). Frank is out at "food night" which used to be "taco night" until the all-you-can-eat taco place got tired of them boring. Now it's a Monday night social thing to eat out somewhere anywhere out with a bunch of friends.

***So, I am leading up to a Chicken Thigh Recipe Contest. Whoo-hoo. Details tomorrow!!!!

A Strange Similarity?

Tom Jones, love him or loathe him? I'm on the love him side, but I know some of you are not.

He was rockin' on GMA this morning. (By the way, I love seeing the bari sax player over his shoulder. Frank played bari sax for years!)

Play a little of this, then scroll down.



...Round about 45 seconds, when he started singing "I'm a ma-ah-an," I started noticing certain vocal qualities... something in the timbre of his voice, that reminded me of one of my all time favorites...




(I luurve Tim Curry. )

DISCLAIMER: But please, I beg of you, DO NOT mentally picture Tom Jones in drag. Naughty me, I shouldn't have said that. Because now you're doing it and you're so, so very sorry!

What to Do

Last week I had a plethora of posts...I had so many ideas the posts were scheduled ahead for the whole week. This week? Pfffft. Not much inspiration, until this morning.

This is our cat. She looks innocent here but I saw her! Not 1 minute earlier she was behaving like a KITTEN, I tell you, clawing at the shadows on the wall. Sox, you are 17 years old. Where was your dignity?

And then there is the indignity of it all. The Handy Husband cleaned the ashes out of his barbecue and found that the ashes were all that was holding it together.

There's my leopard-clad foot, to show the scale. He thinks he can patch it???? I think he needs a new barbecue for Christmas.


What do you think? Please vote!

Help Me! What should I give the Handy Husband for Christmas? A new barbecue A Blu-Ray player Car gadgets Clothes Scotch and chocolate view results

It Wasn't Me that Forgot! How Refreshing!

Ernest can be pretty darn perfect and sometimes seems like a grown-up in a boy's body, but every once in a while he slips up and makes a human error like the rest of us. How refreshing.

Mom, can we [we? really?] do laundry soon? I'm running out of clothes. I keep asking you to bring your laundry downstairs. [All weekend long I asked him. And when I checked the situation later, it was only socks that were running short. There were tons of clothes...in the drawers...on the chair...even 2 clean folded t-shirts mixed in with the dirty laundry.]

Last week I signed a permission slip and wrote a check for Ernest's field trip. I wrote down the date on the calendar: Friday the 21st. But he kept telling me it was Wednesday. I didn't keep a copy of the permission slip to double check, so I believed him and changed the date on the calendar. Yesterday, I asked him why kids were wearing pajamas [this will make sense in a second] to school. Oh, it's spirit week. Today is Pajama Day. Can I borrow Frank's kilt on Wed. for Heritage day? You're going to wear a kilt on your field trip? No, you were right, Mom. The field trip is Friday after all. Ha! Justified! It was a total ITYS (I TOLD YOU SO) moment but I controlled myself! [Mom pats self on back.]

And he forgot his piano lesson today (He was doing a school project and I was at the store.)

I feel so much more normal now. I'm not the only one who forgets things! You'd be surprised how much that lifts my mood.

Odd Museums

Did you see this list of odd museums?

I have actually been to one of them, the PEZ museum in Burlingame, Ca. Tucked away in a small storefront, the front room is a small PEZ store, and the back room has been turned into a treasure trove of PEZ memorabilia.

Here's the owner. He says if you own more than 3 PEZ dispensers, you're a collector. My PEZ are on a shelf in Ernest's bathroom.



He bought the original PEZ factory sign on eBay. There were no other bidders.


The famous jack-in-the-box PEZ. We have one.



Ernest with the world's largest PEZ dispenser . It dispenses plastic boxes with PEZ dispensers inside.

That's the end of my tour, but I think I saw a big basket of PEZ dispensers at Jen's house.

Dream Symbols

I saw this article on Yahoo Wednesday night. Eight dream symbols that point to stress: Nudity, Storms, Crashes, Hell, Death, Bugs, Cats, Losing Teeth

Well, I've developed a fear of death lately, but luckily I don't dream about it!

As for the other symbols?

Cats? Bring 'em on. Cats are taking over things in our house and I don't mind. Look, she's seized control of the remote. Today the TV, tomorow the world!

Nudity? The nightmare would be for the person who saw me.

Crashes? Well I worry about car and airplane crashes when I am conscious, but I don't dream about them.

Storms? When I lived in a house where the street flooded, I had nightmares about it. Now...I've had a tree fall my house during a storm but storms don't bother me in my sleep anymore.

Hell? I don't believe in it, so no problem there. One of the benefits of being a non-believer.

Bugs? he earwig that crawled down my pants when I went to the restroom last week? Freaked me out in real life. Again, no dreams.

Only losing teeth seriously bothers me. It's my most common bad dream, followed by a few others:

Losing teeth. This was always the worst. The teeth are all squiggly and wiggly and fall out like Jeff Goldblum's in The Fly. I confess, this dream has decreased in frequency since I've been going to the dentist on a regular basis.

The Frustration Dream: you know, you struggle and struggle and nothing goes right. I continue to have this one occasionally.

Finding out I have a final for a class I've never been to. -- this was a common dream throughout high school, college, and even into my 20s and 30s. I welcomed my 40s because it stopped.

Witches in the sewers of San Francisco. I'm SERIOUS!! This was my earliest repeating nightmare, in kindergarten and grade school. It was so vivid, I remembered it for years (but now it's gone). It took place in San Francisco, where my mother and I lived at my aunt's house between my parents' divorce and moving to my great-uncle's in Grover formerly City Beach when I started school. This witch came out of the manhole and took me back down with her. And we went through tunnels and there were adventures. I wish I'd written it down when I still remembered it. It would have made a good fantasy book.

By the way, did anyone see A Nightmare on Elm Street at Halloween? Being sucked down into my bed would be pretty bad. Unless Johnny Depp was already there. But you know, Mrs. G's got dibs.

So I'm wondering -- what's in your dreams?

Congrats!!!

Congratulations, Louise! And if you have any doubts about good karma, read her last post. What goes around, comes around.