Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

I don't know if I'm going to get to writing a review of the puppet fest, or even a review of tori last night. Both were awesome. Tomorrow I get on a jet plane and fly to Boston to see Mike Scott (and my sister, and my friend Neil)
I'll check in when I get back.
xoxo

Monday, October 29, 2007

Happy Monday!
Today it is officially COLD in my house. I'm into it, really. The flannel sheets and blanket and comforter did a fine job of protecting me from the cold while sleeping, and being chilly in the house is not a big deal when there are sweaters and wool socks to be had. Rebby did start vacuuming the heating vents this morning though, as it might get colder. I'm ready for it. Just gotta find the window plastic hiding in the giant pile of junk that is my room.
Yeah, I definitely didn't get started on the room on Thursday. Spent most of the day waiting and computering, which is just fine I suppose for a day off. We did head out to growler hour to reload on beer, and stopped in the co-op for sour cream for the chicken chili I made for supper (yum!) Then I got to watch all my favorite comedy shows without having to simultaneously do catering stuff (first time in a couple weeks!)
Friday I had a super long day at the restaurant, causing me to miss Fall Festival at lil D's daycare. I really wanted to be there for the pumpkin touching, but it was not to be. Sigh. When I finally got home I pretty much passed out on the couch while watching TV. I think my body is preparing for hibernation.
Saturday was a super day off! We hit Delucas for breakfast, then got some tortillas at Reynas, cheese for catering at Stamoolis, dumpling sauce at Lotus, and loaded up on happy pig at the farmer's market. We got THREE POUNDS of bacon for the freezer (woo!) and a pork loin roast, and some spareribs for half price since the seal on the package wasn't great. We also picked up some kale and some salmon and some bread. Headed home, and on our way we stopped at the Sears Outlet so Rebby could get a drill she had seen the previous week. Since we were there I decided to peruse the stove exhaust hoods, and believe it or not there was a returned and refinished hood, in white to match our stove, for $20. Woo! So we got that and the drill set, and actually had a good customer service experience there. So I take back my previous diss.
We unloaded our wares when we got home and put the spareribs in the slow cooker with some johnny on the spot sauce---east end blackstrap stout, honey mustard, brown sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, chili powder. I cut up some onions to put in the bottom and then rubber banded the lid on (our slow cooker is a thrift store score and needs some assistance) Then we gathered up the recycling and went to construction junction.
Where, wonder of wonders, I found quart size cans of the EXACT orange and blue paints I have been dreaming about for my kitchen. I was amazed. I figure I'll paint a corner to make sure they are the EXACT colors I want, and then take the rest to some paint mixing authority to match for me. Last weekend I got the straw rug with the exact colors, and then this weekend the paint. It's destiny.
Rebby also found an old window that is perfect for the coffee table project she has been dreaming about. I told her not to get her heart set on it since there was no price, but when we got to the register the CJ man said ONE DOLLAR. Yeah, it's like that.
Saturday evening we ate our supper (the spareribs with some mashed potatoes and steamed kale) and then got ready to go to the puppet festival. Which will warrant it's own post, after I warm up.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

UPDATE:

I totally have a crush on the Austrailian Plumber. <3 <3 <3
Happy Thursday!
Oh, it is indeed a happy Thursday, too. I not only have the day off, but I don't have to spend it doing catering jobs. Or shopping for catering jobs. I do have to spend a lot of it waiting for various repair men, but that's not a problem. I plan to spend a lot of it actually working on my room, so that by the end of the day just maybe I will have a useable office where now there is a mere pile of junk. Wish me luck.
The Ace Lock man has already come and gone. He was a very excitable locksmith. It was nice to be able to patronize a local locksmith and one for whom locksmithing is not merely a job. Although he did give me a lecture about how locksmithing is not rocket science. Might as well be to me, locksmith man. Anyway, the front door deadbolt has been replaced by one that actually locks without gymnastics. I am happy.
Now I'm waiting for the Australian Plumber to come and fix my leaking temperature pressure valve on the water heater. He just called to tell me he's running a bit late, which means my day might not get started till around 1pm. Fine---maybe I'll bake a pie while I wait. I just can't get into anything that might require hot water.
So last night we went to see my yearly Gay Film---hopefully I'll actually get to two or three, but I've at least fulfilled my one gay film per year quota. It was a documentary about Alexis Arquette. Really interesting, more about the fabulous persona of Alexis Arquette than about tranny issues. There was a really awesome short in front of it called Trannymals Go To Court. Check out the website! We were cheering out loud for the trannymals. Unfortunately, there weren't more than 15 people in the theater. I don't know why I let myself get so bummed out about the film fest---especially since I never take the step of actually DOING anything about it. I keep saying next year will be the year I get involved. Maybe I really will this time. Anyway, I'm glad we went and I hope to be able to see the gay thriller You Belong to Me on Friday night and the closing lesbo film Itty Bitty Titty Committee. My sis gives it two thumbs up and she is my gay film expert. I don't know why the film fest made the move from The Harris to the South Side Works, but I gotta say it really makes it harder for me to go. And maybe the seats are newer, but I miss watching gay film downtown, where the gays are. Just sayin. The Cheesecake Factory is no consolation for me.
This morning I had one of the best breakfasts ever....featuring Spring Creek Soysage. I'm not sure the Co-op has picked it back up, but I can get it from my secret vegetarian restaurant connection. This is one of my all time favorite hippie foods. It's made from okara, which is the leftovers from tofu/soymilk making. So it's local, independent, recycling.....there is nothing not cool about this product. Plus, it tastes REALLY good. Not like sausage much at all, really, but it has a very delicious and satisfying flavor. I fried a couple eggs and put them on top, and put that on top of some sourdough toast from the farmer's market. I unfortunately sprinkled some cheese on top that turned out to be almost bad (I am extra sensitive to cheese going bad, and this was kinda funky) but the awesomeness of the soysage and the eggs and the Louisiana Supreme Jalapeno Pepper Sauce made up for it. (note to self--I just opened the last bottle of 50 cent lousiana supreme sauce from big lots. I've been hording it, and now it's gone. let's hope big lots still has it!)
OK, time to go figure out how to occupy my time for the next hour. I sure do love a day off!

Monday, October 22, 2007

Feelin' Human

So, wedding season is officially over (at least for us, at least for now.) The relief I feel is palpable. The final wedding of the season was certainly one of the most FUN and stress free we've done, possibly EVER. It was smallish (*only* 100 people) and in a great venue (The Schenley Park Ice Rink Meeting Room--I HIGHLY recommend it!) and for really great people, and their menu was awesome and they were going for a potluck feel, so we did everything in thrift store bowls and platters, and used our vintage table cloths. A friend of the couple grilled platters of meat to compliment the salad array and mac and cheese that we did. It was very chill, and we got out nice and early, and then I went straight into vacation mode. Enjoyed some East End Witte Bier and relaxed, and went to bed earlish.
Sunday was just lovely! We got up and had toast and coffee, and then headed to McKnight Road for Indian Buffet at Taj Mahal. I was most impressed with the saag and the manchurian cauliflower---not a traditional dish, but so yummy! Also, papadums on the buffet! And for dessert one of the choices was besan halva, perhaps my all time favorite Indian dessert. I grabbed a big bowlful and couldn't finish it of course, but oh boy was that good.
From there we stopped at Target. I was in need of some specific things, and some retail therapy. I got a couple pairs of earrings (since the move I have had a hard time finding any of my earrings, and with the new cute hairstyle I need to have something!) a couple of the amazing soft mossimo long sleeved tee shirts, a gigantic super soft flannel robe, some socks and tights, and some personal care items. Oh, and two new big bowls that ALMOST match my dishes---they're glossy black rather than matte black, but they're the same shape. Close as I'm going to get at this point it seems. None of it was really frivolous, but I still felt guilty at the total. I guess it's been so long since I've gone on a shopping spree in a new store as opposed to a thrift store I wasn't prepared. Anyway, it's all nice stuff, and I feel a little bit more prepared for winter, should she ever choose to arrive.
From there we returned to the city proper for the great Chest Freezer Acquisition. We made a desultory stop at the Sears Scratch and Dent but nothing there really turned me on and the sales people really turned me OFF. Just a little too pushy and yinzery. So we went to Home Depot and got a 7.2CUFt Magic Chef. It's nice. I can't wait to empty some of the stuff from the kitchen freezer into it, and then continue to fill it with supplies for the winter. The idea that we can have home preserved local vegetables for the whole winter is filling me with joy. I am highly emotional these days.
Rebby's friend Missy Charlotte came over to help move the thing into the basement ( I was not up for it in my delicate condition) and while they were working on it I worked on the brisket. There was a really delicious brisket at the wedding, and I wanted to make sure my brisket was at least that good. I checked a couple cookbooks and some online things, and then I ended up just doing my own thing with whatever I could find. I made a bed of onions and potatoes in a big roasting pan, and I made a marinade of elliot ness amber lager (great lakes! woo!), molasses, worcestershire, grainy brown mustard, garlic powder, a little splash of old colony sauce, and some black pepper. I bathed the brisket in it and then put it in the pan and dumped the marinade over it. Plopped it in the oven at 350 and tried to forget about it.
Unfortunately, you can't forget about a brisket cooking in all those good smelling things. So I poured another beer and settled in to watch St Elmo's Fire. Seriously.
That movie came out my freshman year of college and I went to see it at the local theater in Obieland with all of my new dorm friends. We were of course certain we would be those people....in fact, the first of the interfriend relationships had already started and there had already been some jealousies and intrigues. Watching the movie in hindsight I was so completely pissed off that the dudes are all such giant jackasses. The girls all behave irresponsibly too, but really the problems are all caused by the dudes just being incredibly selfish. I ended up feeling disgusted rather than nostalgic. Of course, the crucial scene when Jules has her breakdown and Billy makes the lighter blowtorch against the red walls with the blue curtains is still very effective. And I still teared up when Kevin and Leslie finally got together. But otherwise, I was pretty disappointed. Another touchstone of my youth de-mystified.
The brisket, however, did not disappoint. I think I cooked it just about perfectly, and I sliced it very thin and made some gravy out of the marinade. We had a little bowl of beef and potatoes and gravy before bed (probably not the best bedtime snack, but it was so yummy!) and we are all set for a delicious dinner with some steamed kale later tonight. Hoorah.
I'm on the swing shift today, which I really like. I'll just go in and bang out a whole bunch of stuff to get us ahead for the week. Then I'll go to the farmer's market and stock up for the new freezer! Life is good.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Tears of Cry!!!!!!!!

This is exactly the bike I had in Albuquerque. Except mine had a basket on the front. I think I might have paid $30 for it, but definitely no more than that. It was stolen out of our side yard because one of my hippie roomates forgot to lock the gate.
I get so wistful any time I think about this bike, and seeing the picture on craigslist actually brought tears to my eyes. Of course, I'm also having my period.
And drinking my second pint of East End Brewing Witte Bier. Happy Sunday.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

My Sentiments Exactly

So, we played a show at the REA Coffeehouse at Chatham last night. Wow, what a trip down memory lane! First, there was the driving back and forth and asking multiple random girls how to get there. Finally we found it, but only the "exit" driveway. It seemed deserted enough so we decided to just drive up it anyway. Probably not the best thing to do, but the real way in was not evident. We got in and saw the ladies from Flotilla Way huddled around the door---apparently all the coffeehouse doors were on lockdown, so they had to get some security guards (and later locksmiths) to get in. We finally loaded in, and then it was like a distant memory slowly coming in to focus. I kept catching glimpses of graffiti that would remind me of the last time I was there, or some other random time I played or saw a show. Alan remembered Dead at 24 playing there with the 1985 at least once---I couldn't remember that until we actually got on stage and my floor tom started to buckle. That brought back the memories of my floor tom ALWAYS buckling during D@24 shows. Rebby remembers the Viragos playing there with Weird Paul--that I have NO memory of at all. That must have been during the heavy self medication period. I do remember distinctly the Paul Lynde 451 Halloween show, where Spaz used my pink jelly dildo as a microphone, and I was in charge of operating the flashing lights on the giant Bitey Coochie.
Anyway, it was a nice mellow night....Flotilla Way played, and they were great. I can't wait till they get their CD done, and I can't wait to play with them again. They brought baked goods and handmade notecards since they didn't have CDs. Ha!
Next up was Leslie who jumped on the bill at the last minute since Kill the Unicorn couldn't do it. She was bluesy and sexy as always. She did a surprise cover of "Another One Bites the Dust." HA! It was extra fun to see Spat there singing and dancing along to all her songs. Then was Hailey Wojzik, who had come all the way from Brooklyn. After her car broke down in Chinatown, she rented a new one and continued on. She and her Girlfriend Faith were troopers! She played really interesting music mostly on ukelele and strumboard--the tiniest stringed instrument I'd ever seen. Her second to last song was a strumboard cover of some top 40 club banger I didn't know---"Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston. It was awesome to hear all the crusties and baby dykes and gender benders singing along to a folksy strumboard version of a hip hop song. Hee hee.
Next we played, and almost the minute I got up on the stage I remembered being there. It was great for me because with the projector on I could only see the tinsel and the christmas lights around the stage. I felt like I was in my own private world. My drums also sounded really good in the space, and I could hear the keyboard really well. It was lovely! We played a brand new song that I had never heard before (Al sang it to me in the sofa king room before we went on) and it is my new favorite. I'll tell you what it's called when I find out. A new goth hit for the ages. Really makes me wish I had pestered manny harder to get on the Chemlab bill, but I don't know if the boys would be up for it. Maybe it's not to late to ask....
So today is the wedding---I still have to wash the glassware and make the deviled egg stuffing, which i will pipe in on site. I think it's going to be a fun wedding--they have a family whiskey shot listed on the reception itinerary. Also, it's an older couple and a lot of times that means things are more chill and friendly.
Rebby and I got up early this morning and hit the strip---we went to Delucas for breakfast and got some pork chops from the happy pig man (he had no bacon---the horrors! because his processor is backed up. next week, tho...) and some onions and a few assorted spices and things. I stopped in to a strange gift store and ended up with some amazing beautiful note cards. Now that I am writing letters I wanted to be able to send something pretty! I think I hit the jackpot.
On the way back we decided to stop at the Bring and Sell on Washington Blvd. It's a giant sort of flea market/junk shop where we could have spent hours and thousands. Rebby got some really well made very old tools. I didn't get anything, but saw several things that might be holiday presents. Can't wait to go back.
Tomorrow we'll have a slow and easy and lazy day off. except, we might go to the zoo! We'll see. And rebby might go get our chest freezer, if she can find a big strong boy to help load it into the basement in exchange for beer and pork chops. Updates to follow.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Woah, I am so not operating at full power these days! I am SO sleepy when the alarm goes off at 6am and SO draggy getting myself together and then I kick it into high gear and bang out all kinds of food from 7am-3pm and then I straggle home and collapse in a heap. I've literally been in bed by 9:30pm the last several nights and by that I mean to SLEEP. I can't catch up. rebby has been working the schedule of the damned also, and we are sort of like ghosts to each other in the house. It's kinda sad but there is light at the end of the tunnel. After this weekend, things will be a bit calmer. At least that's what I've been telling myself.
Monday night since I had to run to the farmer's market and run home and then go back to work for a catering meeting, when rebby got home we decided to go out for dinner. I really wanted mashed potatoes, so we thought Dunning's Grill in Regent Square would be a good choice. It's sort of an "Irish" pub, at least if you look at the decor, so it stands to reason that potatoes would be on the menu. Except, when we actually GOT the menu, it was ITALIAN NIGHT. Ha! Well, no fear, they still had potato skins for an appetizer, and one of the Italian entrees was Chicken Piccata. I'm pretty sure I waxed lyrical about Piccata here before, but it's a sauce of lemon, butter and capers. Love. Rebby ordered Meatball Parmigiana. So we got our skins and they were good, and our dinner salads were also great. When she brought the entrees (we weren't even 1/3 of the way into the salads---bad waitressing form) I took a look at my "piccata" and immediately assumed she had picked up the wrong plate. It was in a brown wine-ish looking sauce with parsley and mushrooms. She didn't give me a minute to say anything, but she came back around in a few (I was still working on my salad) and I told her I was pretty sure that was Chicken Marsala and not Chicken Piccata. So she picked up the plate and walked TOWARD the kitchen, but I swear to god she did not go all the way INTO the kitchen. She came back and told me "that's how we make the Piccata". Hmm. I almost asked her to bring me Chicken Marsala instead so I could compare, but I got the feeling that she would make things really unplesant. And plus, Marsala isn't bad. It just isn't Piccata. I finished it off and the waitress had the audacity to say "it must not have been that bad" to which I replied, curtly "it wasn't BAD at all, it just wasn't Piccata." I really should have asked to speak with the cook because it was their debut night with the Italian menu, and if anyone else ever orders Piccata who knows what it is the same thing is bound to happen. But, really, I wasn't in the mood to help an Irish pub figure out their Italian menu. I just hope that my complaint actually got to the cook and s/he does a little research.
I am hoping to get through the work day today with enough energy to come home and do the dishes, so that I can get started on some catering stuff for the wedding. Also, I've got a brisket to roast and today is vegetable day so lord knows what I'll have to deal with. Tomorrow is the blessed WEEKDAY OFF, but I have to spend a large chunk of it shopping for the catering. Like I said....get me through this weekend, and there should be some reward in the form of a little uninterrupted sleep. Amen.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Yo!
just a quick little update before my fill in breakfast shift.
This weekend was very nice--I had a great time at work on Saturday morning, despite the fact that it was busier than last week. I was just in a groove and making so much stuff! Also, I got to make the vegan banana carob chip monster muffins and that always makes my day, because they smell so unbelievably good when baking that it throws everyone into hysterics. Seriously, the whole staff were slobbering muffin zombies by the time they were cool enough to eat. I sacrificed one to appease the mob, and then wrapped the rest for sale. I wish I could get one of those machines that burger king has to waft the grilled burger smell out into the street (urban legend or actual fact? you be the judge)---I'd sell millions of those muffins, I'm sure. Plus---THEY'RE VEGAN! It's nice when vegans get some extra delicious joy.
After work I roasted a half chicken that rebby picked up at the oakland farmer's market. I threw in some celery, leeks, onions, garlic, carrots and potatoes that I had been saving to the tuscan oven and then covered the ha'chicken with butter (no, I didn't really COVER it--I "dotted" like a good girl) and rosemary and salt and pepper and popped her in the oven. Then I roasted some very fine brussels sprouts in olive oil and salt and pepper. Delish. The chicken was unbelievably good----I keep reading about how the pastured chicken tastes more "chickeny" and that sounds silly but it's really true. So good.
Then we got ready to go to see my friends Mad Happy at the brillobox. They are a couple of happy, incredibly sweet, dance mad freaks who I first saw one night when I was working a dinner shift at the storm. They were playing and I was drawn out of the kitchen to dance---dishes be damned! They played another time at the QS and I loved their show again, and then they played again and I couldn't make it for some reason. But this time I was ready, although I really wish I could have booked anita fix and maybe kill the unicorn to play with them. Actually, what I wish is that they could have been here to play on the bill the other night---they would have fit perfectly. Anyway, it was great to see them and we hung out and watched Unsung together. He was a funny dude who told a VERY funny joke: what do you call a puppy on top of a rabbit in the middle of august? Hot dog on a bun. HA! Ha! Ha! His rapping was a little too humorous for my taste, but he was a nice guy.
Then Mad Happy took the stage, and I was psyched that there were more people than ever before there to see them, but unfortunately they had hella sound issues. The same crappy sound dude who fucked up our last anita fix show at the beeblo was there, still trying to shift the blame everywhere but where it belongs. It sucked to see these super positive people get beaten down by dumb technology issues. Grr.
Anyway, they cut their set short and then Magic Wolf played and although they were AWESOME---their sound was much too loud for the room. Painfully so. I had a headache by the end.
We packed up and came to the house and chatted a bit before sleeping. Then in the morning rebby made a giant breakfast and we all sat around the kitchen table talking about life and gardening. Mike iLL did some dishes and then rebby "took the gypsies for a walk" as Mike said, while I finished the dishes and did some house stuff. It was great to spend a little time with them, and we sent them off to Kent with a sampler CD of Oneida and a promise that when they come back in May we'll get them a show to rock the house. I can't wait. After they left rebby built a fire and we roasted some corn and peppers, and ate leftovers and drank mulled wine. What a nice life!
Today I do breakfast, then go on a shopping rampage at the farmer's market, then go back to the QS for a meeting. Then laundry and TV and planning the rest of the week. There's a wedding this weekend so I'll be up to my elbows in appetizers!

Thursday, October 11, 2007



I can't remember where I stole that image from, but I love it. It so perfectly describes my feeling about last night. We had a show at Garfield Artworks with our compatriots Kill the Unicorn, and a local fellow who's music I had not heard called Dean Cercone, and the K records darlings Old Time Relijun. Going into it, I have to admit I didn't know what to expect. I had been unable to practice on account of my tumble down the stairs, so the boys practiced without me. That could go either way, as you can imagine. I hadn't heard the opener (dean) or the closer (OTR), and hadn't experienced KTU since they added a female vocalist and hula dancer. I was tired, but also kinda excited. For some reason our Garfield shows always end up being my favorites.
Rebby and I got there first, as usual, and we set up our stuff along the side. High school kids and their parents started filing in. Rebby got a little nervous about the dirty pictures, but I told her that she didn't have anything to worry about. She was doing live video mixing anyway, so if something particularly filthy came up she could just mix more live feed over it. No problem.
Dean Cercone and friends got set up. Three young (I mean YOUNG---high school? probably) fellows--two accoustic guitars and a drummer. The drummer was stalking around with an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth and a strange crudely decorated vest on---reminding me very much of Daniel Desario from Freaks and Geeks. I was falling in love with him even before he started playing.
And then they started---dean's songs are incredible, the musicality of these young guys was inspiring, and the drummer just pounded his heart out on a couple floor toms, a couple cymbals and a kick. He was amazing. I was pretty much stunned into silence. It's so great to be blown away by something for which you are completely unprepared.
We played next, and I gotta say---despite not having practiced, and despite the fact that my right arm and boob is still bruised to bejeezus and back---we were great.
Everything just came together perfectly, even with a couple missed notes and off beats. I wasn't feeling up to the drum work out of "Run for Joy", so we closed with it--a capella. People really seemed to dig it, and everyone said that the projections were extra fantastic too.
Next up was Kill the Unicorn, and I'm not even going to attempt to set it up. They just ruled so completely----passionate, soulful, sexy, spiritual. It was so much more than music. Nobody had to break anything, and nobody had to turn up to 11. In fact, Kill the Unicorn doesn't even use instruments---just drums, percussion, voices, and hula dancing. Incredible.
By the time they were done everyone was sweaty and worn out, but we still had the out of town band to come. I was skeptical that they could possibly bring a performance to match what had gone before, but then they went and delivered. It's a very tribal/hypnotic heavy beat thing, with Arrington's intense lyrics and vocal wailings over the top. People were twirling and hopping like mad. I sat it out, but couldn't help twitching with the overwhelming beat. I wouldn't say they were BETTER than any of the other acts, but they certainly matched us all for intensity and otherworldliness.
I wish every night could be that incredible. Music can ENTERTAIN, but it should take you somewhere else. And last night, we were all over the map.
So today I am blessed with a day off and nothing to do other than bum around the kitchen. I've got some new vegetables to take care of, and I want to bake some pies. Maybe three or four pies. I've got apples out the wazoo, and plums and a butternut squash. I'm thinking Sunday night pie and mulled wine party around the chiminea. Welcome fall.

Monday, October 08, 2007

My Traitor Body

I took a little tumble down the stairs this morning. It wasn't too bad---I'm definitely more shook up than anything--but I did skin my knee, and a toe, and also smashed my right boob. It's developing a bruise. I blame my birkenstock sandles (they were also responsible for the last tumble I took down the attic stairs) and my green palazzo pants, and the fact that I was carrying too many things to hold on to the railing. I need to try to avoid that. Anyway, I was sitting here feeling sorry for my self and imagining horror scenarios (had I been knocked unconscious, I would have ended up right in front of the open door. the mailman would have seen me---but wait! It's Columbus Day! I would have been laying unconscious until rebby got home!) when I got a text from Jilly telling me to take the day off. Woo. If I'm not feeling too broken I may take a hike up to Staples and get a paper shredder for the compost and a set of banker boxes for my stuff. Tho I don't know that I want to carry home banker boxes. Maybe that trip needs to wait for a vehicle.
I have plenty of things to do around the home---lots of laundry, some more vegetable processing, maybe even baking a freakin apple pie! Having a surprise day off is the most delicious kind of treat. I will definitely spend part of it making mix CDs for friends. And finishing a letter (hi J*!) I've been writing for two weeks. Yay!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Chop,Chop, Chop

I got my hair all cut off on Thursday. It was *kinda* spur of the moment, as in I hadn't really talked about it to many people, but my hair had been on my last nerve for a while. So I decided to spend my day off in pursuit of a less pissed off lifestyle.
I checked out the internets for some suggestions of places close enough to walk to that would not make me look like a 40 year old woman (which, as most of you know, is exactly what I am) I settled on Platinum (no real website to speak of) mostly because the reviews I saw of it online suggested there were multiple gay men who worked there. It's been far too long since I've had a haircut from a gay. So I ended up with an appointment with John for 1pm.
Thursday, like most of this week, was way too fucking hot for the first week of October. Seriously, I am over it. Remember how excited I was about sweaters and backyard fireplaces and mulled cider? I can hardly think of those things now. I am laying around in a puddle of my own sweat at night. Over it.
Anyway, Thursday I tried to dress stylishly so that the gay man could be inspired to create something fabulous for me. The walk to Ellsworth took only about 10 minutes, so I looked in some expensive and boring boutiques, and then decided to give Coco another try. Again, I was disappointed. Their frosting just tastes like butter. Now, I am INTO butter, no doubt, but I expect more from a frosting. Especially on a little cupcake for $3. I don't think I'm going to give them another chance, although I suppose I should try the vegan cupcake to see if THAT tastes like butter.
Finally it was time for my appointment and I walked down to Platinum. Everyone was busy in the back with shampooing and coloring, but the receptionist/shampoo girl did come out and acknowledge me. I waited for a while, listening in on the conversations between wealthy shadyside women of a certain age and their gay hairdressers. It was delightfully stereotypical. Finally John came out and introduced himself to me and asked what we were going to do. I told him I wanted it all cut off, and I wanted something totally new and exciting and yet carefree and able to spend most of every day under a kerchief and still look fabulous. He got very excited---apparently he doesn't get to do much "creating" there in Shadyside. So he asked me some questions, and in the course of the conversation about ME he managed to work in the fact that he is 48 and single and has a dog and a cat who are in love. I knew I had made the right choice.
Eventually I got a shampoo from the HOTT shampoo girl/receptionist, and then John got to work. He did have a good time, and I was able to watch his idea change as he went. This had a lot to do with the fact that about halfway through the cut we started talking about new wave, and then I think he felt a lot freer to go wacky with the hair. I'm a little bummed that he didn't leave me more bangs, but he said he wanted it to be carefree in the kitchen. Nice. He of course put all kinds of shit in it and made it a mile high before I left, which was fun. It was great to walk around shadyside looking like that. I asked him about the grays and he said that at 40 I should not concern myself with weekly touch ups. Ha! So I think I'm just going to let it go natural for a while and see what happens. Apparently my hair looks a lot lighter just because all the old stuff got cut off...layers of red and black and brown. I'm down to my "natural" color, which is not nearly so odious as I thought. Still, with a kicky do like this it's hard not to go purple or something.....
Other than the haircut, I've been working a lot. A lot. This week and next I'm on 6 days and then after that is the last and final wedding of the year (so far) Whew. Can't wait for vacation. Besides working I got to hang out with lil D and Jen, and give D his six month present of a plush hammer with breaking glass sound. He thought it was delicious. As was my collar and my finger. I also got him what I think is an ingenious baby invention---a blanket with rubber corners for teething. And, a loop attached for the binky. I hope that thing won some kind of baby design award. It is also covered in anthropomorphised cows, which is a nice touch. Jen called a little while ago to tell me that D is in the hospital for some tests---he's got a nasty cough. Poor kid. Hopefully everything is fine.
My final excitement for this week--no wait! I have two excitements!--the penultimate excitement for this week is that I made a fucking delicious roast in my tuscan oven again. This one started out as a "london broil", which a butcher will tell you is actually a top round roast. So I threw it in the tuscan oven with some saurkraut, apples, and leeks, after marinating it over night in some apple cider that was about to turn and cloves and peppercorns. Good lord almighty was that delicious! I made some mashed taters to go with it, and we feasted even though it was 80 degrees. It tasted like fall, at least.
The real final excitement is that rebby spent all morning working on the washer and she FIXED IT. She did not need to get a new $80 part--somehow when she took it all apart and put it back together, everything worked itself out. Again with the Travis W Redfish.....

Monday, October 01, 2007


Life Is Good

a few reasons why life is ruling particularly hard right now:
1)chiminea! we got this beauty yesterday at the true value hardware store/statuary garden out on library road, down the road from McGuinness dad's. I have coveted the enormous poseidon statue they have at the edge of the road for about a year--even before I dreamed of having a backyard water garden for him to lord it over. Unfortunately he costs one million dollars (or he might as well) so it's a no go. However, there are some smaller and sort of beat up poseidons in the garden of misfit statuary that I might be able to get cheaper.
But yeah....chiminea! It's an amazing cast iron beauty, and now we can have a backyard fire whenever we want!

2)it's ROCKTOBER! it's really rocktober with a vengeance this year too. So many shows to see, and to play. Also, in the less rock sense, rocktober means fall is well and truly here, with chilly temperatures and cider and pumpkins. Being a dedicated farmer's market shopper has put me so much more in touch with the turning of the season than ever before. This morning I got up early to take care of some vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and dragon beans all blanched and frozen, and some hot peppers are currently drying in the oven. This evening after visiting the farmer's market again today I'll hopefully take care of the beets, dry some tomatoes, roast the sweet peppers to freeze, and do something with the just about ready to turn basil. Anyone in need of pesto? Anyone?

3)Wedding season is done! this saturday's wedding, though a whole lot of work, went off like a dream. It was great to end the major wedding season on a high note, having learned some valuable lessons. Chief among them being: no more than two weddings in a month, with no less than two weeks between. Back to back wedding weekends were KILLER!

4)Waterboys! I have received FIVE Waterboys cds in the mail over the past few days. Woo! I'm catching up.

5)Compost Baby: we are so in love with our compost bin it's sort of troubling. Rebby cleared a spot for it out in the fields with her new machete (I know! you don't have to say it! :) and we lovingly feed it vegetable scraps and coffee grounds and piles of weeds from the jungle every day. We've cut down on our garbage SO MUCH already, and the promise of lots of compost to spread on the fields next spring is truly exciting. As Travis W Redfish would say...everything works if you let it. Nature is no exception.

That's just a sampling. I won't bore you with more details. Oh---I did want to mention bacon ice cream though. I haven't tried it yet, but soon......