My little Aries ram, the take-charge child

Dragon Mood? -- amused and still chuckling

So ... I'm posting yesterday, still trying to catch my breath and catch up with events from Thanksgiving. When what to my wondering eyes does appear but this email from my daughter, Lina, about Christmas plans(!):

Well, here’s what I’m thinking on making the food. I can bring the cheese and olives and Chex Mix with me, ready to go. I can make the Breakfast Casserole on Christmas morning [Ed. comment: "take charge"], because if history is any indication, I usually am up before anyone else, anyways. You’d be welcome to make the casserole if you wanted to [take charge], but I’d kind of enjoy arriving to some potato soup [take charge] when I roll in on Christmas Eve, if you were willing to make a little pot of that. I’d already thought about it, and am kind of looking forward to cooking the casserole on Christmas morning, so pre-making it isn’t necessary [take charge]. I would help you work out a grocery list [take charge] and ask that you do the shopping [take charge] for any ingredients for the spinach dip, artichoke/crab dip, bloody mary bar (though I can plan on bringing the vodka, since it’ll be cheaper in WI), breakfast casserole, shrimp, tortilla roulades, beef stew, brownies, etc. I’d imagine you could make the brownies and/or Rice Krispie treats beforehand [take charge]. It might be fun for you and Yosh to think about making some bourbon balls together [take charge], maybe on Christmas Eve before I get there?

At this point in the email, she switches gears a bit, detailing her plans for Christmas morning, a part of the email that made me laugh out loud (while I was supposed to be working):

So, I’d get up in the morning, make the casserole, make myself a bloody mary, wait for all the sleepyheads to wake up…while the casserole was cooking, I’d probably make the spinach dip and mix up the artichoke/crab dip so they had time to “relax” before we were ready to eat them. I’d also make the tortilla roulade logs and put them in the fridge to set – only cutting them right before we were ready to serve them. I’d probably have another bloody mary, etc. When you got up, I’d serve you some casserole and a bloody mary (and maybe make myself another one), and we could eat some breakfast and have a cuppa coffee together (and our bloody marys) and then I’d probably say, “Hey Mom, let’s make that beef stew!” and we’d either work together on it, or you’d say, “Lina, go take your shower, I’ll get the beef stew started. Here’s another bloody mary to take into the shower with you.”

In hindsight, isn't it a wonder that I raised this child without either of us strong-willed people trying to kill the other? ... and that we love each other and love to hang out with one another?

Let's take a moment and give thanks.

More on Thanksgiving

Dragon Mood? -- awake and downloading

Our Thanksgiving celebration included thirteen of us adults and two grandbabies: two-month-old Madison, who I barely saw as she got passed around the relatives, and 20-month-old Preston who was all decked out in a little white oxford shirt and snazzy pint-sized dress pants; Tim and his girlfriend, Nicki (sp?); Mark and Lindsey; new parents, Matt and Sarah; Sarah's family, Hope and Sean, and teenage brother, Corey; the Wisconsin contingent, Josh and Caroline; and S and me.

Meanwhile, the bird is cooking out on the porch, the potatoes are simmering on the stove, leaves are flying out in the backyard and Caroline, the Mistress of the Autumnal Fire has got a roaring one going out on the deck in the firepit. As for me, --yawn-- I was tired and took a little nap. It was such a beautiful day, relaxed and anticipatory, that we were all unshowered and still in our grubbies when our guests began to arrive.

Amazingly, I think we actually had dinner on the table around six. Matt carved the bird -- although he would be the first to admit that it was so juicy, the meat literally fell off the bones. S made her hearty gravy (mental note for next year: have pineapple juice on hand in case the drippings from the brined bird are too salty!) and Josh carved the wined-and-cloved ham. Hope mashed and seasoned the potatoes, Sean made and brought a yummy spicy cheese dip appetizer and I believe I heard Corey serenading us on the piano with multiple renditions of "Body and Soul" on the piano. It was definitely a group effort and a fun one!

We stood around the dining room table, all thirteen of us, holding hands and taking turns saying one thing for which we are grateful. Although it was anything but a solemn prayer, I definitely felt that for those moments, we were connected in a beyond-this-world sense and sharing in a moment of sacredness. Voicing our gratitude like that never fails to move me.

Going from the sublime to the very earthy, the other dynamic that contributed to the relaxed and burnished memory of this day was THE WINE. Lina had brought six? seven? bottles of wine home from Wisconsin, a variety of them and none of which I can name. I think it was seven bottles. Well, folks, we drank six of them that day. Yup, all six of those bottles got drunk which lent a a lovely glow to an already glowing day.

I'm running out of recounting time here, but the evening included intense euchre whuppings, more combinations of people drinking and smoking around the "campfire" outside, whipped cream playtime between Matt and Caroline, playtime with Preston, conversations about sex toys and many more things that I never witnessed but heard about later. It was one of those times when you wish you could be in multiple places at once.

Thanksgiving

Dragon Mood? -- anticipating and salivating

Like most Turkey Days at our house, Thanksgiving was a whirlwind.

Caroline was up and knitting in her jammies when I emerged from the bedroom. The dogs had casually thrown their bodies all over the fireplace room in repose. I climbed over the various limbs and paws and headed for the kitchen.

First order of business was the bird. We had brined it about ten hours earlier, so after all the requisite cleaning and sanitizing of sinks and utensils, we washed the bird, buttered the bird and stuffed it with citrus fruits and a few small onions for good measure. Into the Rival oven out on the porch, it went.

Then we started in on other dishes that still required preparation. But, because of our post-inebriation cooking frenzy the night before, we were in pretty good shape.

Before I knew it, Lina was out on the deck building a fire in the firepit. S was outside in the stunningingly warm autumnal air, blowing a zillion million leaves off of the grass and into the woods. Josh, well, I don't know where the heck he was. Probably watching soccer or football or something on TV. (Although, bless his heart, he did peel an entire stockpot's worth of potatoes for our dinner and then risked life and knuckles cutting them up!)

So here's what our menu ended up looking like:

* * *



2006 Thanksgiving Menu


Appetizers

*Olives
*Spinach Dip with Pumpernickel Bread
*Cheese Plate


Main Course

* Citrus-stuffed Turkey with Bicentennial Rub
* Traditional S&M Wild Rice and Sage Sausage Stuffing
* Apricot-Rosemary Roasted Root Veggies (NEW!)
* Steph's Famous Celery Root
* Mashed Potatoes and Hearty Gravy
* Mixed Greens with Pears, Red Onions, Blue Cheese,
Walnuts and Country French Vinaigrette
* Spicy Cranberry Chutney (NEW!)


Desserts

* Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream
* Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie (NEW!)
* Milwaukee's Finest -- Alterra Coffee


* * *

It's late, I'm tired and I'm going to bed.

More to come.

Thanksgiving Eve

Dragon Mood? -- befuddled

Today is Wednesday, Wendishday, December 6th.

Where have I been? .......... (slow sigh) ......... Well, I've been here ... and there ... and sometimes it feels like everywhere!

Let me back up to Thanksgiving week. (ahem!)

Steph and I worked Monday and Tuesday. We arrived back at the pine trees house around 10, Tuesday evening? Caroline and Josh rolled in around 1 or 1:30 a.m. I was already in my jammies and snoozing on the couch.

Wednesday we arose leisurely, drank coffee, skipped breakfast (as I recall) and headed pretty much straight for El Azteco. I rode with the kids, Steph followed later. Jess was in town from Phillie, via Chicago, to visit with her high school peeps. We sat in the smoking section on the benches that back up to the kitchen -- perfect vantage point for watching the streetscape before us. We ordered lots of pitchers of Margaritas, numerous bowls of El Az's spicy cheese dip, mountains of their homemade tortilla chips and then .... we ordered lunch.

Lina took lots of pictures. We caught up on one another's lives. We talked about plans, or rather non-plans for Jess's graduation. We talked about the Jersey shore. We talked about NYC. We talked about things I can't even remember!

Steph joined us and the conversation got livelier. And more argumentative. As I recall? But then again, I was drinking margaritas. Does anyone really know? Care?

After a long leisurely lunch at El Az's, we mosied over to Campbell's Smoke Shop and bought some see-gars. Well, Lina did.

Then, it was on to Beggar's. You know, the place that I like to drink dirty martinis? Actually, my second favorite place to drink dirty martinis. (My first place is Jeanne and Joanne's. That's 'cuz Jeanne puts all kinds of loving TLC into her dirty martinis. And big olives stuffed with almonds. And .. they're free!)

Things get a little fuzzier around this time. Oh yes, now it's coming back to me. Steph headed home -- to take a nap, the little stinker. Josh, Lina and I headed to Meijer's to do some last-minute Thanksgiving shopping. This is now 4 o'clock, Wednesday afternoon. We're pretty well tooted, if you know what I mean. Lina, of course, is insisting that she's not tooted, but the more she wandered Meijer's aisles, the more her tootedness became apparent.

As I recall, the three of us were like heated molecules in the store, bouncing all over the damn place. Amazingly, I think we forgot only two or three items. Which, when you consider how much alcohol we had just consumed, is pretty darn good.

We got home, and thankfully, all helped to put the groceries away. Then we all headed to our respective horizontal surfaces to get, well, horizontal.

I slept for maybe an hour-and-a-half. It was dark when I woke up. Dehydrated and a bit disoriented. Everyone else was still sleeping. I started cooking and before long, out wandered S. She made some coffee, drank some coffee, woke up slowly and started cooking. Around 9:30 or 10:00 p.m., Caroline and then Josh woke up and the whole famn damily was now awake and cooking. We cooked until 1:00 or 1:30 or so. It felt good to get a headstart on all the food preparation awaiting us.

I was looking forward to our Thanksgiving together. All in all, it was a very good day!

a Friday-turned-weekend meme

You can only type one word. No explanations.

1. Yourself: here
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend: fierce
3. Your hair? silvery
4. Your mother? missed
5. Your father: remote
6. Your Favorite Item: colorfulness
7. Your dream last night: huh?
8. Your Favorite drink: bloody!
9. Your Dream Car: cooperish!
10. The room you are in: darkly
11. Your Ex: unsatisfying
12. Your fear: boredom
13. What you want to be in 10 years: healthy
14. Who you hung out with last night? furry
15. What You're Not? entreprenurial
16. Muffins: fattening
17: One of Your Wish List Items: laptop?
18: Time: mystical
19. The Last Thing You Did: insufficient
20. What You Are Wearing: relaxed
21. Your Favorite Weather: foggy
22. Your Favorite Book: magical
23. The Last Thing You Ate: Campbell's
24. Your Life: unexpected
25. Your Mood: happy
26. Your best friend(s): precious
27. What are you thinking about right now? weekend
28. Your car: trustworthy
29. What are you doing at the moment? lunch
30. Your summer: jobseeking
31. Your relationship status: committed
32. What is on your tv? Jeopardy
33. What is the weather like? November-ish
34. When is the last time you laughed? morning

Shout-out to Ruth!

Dragon Mood? -- celebratory

And .... I want to give a "Happy Birthday" shout-out to my dear sister, Ruth who turns .. uh, fifty-two today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUTH!

Wow! In my mind, Ruth and I will always be young. Always.

We talked on the phone tonight and made each other laugh. When I hear Ruth laugh, I feel young. It's a wonderful thing -- an immediate, jump-in-and-splash fountain of youth.

I love you, Ruth! Happy Birthday!

Two doors closing

Dragon Mood? -- feeling the imperceptible breath of destiny

Last week I had the distinct sensation of hearing two doors closing.

The first one I closed. My former employer, one of the Big Three automakers, wanted me to come back and do the type of work I did for over twelve years for them. After a day's deliberation, I decided that "Nope, this doesn't feel right" and turned them down. Four days later, it still feels right. I'm glad that I didn't take the job.

The second door was closed to me. An international aviation supplier company that I had interviewed with called to tell me that they had chosen the other candidate. From a large pool, it was down to the two of us and they chose the other guy. Damn. I was disappointed, but I am trying to live by what S and I have been saying to one another, "Trust the process. The Universe (God) has a plan and we have to trust the process." I did have the presence of mind to say to the HR person that called, "Well, if this candidate, for whatever reason, doesn't work out, I hope that Mr. R and Mr. T will reconsider me as a candidate." (sigh) Politically correct. Businesslike and positive. Hopefully, anyway.

And ... this provides me with another opportunity to be thankful for the job that I have, temporary and transient and interim though it may be. Every hour that I work is another little chunk of money in my paycheck. Ker-chunk, ker-chunk, ker-chunk. I am thankful for it and don't want to take it for granted. Not for a minute.

Thank you, God, for this job. I am trusting this process .... this process of unemployment and and insecurity and vulnerability. I believe there is a purpose to all of this -- even if I am never able to know it.

Catching up!

Dragon Mood? -- amazed at my slackerly slack-ing-ness

Yes, I am indeed amazed at my slacker-coma in the blogosphere. All I can say is that given the incredibly bad marks that the nation gave George W., a vote of "NO CONFIDENCE, GEORGE!,"an amazingly uniform thumbs-down on Iraq, I was in a daze, a haze, a coma of such epic proprotions that only now am I emerging!

Wow! Can you believe what happened on Election Day!???!!?

Isn't it great? Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it amazing?

Amazing I'll grant you. As for great and wonderful, well, that remains to be seen. Can the Democrats really sustain all this "bipartisan" rhetoric and bonhomie? I rather doubt it. But ... I am a person of faith and I want to believe that they will indeed DO some of the things that they're talking about. I do, I Do , I DO!

First of all, Iraq. Or as my red-wine-befuddled fingers want to type, "Iraz."

Secondly, the minimum wage. Congress-People, "SAY what you mean and MEAN what you SAY!" Do it! Forgo the bloated, embarassing raises that you love to give yourselves and cough up the incredibly overdue cost-of-living adjustment to the people who are at the bottom of the income ladder and need it most.

Prescription drugs. Or more broadly, a short-term and long-term strategy for the national health care crisis which is rearing its ugly head ... and only getting uglier. We need it. We definitely need it. Not just the old. Not just the uninsured. Don't forget about all of us middle-class folks who are getting squeezed every which way we turn. Please don't leave us out of the health care costs equation. We want to see that our government representatives recognize and respond to the ways in which our current health care system screws us too.

Whew! Okay. I'm getting lightheaded up here on this soapbox. I'll climb down now.

But I may have more to say!?!

feeling nervous

Dragon Mood?  -- hopeful while nervous and antsy

 

Today, the news is full of polls and updates regarding our national election tomorrow.  It sounds like the Republican machine has kicked into gear, to maximize registered Republican voters voting as well as those poll-defying independents. 

 

Don't get me wrong; I'm all for people voting.  That is the right of all American citizens.  But simply put, I don't trust the Republican Party, I don't trust Karl Rove, I don't trust that our elections won't be tampered with.  A sad confession, isn't it?

 

Tomorrow, I hope that all people who want to vote can.

 

Tomorrow, I hope that polling places are well staffed, smooth operating and that all votes cast are counted.

 

Tomorrow, I hope that the Republicans get run out of office on a rail.  Tarred and feathered would be even better.

 

By the end of this week, I hope Governor Jennifer Granholm has a chance to relax and spend time with her kids.

 

By the end of this week, I hope Senator Debbie Stabenow can settle back into work and focus on getting prescription drug costs reduced for all of us folks who need them and can't necessarily afford them.

 

By the end of this week, I hope Nancy Pelosi is settling into her new role as House Majority Leader.

 

I hope!

Picking up the slack

Dragon Mood? -- winding even further down from a relaxed, low-down weekend

Yup ... I've been slackin'. Slackin' on the postin'.

Suffice to say that this past week was a bit terrible as far as work was concerned. I got threatened. Threatened with the axe. But you know?... I don't even want to validate the ephemeral nature of that threat and the transitional nature of this job by writing about it. It's a paycheck and it's keeping the modern-day wolves away from the door. That's it.

Next topic?

Well, I had the flu this past week ... sadly enough, on Halloween. Monday afternoon I suddenly felt achy and my throat hurt. I thought maybe I was coming down with a cold. The achy-ness persisted, the sore throat went away and then it got really fun -- I started feeling extraordinarily tired and three-sheets-to-the-wind dizzy. What a way to have the flu -- like you've drunk too much and got twirly beds! I slept, woke up, felt sleepy and slept some more. That went on for a day-and-a-half. And then it was over.

Friday, I saw my doctor. My doc is a woman and a longtime acquaintance from our children being in school together. I really like Wendy. She's a good doctor and a caring person. She and her staff have been an absolute godsend to S and my precarious financial state this past year. Every time I go in, she and her staff load me up with office samples of the numerous meds that I take. Thank God for Dr. Wendy!

My lab results came back and looked pretty good. I don't have the sheets here in front of me, but generally all my numbers looked pretty good. Another thing to be thankful for!

Like I said about my mood, I'm windin' down. Not much more to say. Good night!

Random thoughts

Dragon Mood? -- clearing out too many rattling-around thoughts

I haven't posted for over a week because I'VE BEEN BUSY.

Here's some things rattling around in my brain:

• I'm settling into my new schedule. I started this past Monday on a regular 8-to-5 work schedule, although for me it's more like 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. I'm hoping to work four nine-hour days with a short Friday so I can get outta the Motor City before the traffic gets hellacious.
• I'm discovering that I'm a bit sad at ordering my life around the alarm clock -- again. Yecch, I don't like alarm clocks. And ... I had a surprising revelation. The days are getting shorter. Being on second shift, I really wasn't noticing it. In the mornings, I was sleeping. At sunset, I was working in a windowless room, staring at a computer monitor. I simply wasn't dialed in on it. Now, back on days, I'm VERY aware of it. Another reason to be just a little bit sad. Good-bye, Summer. (heavy sigh) Hell-o, Winter.
  
• I am really struggling with a modeling problem at work. It's occupying way too much of my available brain area and locking out other more pleasant, silly thoughts.
• S and I did manage to get away this past weekend to celebrate our twenty years together. (See my previous post.) One of the images that I keep seeing in my head is while we were sitting in my car at the Stoney Lake beach parking lot. Lake Michigan was wild and wooly-looking with big waves, frothy whitecaps and the most beautiful blue-green color (lots of sand kicked up in the water). S and I remembered playing in water like that, in one of our past summer sojourns at Lake Michigan. Just not at the END OF OCTOBURRRR!
• We visited Claybanks Pottery, one of our favorite destinations over on the west side of the state. We bought each other a mug to honor our anniversary, mine which is sitting in front of me here as I write, full of warming hot green tea.
• Yesterday, I called my dad to wish him a Happy Birthday. He is now 78. I'm embarassed to say that I haven't seen him for two years. I call him and Evelyn almost every Sunday evening (as I drive down to the pied-a-terre). I wish we could be closer. I do miss seeing him.
  
• I'm feeling a bit anxious about my upcoming visit with my regular doctor. Heaven only knows what news may await me. I suspect I've put on a few pounds with my unorthodox schedule of the past ten weeks and what impact that has had on my cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin levels remains to be seen.
• Trusting that things will work out, I booked S and I for a week in St. Pete's Beach in mid-February. I also reserved airline tickets to get us down there. It's not exactly money that we have laying around, as you may well imagine ... but dammit, we need to have some fun in our lives. I loved staying at this funky little beach motel. According to the young lady who helped me with our reservation, the unit we're staying in this year (#3) is "2000% BETTER" than last winter's unit. Not funky, but actually NICE. I can't wait!
• S continues to have too much trauma-drama with her mother ... this time over pictures. I'm trying to stay out of it, be a sympathetic listening ear when I can, but I can tell you this: I don't like it. S and I have been having numerous conversations about her trying to reduce the amount of "negative energy" in her life, because it has a direct correlation to her health. And her health is the worst it's been in the twenty-three years that I've known her. This ongoing thing with Sally is LOADED with negative energy. Yeeccch!
• And finally, on a more pleasant note, I'm looking forward to us watching S's grandbaby, Preston, this weekend. He is now nineteen months old and just the sweetest baby you'd ever want to spend a few days chasing. As S and I say frequently to each other, "He's such a HAPPY baby!" He's also SUCH A BOY! He loves to push buttons on things. To that end, I bought him a baby "cellphone" that has a keypad, makes sounds and lights up too! He LOVES it. He walks around the house, pushing the buttons and offering up the cellphone for us to talk too. "Can you hear me NOW?"
• I'm posting this at 5 in the morning. Earlier, I couldn't sleep. Now, I'm tired. I'm going back to bed.
  

20-year anniversary

Dragon Mood? -- dragonly reflective

Today is S and my 20-year anniversary. Can you believe it? I hardly can.

We count the beginning of our time together when she and I were still both married, had husbands and were not 'looking' to leave our marriages. Or were we? One of the metaphors or similes that I've used over these years to describe my feelings for S is simply this: connecting with her was like going from watching black-and-white TV to color television. A whole new world. And once you experience color, who wants to go back to black-and-white?

I never could have imagined my life going this way. Never. S and I come from very different backgrounds, both socio-economically and relationally. Even today, in my head, it doesn't make sense to me that we are together. But you know what? -- in matters of the heart, your head doesn't always get to be the driver. In this case, I let my heart drive and made my big, over-inflated commonsensical head get in the backseat.

I love S. I absolutely LOVE her. Why I love her sometimes is as maddening a question for me as her behavior -- maddening. I've told her in my less kind moments that she is like a burr under my saddle; you are here, you are annoying and dammit, why can't I get rid of you? But obviously, after 20 years, I have no desire nor inclination to get rid of S. Here's where my head gets all twisted up in its analysis: even though sometimes I want to push S away, in my heart I never want her to leave and I will go through all kinds of crazy-making efforts to keep her close. Ask her; she'll tell you. And now, come to think of it, she's described that very dynamic, saying that she feels pushed away and pulled close by me all the time.

I think it's called EMOTIONAL INTIMACY.

Thank God that S has got her own crazy reasons for being in this relationship because I need her, I want her and I love her.

Twenty years. Wow! It's a long time. And it's a blink of the eye. I hope that I get to have the privilege of another twenty years with S. That would truly be a gift.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart!

Black Monday

More people got the axe today -- thankfully, I wasn't one of them.

Our little second-shift group went from eight, down to five, and now down to three.  And, as of next Monday, there will be no more second shift.  We three survivors are moving to the day shift ... and Chris and I are definitely the folks with the least seniority.  If the work tapers off, runs out or we simply don't measure up, we'll get the boot too.

Scary days here in the Motor City.   Don't take your job for granted.  I, for one, am not. 

Thank goodness for the simple joys of the Tigers.

Chortling AND Laughing Dragon

Dragon Mood? -- jazzed up and laughing, even WITHOUT coffee!

Look what I found! I've had this site bookmarked for ages ... and just happened to visit it today.



Please look around and note the colors you're seeing on this blog page.

For all you doubting Harrys out there, this Dragon is LAUGHING at you!

Quote for the Day

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken
US poet (1874 - 1963)

Fiery, relaxing Sunday

Dragon Mood? -- dragons LOVE fire!

Sunday morning was my morning to sleep in. Lina and I postponed our dragon-y bonfire two nights in a row due to tiredness. Sunday morning was our last chance.

I woke up sometime around 9. One of my first thoughts was, "I bet Caroline is already up, thinking about starting that fire." Then I heard a noise outside that I didn't recognize. I got up out of bed and looked out the window. There she was, already dressed, standing at the woodpile, selecting various pieces of wood.

I dressed quickly and headed out to the kitchen to make some coffee.

Caroline had the fire going already, in the firepit on the lower deck. I scouted up some more small pieces of wood while she tended the fire.

Happy dragons! Happy bonfire.

We sat around the fire for at least three hours. Mostly we burned wild cherry wood (a.k.a. chokecherry), but there were two or three pieces of oak and hickory that burned slow and hot. Oh, the scent of burning wood was wonderful!

More to come ....

Socializing Saturday

Dragon Mood? -- a slightly hungover, draggin' dragon

Saturday was alllll about S, Lina and me socializing.

We went over to J & J's in the early afternoon, with Dakota Suzita as our fourth (and canine) female. Crabby Yellow Dog we left at home.

We spent a glorious couple of hours out on J & J's pontoon, enjoying the midday sun, the nice cold beers (I drank water -- mostly) and the pleasant camaraderie of our friends. We talked about this and that in our meandering conversations and though we didn't solve any of the world's persistent problems, IT WAS FUN!

Around 4 o'clock, the sun was noticeably lower in the sky, the temperature started to cool and Captain J announced it was time to go in -- she had to go to the bathroom.

We said our goodbyes to J & J, took Dakota back to the house, picked up more beer for our next social engagement and headed over to Matt & Sarah's house.

Wow! -- talk about a beehive of activity. There were probably five guys along with Matt up on the roof, repairing the sub-surface on the back of the house and shingling on the front. They all had that slightly dazed look of guys workin' their butts off on an activity they're not exactly used to; tired, sore and ready for quittin' time. But they persevered while they had daylight and even then some.

S and Caroline and I wandered around the house, greeting all the different family members and exchanging hugs. Caroline got to see Madison Hope for the first time. The baby was all decked out in a sweet little print frock with a onesie underneath. Like all newborn babies, she slept, got hungry, got fed, peed, pooped, repeat. Unlike other babies (that I've experienced), this little gal likes to stre-e-e-etch those long, thin legs of hers O-U-T and flex her ankles too. I've never seen a baby do that like Madison does.

We hung around for several hours, holding the baby, watching the MSU-U of M debacle of a football game (U of M won, 31-13) and the glorious, joyous winning game of the Tigers/Yankees post-season series. The Tigers beat them, 8-3, I think it was. That was really fun to watch.

We headed home, tuckered out from all the fresh air and the extended socializing.

Friday & Drinkin' Dragons

Dragon Mood? -- excited and work-fatigued

Late Thursday night (actually early Friday morning) I arrived back home amongst the pine trees about fifteen minutes after Lina. It was a nice change of pace for me to arrive home with the lights on, the house opened up and my sweet little girl's smiling face awaiting me.

Dakota and Cisco had their few moments of reacquainting, circling one another, trying to get a good sniff of the other's butt. Dogs are so funny. But come to think of it -- they probably think or believe (in whatever canine form that may take) that we greet one another in odd ways too.

After not enough sleep, we got up, made coffee, did our ritual mid-morning leisurely chat, dressed and headed into town. First stop: El Azteco, for a snappy pitcher of margaritas and a Mexican lunch. I had enchiladas suizas while Lina had the infamous topopo salad. TOE-PO-PO salad. It's as funny to say as it looks; a veritable mountain of iceberg lettuce with happy little green peas, and other accoutrements mounded in there for a Mexican(?) salad. Go over to Wild Wend for most likely a spot-on description and a killer photo to boot.

Lina had several local shops she wanted to visit for Spartan paraphernalia. We also hit Campbell's Smoke Shop for some Upmann cigarillos and several see-gars that Carolina picked out.

Then it was on to Beggar's Banquet to relax, kill some time and have a drink. Or three. Well, truth be told, I had three ... three dirty martinis, each with three stuffed olives in them, because I wanted happy olives, partying with one another, in a jovial mood as I prepared to devour them. So ... let me see ... that makes nine stuffed olives I gorged on, at least 12 ounces of pure-D-alcohol (even though alcohol doesn't begin with a 'D') and at least two hours of talking, laughing, shooting pictures of anything and anyone that happened within range. But just to make myself sound a little (more) better, a little less alcoholic, a little less SNOCKERED ... Caroline had FOUR martinis, one whole martooni MORE than me! Sheesh! What a lush!

From there, our dear Taurean guardian angel, Joanne, swooped in, picked us up and delivered us to ELHS for their Homecoming parade ... where Jeanne was the grandest Grand Marshall (GM) you could ever hope to put your drunken eyeballs on. She looked cute in the school colors, her nephew's old high school varsity jacket and Mardi Gras beads hanging around her neck. She was excited and elated and cute.

S rolled in from Motown and I gave her a long, snockered hug, glad to see her and glad for her to join in the frivolity and fun. We watched all seven minutes of the parade and then headed off to another bar for more -- what else? -- drinking.

Suffice to say that when we finally rolled into the house around ten, I was still quite inebriated, even more tired than inebriated and beginning to feel the effects of overindulging myself with all that liquor. Holy cow! I managed to watch several innings of Friday night's game between the Tigers and the Yankees (Hurray, Tigers!) and even Bill Maher's Real Time at 11:00. (Recalled with smugness and sanctimony) Caroline had, by that time, passed out on the futon -- lightweight that she is.

S was still going strong. What a woman!

And that was Friday, the first day Lina was here.

antsy, antsy

Whew! It's Thursday evening, I'm at work and I'm ready to not be at work.

I interviewed for another job today. It's with an aviation-related company, here in the Motor City. I thought the interview went reasonably well, but honestly, I have no earthly clue as to whether I'll ever hear from them again or not. As to how I feel about the possibility of working there, I don't yet know. I'm a slow processor, you see.

But slow processing is not the reason I'm feeling antsy. The reason I'm feeling antsy is because Lina is ON THE ROAD as I write, wending her wenchy wild Wendish self home ... to the place where I am NOT as of yet, because I am still at work. ArrrghhH! I'm really looking forward to seeing her!

I have managed to accrue three extra hours which will enable me to leave tonight at 11. I'll run to the pied-a-terre, pick up my stuff and the pooch, give S a sweet good-night kiss (she's staying tonight to go to work in the morning), and heading back to the OTHER house, to our home in the pine trees.

I'm feeling antsy when I really could be kicking back, enjoying the end of my work week and relish seeing Lina in just a few short hours. The antsy-ness is a substitute for lack of sleep, fatigue and leftover anxiety from the interview this morning, I guess. Nothing that a cold beer probably wouldn't relieve in a few short minutes.

After Lina and I drink our ritual thank-God-you've-arrived-safely beer, we'll give each other a long, warm dragony hug ... and then I will be comatose. Instantly.

...

...when gas prices become a NEWS BULLETIN!

The Detroit Free Press has a front page article on their website about record low gas prices. It's labeled as a NEWS BULLETIN.

Two Speedway service stations in Flint are offering gasoline for $1.99.

They are among the first gas stations to post sub-$2-a-gallon gas prices in metro Detroit in more than a year [my emphasis], according to AAA Michigan ... The average price for gasoline in Michigan, which has declined for eight straight weeks, is now $2.16 a gallon. Today's prices are 75 cents lower than they were this time last year. Nationally, gas prices are still averaging $2.30.

If this all isn't politically motivated, I'll be a monkey's uncle!

My prediction: Within six weeks of November's election, gas prices will head straight back up.