Coldjack CD Release Party

Our friend Michael is in a band called Coldjack. They have been working really hard and on Saturday, they released their CD. We were lucky enough to be invited to the release party. And what a party it was.

When we arrived the stage was all set up.

Everyone who attended was given a CD. This is Michael, talking to friends Richard & Liz about it before the band went on stage.

Michael's son, Andrew & daughter, Brittany.

Michael and Brittany.

This is Michael playing an amazing solo.

The whole band was terrific.

I think the drummer stole the show though!

Early Mornings

This morning I was reading Susan's blog about running in the early morning. The time just before dawn when the sky is beginning to lighten, I am always reminded of the term "Dawn's left hand in the sky". I learned that in high school english class and always remembered that it was from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Thanks to Google, I was able to find the excerpt.

The amazing thing is, it's exactly how I feel about early mornings.

The Rubaiyat
By Omar Khayyam

Written 1120 A.C.E.

dreaming when dawn's left hand in the sky
I heard a voice in tavern cry
awake my little ones and fill the cup
before life elixir in cup be dry

Red Hat Lunch

Guess who got to go out for lunch yesterday!?

Thoughtful Froggie

I got these for a friend's 65th birthday. Look what our imaginative little Froggie did.

It's Dorky, I Know

I am completely aware that it's dorky, but I asked for a lava lamp for Christmas somewhere around, oh, I don't know, fifteen years ago. I would turn it on every evening and enjoy the random blobs. Then one night, I forgot to turn it off. The instructions said to keep it turned on for less than eight hours.

I never worked right, but I didn't have the heart to pitch it. I would try it the odd time and the blob would sit sadly in the bottom.

Today, I gave it it's final shot before it got sent to be displayed for the dump-shoppers.

IT"S WORKING!! HOW COOL IS THAT!?!?

Seems as if everyone is happy about it.

Pictures That Mess With Your Mind

I got these in and e-mail and can't take credit, but thought I would share them.

This is a picture of a public toilet in Houston

Now that you've seen the outside view,

take a look at the inside view...

It's made entirely of one-way glass!

No one can see you from the outside, but when

you are inside it's like sitting in a clear

glass box!

A PAINTED BATHROOM FLOOR!!!

Tenth floor of a hi-rise building......

IMAGINE YOU ARE AT A PARTY ...

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO VISIT THE BATHROOM....

You open the door...

NOW, REMEMBER THE FLOOR IS JUST A PAINTED FLOOR !

FINALLY!!

THIS IS A CEILING MURAL IN A SMOKER'S LOUNGE.

Froggie Finally Understands Moving.

Poor Froggie ... when he tried to sneak a wee dram of Glen Fiddich .... horrors!

It was gone!

Not to worry, the scotch glasses are gone too.

"Och, ut's jus' no' rrrrieeght!", he croaked. "

Hmmm ... was it Froggie or was it the Mister?

Or maybe both!

Inspired By Another Blog

The question was posed about quick meals. I love this one. This is an easy and fast recipe.

Fusilli with Sausage and Peppers

1/2 lb Italian sausage (I like chorizo)

1/2lb fresh fusilli pasta (I use brown rice pasta)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 of a red pepper, cut into strips

1/4 of a yellow pepper, cut into strips

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes cut into small pieces

1/2 cup tomato sauce (I usually use more)

1/2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp chopped parsley

Cook sausage in water for about 5 mins. when cool cut into thin slices. Cook fusilli, drain.

In frying pan add olive oil and saute sausage for about one min, until slightly browned. Add peppers, sundried tomatoes and saute another minute, add tomato sauce and basil and bring to a boil, add cooked pasta and cook another minute, stirring constantly to combine.

Garnish with parsley and ENJOY! with a bottle of red wine and crusty bread.

Oh, so yummy.

Put On Your Thinking Caps

We're looking for a slogan to go with this picture, Andy is blowing it up and putting it on the wall of his office.



A panel of expert judges will pick the winning slogan and the winner will receive a jug of genuine gm washer fluid and a travel mug (for coffee)!

Do your best.

~~

Making The Deal

So here are the pictures of the car deal. We signed the final papers, shook Andy's hand and drove way in our new ride. Froggie said it was the smoothest deal he's ever made.

Nice!

Our Friend

The six of us get together about three times a year. We laugh, sing and play music, eat lots of food, drink a bunch of scotch and stay up really late. Our friend Pam died yesterday. I'm so glad that last time we were together, we took this shot of the six of us. It's the only one we have.

See you on the other side Pam. We're really going to miss you.

Finished

~~~~ PRESENTING ~~~~

My violin is completely finished. The one I made is the one on the left.

Swish Thump Thump

Last night I was driving to an event about 1/2 an hour from our house. It was snowing heavily, and the road was slippery. I was behind a medium sized truck (somewhere between a dump truck and a large pick-up), it was hard to tell because it was dark.

We were both taking it pretty easy because of the road conditions. He started to gaining speed and leaving me behind. As I went into a bend in the road the back of the jeep began to fish-tail. I tried unsuccessfully to recover. I went off the road and into a 5 foot ditch, and rolled onto the side, then onto the roof.

As I started into the ditch, I thought to myself, there's nothing you can do now, so best to relax and don't tense your muscles. It happened so slowly.

As I hung upside down from the seatbelt, I thought, first find the emergency flashers and turn them on. When I did that, I also turned off the engine. Then, remembering conversations from past incidents, I cautiously attempted to undo my seatbelt, but it was locked up, so that took some time. I was able to slowly let myself down and not fall on my noggin.

It's incredibly disorienting being in an upside down vehicle, especially in the dark. There was a log outside the one door, so I didn't even try to open it. I tried to kick out the other window, those windows are tough. So I thought, well just maybe the other door will open, and it did, just enough to get my head out and wiggle the rest of me out.

So I gathered up the stuff I needed for the event I was attending, climbed out and flagged down a passing motorist. No point hanging around as cell phones don't work and I wasn't hurt, so I went to where the event was taking place and called the police from there.

The officer didn't need me to attend the scene, if I could fax a statement, so I arranged towing from there.

This morning, I have a couple of twinges, but no big hurts at all, so guess my instructions to myself about relaxing paid off (and it was all so slow). I went over it and over it in my head afterwards, and it's odd though how difficult it is to picture yourself in your vehicle when it's upside down and you've righted yourself, despite having actually been there.

CRAP!

~~

My Fiddle - Update

After all the hassle with the varnish and having received a new batch, I've finished varnishing my violin.

It's a little shiny and not as dark as I had envisioned it, but it's done. I'm letting it harden up for another couple of days before I put the bridge and all the other stuff back on. Once it's all together again, I'll post a pic.

Now I can start losing sleep over my viola. Honestly, it hasn't been nearly as stressful. I guess it's knowing what to expect.

After I posted the above pix, I thought of doing this. This is my violin that I've been playing while I've been making my new one. Surprising how similar the colour turned out.

My Fiddle