beer can chicken

We made beer can chicken on the grill tonight. If you aren't familiar, this is where you set the chicken's butt on a beer can on the grill. Here's a picture of the guy cookin' there. We used olive oil and a nice dry rub with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and onion, and oh my it was delicious. It's a strange deal. We dumped some of the rub into the beer can (half full) so the moisture and the herbs marinated the chicken while it cooked. I'd recommend it although we might try to find one of those beer can chicken holders. The tripod effect was difficult to obtain.

There's something about working with a whole chicken that's unappealing. They look like they have arms and legs, if you know what I mean. I like my meat to have a less than human appearance.

Peter went to The Dark Knight this evening. I just got a text from him (hip, eh?) and they got tickets but had to wait in line for an hour. It's the Batman movie if you aren't hip.

I went for a walk this morning since I've been trying to force myself to do that every day and I stopped to visit with Bill and Deb a couple blocks down. They have a sweet little Scottie who sat and looked thoughtfully through the porch rails while we visited. Bill told me about his son's dog, the spawn of Satan and a Patterdale terrier, and as I left, this dog arrived and chased me down the street while Bill stood back and hollered. "Marley!" and "See what I mean?" Yeah, I guess.

Regis has to go to his quarterly meeting tomorrow. They always do some goofy inspirational thing and tomorrow, they're doing The Evolution of Dance. If you haven't seen it on Youtube, you must check it out. It's a damn hoot. Regis has to do the first 56 seconds. I think he's lucky being the first because people will think it's a novelty and no matter how bad he is, they'll laugh. After about 4 minutes, it will be lame as hell.

His 56 seconds includes snips of an Elvis tune, Chuck Berry, the BeeGees, and the Village People. He thought about costumes but I said it would be distracting and I am the stage manager, after all. I'd call in sick if it was my gig but since it's his, I hope somebody tapes it. Video here late tomorrow.

I tried to take a nap today but Peter was right behind me working on his financial aide stuff for fall and he mumbled and cussed and carried on so I woke up and helped him. Anything involving the government and money can't be simple, of course, so I don't blame him for being frustrated.

That's all the news for Friday night.

other things today

Four years ago today, my dad passed away. I know they say that after a few years go by, the memories of the death fade. I haven't found that to be true but the memories of the weeks and days leading up to his death haven't overshadowed the memories of his death. He was good man and I'm glad I was there with him at the end of his life.

My brother Pat's birthday is today. I can remember all the birthdates of my brothers but not their ages. I know I'm the oldest. Steve is the youngest and he's about 9 years younger than me. Pat's in the middle so he must be around 50. (Mom says 51.) Happy birthday to you, Pat!

pictures and events

This picture and the one following are from the family reunion at Ottertail Lake in June. Nobody took many pictures, but Deb took a few. This one is beautiful.

Here we are after Saturday's dinner, going out for a ride on the pontoon. There are a bunch of people on the pontoon and a bunch more on the beach. We've gotten to be quite a multitude.


Here's our current weather map, Miles. Big rain and storms coming. You might have already had some in Owatonna. It's starting to rain here now and you can see the red stuff is coming right over us. By the way, I saw the pictures of Career Day at the daycare center. Keep your eye out for something that isn't too dangerous and where you can make enough money to support your toy and diaper habit. Another thing: maybe when your Mom & Pop get into their dotage, they'll want to live in your basement, so keep that in mind, too. The things a baby has to worry about these days.

I had a nice visit with my friend Jill yesterday afternoon. Her home is so restful. There are interesting things to look at everywhere, places you can rest your eyes. We always have a lot to talk about and this time it was grandbabies and life circumstances and how we end up being who we are. It was deep for a summer afternoon.

Late afternoon, we were invited to Tom and Betty's house for a burger and hotdog cook-out. They have a lovely patio and deck that Tom built himself. They're so good to guests, providing cold drinks, a pool of cold water for your feet, snacks, and good laughs. Tom likes to cook and read recipes, too, so it's always fun to see what he's cooked up.

Last night Tom used a recipe from Cook's Illustrated that called for grinding up boneless short ribs and beef tips together to make burger. Sometimes we overdo it on side dishes but last night we just had burgers, hotdogs, lots of sliced onion and tomato, and chips. It was perfect. In the end, Tom brought out strawberry and blueberry sauce over shortcake that he made from scratch. Delicious. Made from scratch. What a funny expression.

I suppose this rain isn't helpful to the county fair folks across the state but probably better now than evening. They just button up their little stands and trailers and get an extra nap. We need the rain but not the hail.

I've just finished rereading two of Jim Harrison's novels: True North and Returning to Earth. They might not be to the taste of everyone because there's sex, cussing, violence, and death. Here are a few lines so you can see what a wonderful writer he is:

• We are both staring at the moonlight on the lilacs out the screened window. Their odor is nearly overpowering and it's as if we've both given in to living memory of earth. Moment by moment it's lilacs.
• Heraclitus was wrong when he said you can't step in the same river twice. You can't even step in the same river once except for a microsecond.
• The danger of civilization of course, is that you will piss away your life on nonsense.
• ...in a culture in the seventh stage of rabid consumerism the peripheral always subsumes the core, and the core disappears to the point that very few of the citizens can recall its precise nature.

Last night I started reading The Beast God Forgot to Invent. The characters Jim Harrison creates are so vivid and so interesting you feel you know them and you like them. I have been sad at the ends of these books, feeling like people I knew have gone away.

This post has taken me two cups of coffee and a bowl of cheerios to write. The thunder is still rolling and I'm still sitting in my nightgown. If I get dressed, that's like a commitment to do something constructive.

Here I go...

wednesday weather

Just a quick weather update for Miles: no clouds, no rain, no lightning. Just a beautiful summer night. Belinda might be a hottie but she missed on this one. Sleep in your diaper.

More notes tomorrow on the Hynes-McGraw burger feast tonight.

weeks fly by

Peter and I were going to Canby this week but suddenly the days are full. That happens in the summer if you wait too long. It would have been a good week to go. Here's the line-up at the Yellow Medicine County Fair: Kicking off the musical entertainment at the Pavilion, are fair favorites, Lonesome Rail's bluegrass band. Thursday, The Anderson family take the stage Friday, 5:30 p.m. with a variety of old-time fiddling. Peter & Paul and the Wendiger Band perform polka music Saturday, July 19 at 5 and 7 p.m. The gospel singing Herrlinger family of Wisconsin will appear on Sunday, July 20 at 3 p.m. Saturday’s hay bale tossing and goat milking contests are free for both spectators and contestants alike and the kids’ pedal power pull on Sunday is open to all kids ages 4 through 11.

It sounds more entertaining than the Nicollet County Fair, let me tell you. That hay bale tossing contest sounds interesting. I suppose it's a weight and distance thing like the tractor pull. They have one of those at our fair but I don't think the participation was so good this year. Maybe the cost of gas was a factor.

More later...

Check, check, check

Errands were done today but it was a trial. I stopped at school first then went to the courthouse. Had to drive around and around for a parking spot. When I tried to find the thing for my tabs. It was gone. I would have gone in to see if I could get them by some other method, but I knew it had a name on I haven't had for ten years and that might complicate things so I drove back to work and there it was laying in the dirt. I had walked over it and driven over it several times. It was mangled but readable. Got my tabs, then went to the PO, but forgot the big envelope so had to go home and get one of those. I was really organized for this trip, too.

Regis wanted to cook chicken on the grill but I have an aversion to heat and didn't really want to sit out there. I had no gumption and I was grumpy. Then I remembered an old trick my parents used to do in the days before AC. I took a big white dish pan out, filled it full of icy water from the hose, and sat with my feet in it. Amazing how cool it keeps you. (Now really, does that seem rube-ish?) Regis kept filling the tub with cold water while I watched him cook and tote dishes back and forth. The chicken was delicious and I stayed cool and calm.

I picked up a book on the sale shelf at the library today by S.J. Perelman. I didn't have much of a clue about him but I think I thought he was P.J. Wodehouse. Whoever that is. It's a book of letters that Sid wrote to other people in the 40s and 50s. I guess he was quite the wit. Since he's long dead, I might be able to borrow some of his material, in the plagiarism sense. Accidental plagiarism, of course. You know how those words just get in your head.

I took a long nap today. I thought it might make me less cranky but it didn't. There aren't many pleasures I enjoy more than a nap in a dark, cool room on a hot day. I read for a while, watched the ceiling fan whirl, then went to sleep. I'm sure it will mess with my night sleep but what the hell. I have quite a pile of books to read.

warm morning

Regis and I got up early and went for a walk before the day heats up and gets unbearable. He and I have different walking styles. He likes to accommodate the dog and I'd rather leave him at home. He is a very lovable dog with humans but he has no tolerance for dogs. You always have to be on the look-out for unsuspecting mutts, the doggy appearances of which Kramer would prefer to alter. So he makes me nervous and I'm always scanning the road ahead for possible canines. Regis generally approaches a walk like a military mission. He has paths plotted out that are different lengths and he goes down the road at a good clip, knowing exactly where he'll go. I like to wander and look at things and visit as I go. It's a compromise, our walking together.

I have a piano for sale. When I was a little girl, I envied my friends who had pianos and who learned to play even though they hated their lessons. When my kids were little, I was determined to have a piano. They both hated piano lessons, it was a constant battle, and they didn't learn to play very much. I've taught myself a few things but it's not a method I recommend. I think for the most part, I've learned bad habits and only have a two-song repertoire: Lavender's Blue and For He's a Jolly Good Fellow. It's not enough to keep a piano around for but I'll be sad to see it go.

More coffee, shower, errands, work, bills....it will be a full day.

the pool

I went to a meeting this afternoon then stopped to see a friend of mine. We sat outside and even though it was nice and there was a good breeze, I got heated up. Regis and I cooked patty melts on the grill that were delicious but it was more heat so I had to get in the pool a while ago. I know some people have their pools in the backyard but we have ours in the little indoor room with the toilet.

I'm in the midst of a do-over: Returning to Earth. It's kind of the sequel to True North by Jim Harrison, or at least it happens after that book. The characters are so vivid in both books that my mind wanders to them during the day. I've read True North a couple times, too, and Regis said the only other book that I've gone on and on about is Oranges by John McPhee. My family members actually got so tired of my facts about oranges that they told me to shut up about it the summer I read it. Did you know that all the orange trees in Florida are grafted onto the roots of a rough lemon tree because they're more disease and drought resistant? John McPhee is a writer without equal...he can make anything interesting.

My boat anchor laptop is down to 51% of the battery. That means I have about 30 seconds until it shuts down.

I wish I could draw

If I could draw cartoons, I'd draw a cartoon of two turkey vultures floating over our house tonight. We'd just finished a barbecued pork loin dinner and were lounging in our Cabella's chairs. I told Regis that one vulture said to the other one: I'm not sure I can get that woman off the ground but that scrawny guy looks like he'd be easy to pick up. Now, that's funny.

We spent all day today outside. I got up from time to time and watered some plants, picked up sticks, pulled a few weeds, but mostly we just sat and watched the clouds roll by. Regis sat with his knees sticking out in the skin cancer zone all day and didn't get one lick of sunburn. I sat in the shade and burned the hell out of one arm. How does that happen? Don't I have any of those things that people at the equator have?

Our neighbor with the red shed, "Get Your Yum On" Paul, came over with a sample of his barbecued pork and black bean burritoes. Man that guy can cook and it's so nice that he does most of it outside. Regis made a brined pork loin that was delicious but I have to say that first he exploded a blender full of pina coladas on the kitchen floor, then he opened the foil on the pork and poured the juices all over the floor. Bless his heart. Men should only cook outside over dirt and should not be allowed anywhere there is a floor that has to be mopped. I'm going to put a sign up for the vultures.

Our neighbor dog Waldo (looks like a black Great Dane) has become an efficient hunter in the last few weeks. He discovered a bunny nest and he waits quietly until a bunny comes out and then he makes short work of the future rabbit. I know our neighborhood can't support all those rabbits, as I've noted before, but I don't want to witness the slaughter of the little ones. Bert used to ravage rabbit nests too, and I hated him for it. When he was done he would prance into the house like he's just tangled with a lion instead of a rabbit that weighed less than a pound. At least cats hunt in the dark of night and keep it to themselves.

Bert didn't like cats either. One day I spotted one under the birdfeeder so I knocked on the picture window to shoo it away. It didn't move so I opened the front door to shout at it and Bert bolted right through the door. The cat streaked across the lawn, Bert in hot pursuit. I thought there was going to be a bloody battle but the cat made it to the front porch of the house next door. Bert, feeling vindicated, came prancing home, pissing on every vertical thing taller than a blade of grass. Nothing like treeing a cat to make those male hormones flow.

I was thinking last night about do-overs. There are books and movies that were so good the first time that it would be nice to be able to read or see them again for the first time. Not like I don't enjoy them the second time, but nothing is like the first time.

ah, summer again

The lovely days just go on and on this summer. Yesterday was hotter than hell and we had some violent weather last night, but no damage. Just a lot of Cumulonimbus Mammatus clouds and heavy rain and lightening. The party was fun...a retirement party for an old friend and colleague, Jim. Lots of good stories to go with the weather!

This morning, Regis and I got up early and headed out for our weekly grocery shopping trip. When he worked weekends, I did all the shopping very randomly and irregularly but now that he comes along, he's taking this very seriously. We have a spreadsheet with prices, ads with things circled, and a bag of coupons and a calculator. It's not so bad with the weekly menu but sometimes I just can't summon enough brain cells to care about the linear footage of wax paper. Now, that's funny.

As soon as we got home, we drove up to the OK Corral for lunch with Cousin Deb and Larry. Here we are posed in front of the Constitution or something. The food wasn't great but we had a good visit and some laughs. They were flying back to AZ today after a week of galavanting around Minnesota and Wisconsin. I just checked the MW definition for galavant and these were the choices:

1 : to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex
2 : to travel, roam, or move about for pleasure

They were galavanting in the second sense. LOL.

We're on the back porch and the breeze is lifting the daylily blooms. They're nodding their heads and drooping because they last one day and the day is almost over. There are five orange ones and one bright yellow that's my favorite. I didn't plant the yellow one and all of a sudden one day, there it was. That's why it pays to be cautious in your weeding endeavors. You never know what will bloom in an unexpected place.

July 11

I missed posting yesterday. It was so hot in the afternoon, I pulled the curtains closed and watched the movie Elizabeth. I liked it but I did have to peer through my fingers a couple times because they seemed fond of lopping off of heads in those days. Good movie, though...lots of historical intrigue.

After dinner, Regis convinced me to try the yard for a while. I thought it would be too hot but it was pleasant. From my lawn chair, I could see the tops of five or six trees in the neighborhood. I bet I saw a dozen orioles...or the same few orioles multiple times. I brought out the binoculars and tried to spot a nest but they must hide those pretty well. There were at least two adults and two juveniles, who I think are yellow and not orange. Maybe the yellow ones are just a different variety of the orange ones.

Looks like storms here again this afternoon, Miles. Take your umbrella to work. Yesterday, we only got a few minutes of strong winds. No rain, no hail, no damage unlike what they had in places north of here. We could use some rain but not that other stuff. I haven't had to go to the basement once yet this year so that's a good sign.

We like to grill in the summer but I don't have much imagination when it comes to vegetables so I bought a couple new cookbooks: The New Vegetarian Grill and The Complete Book of Vegetarian Grilling. I should try one new dish a week.



Regis went outside and took some pictures of my garden during his lunch period. Bless his heart. I can't find the pictures of the night we lit the candles. What a surprise. I lost a lot of stuff in the transition from mac to HP. My fault for not understanding. I thought if it was one place, it was there but apparently not true. It has to be here AND there or it disappears completely. I lost a lot of writing which causes me more angst than the pictures but what the hell that's life so I try not to think about it.

neighbors

Regis had to leave the house at 4:30 this morning to get to Rochester for a metabolism test at 7 a.m. I like to get up early but in the post-Ambien days, that is ungodly. I stayed in bed until 6:30 but I'm not sure I slept. I did a few chores (a weak attempt at sweeping the floor), took a short nap, and spent the rest of the day outside. I pulled a few weeds, made a couple swipes with the watering utensil, and sat in the lawn chair breathing deeply.

This is my baby, Tiffany, with our grand-daughter Ella. Tiffany just called to tell me that her pregnancy was confirmed by a doctor tonight and her baby is due in February. In true Tiffany fashion, her next statement was, "Oh my God, my car just died. I'll call you back!" Nothing without drama. We're very happy for her and for Eric. She'll have a beautiful baby and she'll be a wonderful mama.

There was a fat baby robin on the back step this morning when I went to the door to let Kramer out. Uh oh. Baby robin's parents were on the garage roof carting worms to the little bugger in rapid fashion. He just sat there pooping big blobs of purple stuff and holding his mouth open wide. Peter asked what kind of parents would drop their baby into the domain of Kramer who will eat any small thing moving. I think with birds it's sort of random and accidental where the babies get dropped. On second thought maybe not unlike humans.

We have a party to go to Friday night and I signed up to bring an appetizer. We take our cooking very seriously so have thought about what would be easy to tote, easy to serve, not messy to eat, and not some pedestrian dish like onion dip and bag-o-chips. We had a great party for Regis' 56th birthday party with all our kids last week and every last morsel of edible food was consumed. I think there were two wieners left after two big racks of ribs, two dozen chicken legs, and massive amounts of cowboy beans.

One of my sweet neighbors stopped over last night with a little apron I had given her daughter, Ivy, when she was a little girl. She thought maybe Ella would like to wear it. While we caught up on news: pregnancies, engagements, deaths, new jobs...I thought how sad it is that we live right next door and we know so little. How does it happen that these big events in our lives happen and the people we live across the street from don't know? It's pitiful. We think about the world being such a lonely distant place and here's a good example of how we don't pay enough attention to the people closest to us. I'm going to have a neighborhood party next weekend, right under the birch tree, with a cooler full of lemonade and a crockpot full of something, and maybe a pie. We don't have a fancy patio and there might be weeds in the garden but it doesn't matter. I'll even try to forget about the lawn mowing and the barking dogs.

somebody has offered me a lot of money to do this

It's why I sit here with a glass of iced coffee, letting the breeze blow in the front door, waiting for the smell of beans to tell me they're boiling. Somebody has offered me a lot of money to spend my day doodling on this blog. It's not true but it would be nice if life were like that.

There are things blooming in the garden: monarda, coneflowers, lilies, and things of which I do not recall the names. I'm going to have Regis take pictures tonight at dusk as it's the best time for garden pictures. The pictures will make it look like Martha Stewart's garden and if you happen to go by here, you'll see that's not true either. I embrace weeds as well as moles and rabbits. Sometimes weeds yield a pleasant look. I don't like things in rows and I think the Monet effect of plants running into each other is nice. Last year one night, I lit dozens of candles in the garden and Regis took pictures. It was just lovely.

When I was in college, I spent one hour in a philosophy class. The instructor said we were going to talk about whether the chair was really a chair or if it was a dream. I don't even remember the discussion but I never went back and I dropped the class. What the hell does that mean anyway? I was thinking about truth and non-truth and it made me think of this.

Of course, this was 1970 and things were strange then. I had a psychology class where, on the first day, the instructor never got out from under a table on the stage. The second day, he stood up and said if your name was on the list, you got an A. And he left. We looked at each other, shrugged, and left. Today, I might be inclined to squawk.

I'm desperately seeking a swag lamp that looks like this:
I want to keep my dining table in the living room and we need more light. It's ok in the summer but by fall, we're going to have to learn Braille eating. If you have one of these laying around your basement (in the room with the lime green shag carpeting and the Dave Clark Five posters) let me know. I'll have to buy this one on eBay if none of my friends come up with one. I'll pick it up and I won't reveal on my blog that you still had it after all these years which of course, begs the question, why I want one. It's just my weird taste, that's all.

wow summer!

This morning was one of those where you can't breathe or move without sweating. By ten o'clock, though, a nice wind moved through and cleared all that crap away. Now it's a day that would take your breath away. You want to stand in the yard, stare up at the sky, and breathe deeply.

I made pico de gallo this morning. I'm going to make chicken tacos for dinner and Regis is making frijoles. I think I'll call Peter and tell him to pick up his contribution on his way home. And I'm not talking Taco Johns either. This is a meal that cries for an icy cold beer.

I filled the bird feeders this morning. Someone told me the other day that orioles won't eat cheap grape jelly which of course is what I have, believing that birds can't tell the difference. I haven't had an oriole since we went the cheap route. Can this be true? I moved the suet feeders to the back yard where the catbirds can enjoy them. In the front they just attract those nasty grackles.

I love this description of the catbird: A secretive, but curious skulker of dense thickets, the Gray Catbird is heard more than it is seen. Its rambling song contains imitations of other bird songs, but the characteristic "mew" that gives it its name is not an imitation and sounds only vaguely cat-like. First I moved the suet feeder to the step and the catbirds would come in pairs. One would stand guard on the sidewalk while the other one ate. A curious skulker of dense thickets.

Our backyard neighbor, Norm, has planted a dense and wild thicket bordering our yard. It gives us both some privacy and attracts birds like the catbirds. There's a couple bushes that we called bird berries when we were kids and we thought they'd kill you if you ate them. I bet we did and apparently they didn't. Norm's a good neighbor and hasn't done anything to annoy me. I bet he's glad.

I've been thinking of the June bug and the little finches that stay here all winter and the little rabbit who seems to live under the coneflowers in the garden. It's amazing that all those fragile things survive. I was troubled by turtles this year, as always, and I wished I didn't have to see them trudging across the highways. I just heard a bird squabble back in the thicket and I'm sure it's grackles attacking a nest. I walked out there and stood in the grass with my arms crossed and gave them a dirty look. It didn't seem to deter them much.

bug

When the pizza guy brought our dinner last night, he pointed out this beetle on our screen door. He might look like a lady bug but he was about two inches long. Ever-helpful google images search points out that it's a June bug. He's very pretty with a dark bronze body and looks like an Egyptian scarab.

a cold beer might taste good about now

We've had two really hot days in a row. The kind of days when an icy cold beer would taste good. Neither of us has the gumption to motor to the liquor store, however, so I guess it's just a dream. The liquor store is about two blocks away...not like we like in the sticks and can't make it there in five minutes.

After a very muggy day, all of a sudden a bout 5:00, the dew point dropped, the sky cleared, and a nice breeze came up. We had a couple very nice hours sitting in the shade in our new Cabella's chairs.

One of our distant neighbors was doing some cement work as we lounged. He had a giant saw that made this horrific noise and raised a fierce cloud of dust. Our closest neighbor had a cement guy over there scoping out the situation, apparently in preparation for major sidewalk revision. I said one of the things that really annoys me about summer is that some people feel this compulsion to do loud home improvements. I should live in a town that doesn't require sidewalks and curb and gutter, maybe there would be less of that kind of thing. I suppose it would be hard to go to the library or order a pizza in a town like that but it would be quiet except for the folks whooping it up on Budweiser. Now that's funny. Another option would be that we get on the loud home improvement kick ourselves but I don't think that's likely.

We've moved from the front yard to the back porch. You can only expose your industrious neighbors to so much sloth in one day without being afraid they'll call the county on you. There has to be an ordinance against this kind of lazy behavior.

I'm on a cooking strike tonight so Regis ordered a pizza, thinking that the frozen variety was not appealing. I like a frozen pizza once in a while. For some reason he gave them a phone number we haven't had for two years so now we have to keep jumping up to see if they're here. The reason for that is we have a door bell that only works intermittently. And who said we were lazy?

stuff

Some things I like in the news:
I posted an entry about this guy last year. He ties all these balloons to a chair and flies through the air. He lands by shooting the balloons with a BB gun. You have to read the whole story to believe it. It's not the kind of thing I would ever do, being a chicken, but it's the whimsical kind of thing I really admire.

This is a kid from Owatonna who works in a fireworks stand called Vapor of Smoke. I would never work there, being a chicken, but I admire the name of the place. Thanks, Annie!

This is the 35W bridge in Minneapolis. This is one of those things, like airplanes and birds, that's just beyond comprehension. How do they even begin to plan something like this, and then, most amazing of all, it meets in the center like it should.

This reminds me of a story. After the tornado, our front walk was destroyed. I had in my head that I wanted a paver walk so I looked in the Herald and called some dude who advertised that kind of work. He came right away and gave me an estimate of $1,000. Everything cost a thousand dollars after the tornado. I think they didn't know what to say and when they met up for coffee in the morning, that was the agreed upon price. This guy said he had a PhD in botony, as if that made it worth all the money.

So, I ask this guy when he can start. Tomorrow he says. Uh oh. Should have been another red flag, but there was so much messed up and the idea of getting something done fast was just too inviting. He shows up and commences to build this paver walkway. Now I don't know much about laying walks like that but I know you should use a string and a level. He had neither.

After a couple hours, I'm in the house visiting with my neighbor when the PhD knocks on the door. I have a problem he says. What's that I ask. If I keep going, he says, the walk won't meet your door. And I can see he's right. The walk takes a pretty sharp veer to the right and he's going to miss the front door by about six inches.

This is what you get when you hire a botonist to lay a sidewalk, I guess. Drive by my house, or better yet, walk by. Close one eye and look down that paver walk. It's crooked and it's wavy enough to make you seasick. The guy is still around here practicing his art, so call me for the lowdown before you hire anyone to do any brickwork.

birthday slide show

Here are some pictures of the birthday picnic. I'll write more later. We're going out to relax in the sun.

parade and picnics and rubber ducks and such

We had a great day at the parade and the events following. The weather couldn't have been better and there were some memorable moments. The marshals of the parade were members of the Engesser family dressed in their circus garb: clowns and a strong man. The next group was a large contingent of Chinese students who are studying at Gustavus for the week. It was the sweetest thing; there they were carrying flags, smiling, and waving.

The Democrats made a good showing in this parade, too, and several of them came over to shake hands with Regis. It isn't like they know him...he just seems to be a magnet. Reggie says it's because he's a tree-hugger. Ha! Al Franken's son came over with a guy carrying a sign that said, "This is Al Franken's son, Joe Franken." I said I want his job. Sign carrier.

One of our favorite units was the Lutheran Summer Music Camp. It was a large group of young Lutherans marching together in matching t-shirts and playing kazoos. It was wonderful and weird and such a Garrison Keillor moment. Then they started to dance and Joanne had the best line of the morning: I didn't know Lutherans could dance. She didn't mean can as in an ecclesiastical permission kind of can but in a shake your booty kind of can. I said normally they can't, being an example myself.

There's a tiny slide show at the bottom of this post of some parade pictures. If you want to see the pictures bigger, you can go HERE!

Apparently my damn duck didn't win the race, Paul. Harrumph.

The rest of the day was fun as well...picnic at Bob and Emily's, steak on the grill at Tom and Betty's house, a swim in their pool, relaxing in the cabana.

After being outside from 9 this morning until now, almost 9 in the evening, I'm ready for bed. The tractor pull, which of course, saves the biggest and loudest for last but even at that, I doubt I'll make it for the fireworks. Kramer is half scared out of his little wits already.

Happy 4th of July to everyone!

Congratulations to my brother Pat and his wife, Helen. They won a trip to Hawaii!

Independence Day, 2008!

Today is Independence Day. On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, and the United States officially broke from the rule of England.

Happy Birthday, USA!










Regis and I were on a little mission and we ran across these two enterprising kids with a lemonade stand. They explained how it folds up and fits on a cart that they pull from their house down the street. We were their third and fourth customers.















This is what Washington Avenue looks like on the 3rd of July. People come out very early to claim spots on the boulevards and in the parks. You can't see it in this picture but some of the blankets are held down with a steak knife in each corner. Regis is amazed that the whole process is so orderly and nobody messes with the stuff overnight.













More blankets and chairs by the library.












One of the most fascinating parts of St. Peter's history is the strong circus presence this area had through the Engesser family during the early 1900s.

This year's St. Peter July 4th celebration will honor the legacy of George Engesser and the rest of his family. This year's parade and old-fashioned picnic in Minnesota Square Park carry the circus theme with several special events.

The Engesser family will be on hand en masse to march in the parade as Grand Marshals with several dressed in circus garb. One of those who will be riding in the parade will be Grace (Engesser) Paquette, 98, who was married to George Engesser's brother Henry and was part of the traveling circus. Grace, who still resides in St. Peter, will ride in a golf cart in front of the rest of the Engesser clan.

Pictures and stories to come later!