Ready To Audition

Went to see the Cadets send-off. I can get away with not going to anything else now this year. Put in my due. Yuula liked it tho.... 

She was ready to audition

Finally got some girls together

Meeting ol' Katie

Cookies For Dinner!

So we did not plan to be out all day. But we didn't realize how much stuff we had to do today. Bank deposit, transmission flush, x-ray, vaccination, birthday gift for Nadia, find garam masala and ginger garlic paste, beer for dinner party tomorrow,  bunny needs food, and butt splices to fix the Bose. We did most of that.

Pizza share for lunch, taco was best

Girl can shop. And she's sneaky too. Played us against each other to get herself a new bow.Asked me if she could get an orange bow. I said "ask your mother, you may already have one". She did. Laura asked "did Daddy say it was okay?". "Yes". "Ok then yes". Back to the register and hands me the bow. "Mommy said yes". Sneaky.

Finally got down to see Ashley in Allentown. Thought since we were down the road it was only right. She's become a northeastern girl, maybe for good, and we should really buy her some vinyl to break her into her new place. And a record player. She's invited to dinner. 

Memorable moment: Aesop pukes on Laura.

 oh, and we had cookies for dinner

Make Me See Green

I'm not Irish, don't really give a hoot about the introduction of Christianity to the Irish people, and I'm not what one would label a "heavy drinker" so St. Patrick's Day is always a holiday I struggle with. If it weren't for the color-coding and the parades, the whole thing would probably pass by me unnoticed.Luckily we had some visitors that thrust us into the outer fray where we were confronted, unprovoked.

Breakfast at Tannersville Inn, where they served our coffees in Irish mugs. We were the only ones there, again.

We found ourselves at a tractor supply store where Fatih decided he would play with the chicks, even tho the sign specifically asked him not to. He has an excuse tho.

Then it was time to hit the only parade held on the actual holiday within 100 miles. Unfortunately it was in Allentown, but we'll take what we can get. Supply stores available everywhere. 

And the people were festive for sure

Yuula had no trouble getting the height to see the parade pass by

Honestly there wasn't a terribly good display

The llamas were pretty neat

Yuula didn't care for the grande finale of large antique tractors

Not bad for a holiday we could care less about.

Even In The Rain

Rains held off for the most part. Actually it stopped raining when we got to Allentown and started again when we left. The gods shined down on us. I guess.



We arrived early but unscathed and Laura did a costume change. Her feet stink so a change of shoes is accompanied by a full ensemble reworking.



Gave us a chance to hit the HamFam, a tradition for me at least because unfortunately I find myself in Allentown all too often quite hungry and with limited options.



But before we got in we ran into and old Cadet, Carlo Villanueva, who had just eaten with his friends. He was nice enough to make a few suggestions as to our entrée and then informed us his key was stuck in his car. Sounded all too familiar. We commiserated, laughed and then went in to get a table.



Hi Carlo!

We had plenty of time to eat since the corps hadn't even arrived yet due to the weather delay. I had the chicken marabilozo and Laura, my wife, had fish & chips.




Neither of us came close to finishing but we had busloads of hungry friends on the way.

At that point the show had begun...



...and then the sun had begun to set.



We met Greg & April at Lupo's, staff magnet and general dive. But we have a good time wherever we are.




Most of Braddock's show design materializes while inebriated in a random bar. This was no exception.



This one's for Henry Louis Gates.



Oh! And there was a performance too.



Love coming to watch this time of the year after being away. I can only liken it to how this house is a mess and has been for a few weeks now and it's as if while we were gone yesterday someone came by and did all the laundry & dishes & vacuumed & painted & mowed the lawn & built a garage & expanded the kitchen & ... that may have been a little far.



Then back to Lupo's for some goodbyes/drinks which lasted about 3 hours. Jeff & I discovered asbestos in the ceiling there and decided it was in everyone's best interest to evacuate.



No one responded.

Here we have Michael & Laura, probably talking about So You Think You Can Dance.



Eric & Laura, Eric looking creepier than he usually does, but it works.



Me and April taking another dazzling photo together.



I had to rip Laura away from Brian.



She likes to chit and chat. And by she I mean they.

Go DCI East. See ya next year. Same bar, same stadium, same Red Stripe.