Blizzard '08

This is why we moved here!



To be snowed in and shut out from the world. Didn't come at the best time, but really when would that be. I had to bail out of my trip to Alabama (sorry Whit) but we got the job done anyhow (ahh the miracle of modern technology - I'm hoping to someday teach a whole show from underneath my covers). And Laura had to call out of work not once but twice! It just wasn't happening. She really did try but after the car got stuck in front of the house for the 3rd time we decided to call it a loss.



Abominable Snowman sighting





Dani & Vic were on their way east for their holiday visit and managed to get in just before the snow hit, and to their surprise, we were there waiting for them. We locked ourselves up and tried to stay warm. Alcohol helped. And fried food.


the fridge was full






It snowed quite a bit. We caught up, ate Christmas cookies, drank a few bottles of eggnog (Pennsylvania Dutch of course) and settled down for a long winters nap. Good to see them.



When it did let up briefly we got brave and headed outside to tube a bit, one of the benefits of living across the street from ski slopes. More fun than I thought it would be, plus it prompted Laura to give me one of my Christmas gifts early. Would've been mean to watch me freeze knowing that box sitting under the tree would have saved me from hypothermia.




That's Vic in the pink hat, Laura in the middle and Dani in the far lane







It was getting cold & beginning to snow again so we settled in with a remarkable dinner of cornish hen, stuffing and roasted asparagus & cauliflower...







...and turned on the Giants game. This was for homefield in the playoffs. By the time we got to cookies & eggnog the game had gotten really good and they were able to pull it out in overtime after a miraculous two point conversion that tied the game at 28. I feel good about this post season.

So we survivied our first snow-in. Laura went back to work today and Dani & Vic headed off to the shore to scout out some venues for September. We learned a few lessons. We need new tires. Or a tank maybe. And have to make sure we always have plenty of firewood. We'll be more prepared for the next blizzard. Which may be soon. It's snowing right now.

Christmas Begins

Tuesday was the start of our Christmas. We cut down a tree & decorated it to the sound of Christmas tunes & the smell of baking cookies. We wrapped gifts and sipped eggnog. We watched Holiday Inn and drank more eggnog til we past out by the fire. We got our driver side brake pads & rotors replaced... non-Christmas related. But I even got our family Secret Santa sent out. Exciting. I don't really care who I got tho because I decided a long time ago that I was going to buy everyone the new Guns & Roses Chinese Democracy album for Christmas. So... yeah, be ready for that.

First we picked out a tree, a daunting task to say the least. Especially going this late in the season and trying to cut one down yourself. At least there were plenty to choose from, not like years past where we find one tree and have to steal it.






Brought it home, trimmed it and got it all purtied up.









The cats love Christmas. Lots to destroy.




Laura is a cookie baking machine. Or at least she uses machines to bake cookies. One of those two. Don't matter they're almost all gone already, so don't be so quick to take that apron off.







Hot chocolate & cookies & Eggnog & other stuff





Our new favorite decorations are little gingerbread men with all 12 years of Laura's school photos taken thru her life. Her mother gave her these at their Christmas a couple weekends ago. All 12 years people. All 12. Here's one.



After a delicious dinner of what we are now calling tomoylikash it began to snow and we really felt the yuletide spirit! We decided to put on Holiday Inn, which I've never actually seen all the way thru, and this would be no exception. We passed out, and where there's people sleeping, there's kittens sleeping.



We still have more decorations to hang and stuff to put around the house, but it was an incredibly perfect start to our Christmas.

Mixtape> 11.27 thru 12.17

Over the Turkey Sea & Back

1. Interiors - The Bug
2. Apse - Shade Of The Moor
3. Dirty Projectors - Time Birthed Spilled Blood
4. Radiohead - Anyone Can Play Guitar
5. Pulp - Sorted For E's & Wizz
6. Southpaw - Pages
7. Jolie Holland - Enjoy Yourself
8. The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
9. Telepathe - God Is Watching
10. Emiliana Torrini - Gun
11. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens
12. The Lovely Sparrows - Department Of Foreseeable Outcomes
13. The Head Shop - Opera In The Year 4000
14. Wolf Parade - Language City
15. Artanker Convoy - Natch
16. The Shaky Hands - Show Me Your Life
17. Lambchop - National Talk Like A Pirate Day
18. Don Cavalli - Aggression
19. The Lines - Part II
20. Do Make Say Think - In Mind
21. The Chap - Ethnic Instrument
22. Margot & The Nuclear So And So's - Cold, Kind And Lemon Eyes
23. Wild Beasts - The Old Dog
24. Hot Chip - In The Privacy Of Our Love
25. Caetano Veloso - A Little More Blue
26. Iglu & Hartly - Violent And Young
27. The Drift - Nozomi
28. Mercury Rev - Nocturne For Norwood
29. Eluvium - Hymn #1
30. Chairlift - Bruises
31. Winter Gloves - Invisible
32. Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid - Arrival
33. Moi Caprice - We Leave Tonight
34. Ladyhawke - Back Of The Van
35. Peter Bjorn And John - School Of Kraut

Yes, I've begun naming the mixes.

Our Very First Fire

In our very own fireplace

Only In Frigin Miami

Had to jet off to Miami again last weekend. Early flight after a late night celebrating Mom's birthday. Pretty exhausted. Marc was down so I knew we'd be battling for time, which we were. He won. Of the 10 or so hours of rehearsal Saturday I taught maybe 4 minutes and then none at all on Sunday. So I kinda felt bad I didn't get anything taught but... it was more important for them to finish with Marc. I go back first weekend of the new year so...

But I did get to have a flat tire. Daniel had to go to a circuit meeting so I drove back with Marc and about a half mile from Daniel's place *POP! flat tire. Sucked, but it was kinda funny.

We later joked that I flew all the way to Miami to change a tire. Good times. Only in Miami tho.

Mom Had A Party

Mom celebrated her ???th birthday last Friday and Ted & Carol invited us to their place in Jersey for a nice sit down dinner and the like. It was a fine night, delicious conversation, meaningful food, and you know adding something like an ice cream cake to any party automatically ups the ante. So yeah nice night. Happy Birthday Mom.


A birthday girl never looked happier


My uncle made some lasagna, but everyone still ate it.


She actually was this surprised!!


Consider these candles exponential


No surprise there


We knew Dad attended the gathering but for the life of us couldn't find him all nite long

Groggy

I had a large grapefruit, a few cream cheese cookies & a mug of gingerbread spice tea for breakfast. I brought the garbage out to the street and took after the cats. Now I'm sitting down trying to gather my thoughts, ready to put up a few posts from the past few days. We've been busy and I've been a little too out of it to get on here and write about anything.

Preview:

The Sweetest Pledge

Sit thru the opening acts

Wandering Philly

The Museum Of Art
Philadelphia, PA
December 12th, 2007 @ 7:03 PM
before the Most Serene Republic show
[exactly 1 year ago]