Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Today's View


Looks like sunny skies and smooth sailing from my office today. I pray. Who said "It's the economy, stupid."? Well, it is the economy and I'm one of those out here on Main Street who is anxiously awaiting news from the Beltway Boys on the Hill. Come on guys, do the right thing by us out here. Straighten out this mess that has gone on through term after term, president after president. At least we can say that this problem is truely non-partisan because every party has had a hand in making this monster. Here's a novel idea. Let's make sure the taxpayers win instead of the greed mongers this time around.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Show Me The Way

Ole Sexy Sadie's voice guided us all the way to Chicago in June through the miracle of Garmin. BCD and I went to Chicago in June to visit our son Ben, first time. We borrowed a Garmin from friend Mike and the thing made the trip a breeze. We named the voice coming from the Garmin box, Sexy Sadie. She told us every turn to make, even when to back up and start again. I want one. Coke is running a contest this summer, you just enter the numbers from the red caps (mine are red because I drink Diet Coke) and then enter into a sweepstakes of your choosing. I chose the Travel sweepstakes because they are offering a Garmin. I want to win that thing. The contest closes on the 30th and I am faithfully entering numbers till the very end. I guess if I don't win one I'll have to break down and buy one before the next trip. It's been a challenging contest and I'll feel victorious no matter the outcome for having played the game.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Breakfast at Tiffany's, uh, er, Dockers


Now I'm Aunt Deane. Not the same one, another one. It happened when Elliott was born in December, 2005. I became an Aunt and since my middle name is Deane, now I'm Aunt Deane. I think it happened to me about the same time in life as it did the original Aunt Deane. Post-menopausal Auntie. How great is that? Pretty great when you get to have sweet cereal with lovely princess Elliott as she hurries off to her busy schedule at day care.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Italian American Restaurant



That's what it says on the sign, Italian American Restaurant. MAMAD'S. For the longest time we couldn't figure out what the building housed. Maybe a middle eastern restaurant? The name sounded middle eastern, kind of exotic. Finally the word got around and the business owners put up a lit sign that said "Mama D's Pizza". Italian pizza. Very authentic I understand. The owners and family are from the Big Apple. Our friend Mike Melone who happens to be Chicago Italian, says the food is as good as it gets for Italians in Kentucky. Who knew? We tried it and are still trying it at least once a week now. Please note the Christmas lights still hanging in the rafters. Mama D is an authentic Kentuckian now.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Thoughts of Aunt Deane


Aunt Deane and Her Pet Monkey


Aunt Deane was a big part of my childhood and teen years. She was my mother's aunt, my great-aunt and was born in the late 1890's. She was already old when my brother and I arrived on the planet in the mid and late 50's. She was a grandmotherly type. Actually, she was more like a grandmother than my real grandmother. Dad's mom was still in her glamour phase during those years, looking like a Vogue model and hosting a dizzy aray of dinner parties.

Dad and Mom both worked so Aunt Deane filled in the gaps. She took us school shopping every fall which was quite the process. We were frequent guests at her house and when we were very young, would even sleep in the same bed together, Aunt Deane, brother and me. I remember one night when the Doctor came to the house because my little brother had the croup. They left me in the bed and tended to him in the living room. That's the last time I ever remember a Doctor making a house call.
And oh, those grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup Aunt Deane would make for us! To this day that menu is one of my top 10 comfort foods. She would top it off with a homemade lemon sheet cake lathered in lemon glaze made with fresh lemons. She would poke holes in the cake with a toothpick all over then pour the glaze on thick. That was the moistest lemoniest cake ever.

I miss her when I think about her. She had a very quirky sense of humor that I am sure I would appreciate even more today. She loved her pets and she loved her "kids", me and little brother.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Opposum Obituary


Orville Opposum, born April 2008, died sometime in September, 2008.
Opposum was a night scavanger by trade and resided within the Green Turtle Bay Resort property in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. He is survived by several hundred kin in the local area. Orville died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. BCD, under the porch, high in the vapor barrier area. Many thanks go to our local hero, Slim Shady, for locating the body and giving Orville a proper opposum burial.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Aunt Deane Arrives



Ike is the cause of all of this. Until tonight I was perfectly happy to not blog. But Ike changed all that. He came roaring into town Sunday at 75 mph and within mere minutes (it seemed) of his arrival, our entire town was without electricity. And we are still without power some 36 hours later.

At first it was just like any other time that the power has gone out, which, in years past has been a frequent occurance in Grand Rivers. Nothing to do but wait. So, I decided to take a nice Sunday afternoon nap. Ahhh. The AC was off, but it was cool, so I got comphy in my recliner. About an hour later, sniff, sniff, what IS that smell? Seems that some animal decided to make the underside of my house it's last resting place. So now the power is off and the reek of the dead is beginning to waft up through the house.
Yep, sure enough, a dead something was under our house and with the AC off it was ghastly. My dear hubby, BCD (Big Country Daddy) and I spend two nights in local motels. Not a wonderful vacation. Finally on night two, we opt for the Hampton Inn in Kuttawa, KY. At least they had internet service. Well, sort of. I could never connect to their ethernet connection and finally connected to the neighboring Days Inn wireless at a very low output. But I did get to read the local blogs. It was fun and I thought, hey, I should do this too.

About the time I began setting up an account to blog my cousin David Jr. calls to tell me the power is back on at Green Turtle Bay. I decide I better run back home and turn the AC on and the ceiling fans to get the smell of the dearly departed out of the house, if possible.

I did obviously get back to the blog, but not until I got to my desk today. BCD hired Slim Shady to get under the house and find the funeral. The handy guy will return tomorrow to repair our duct work, spray something nice and repair the vent from whence the creature crawled.
Aunt Deane has arrived in the blog world.