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Thursday, September 27th, 2007
Here it is
Thursday already. It's been a busy week and is getting busier.
Monday, September 24th, 2007
Chili Fest
XIV was a lot of fun. Heck, it's always a fun gathering - a
Friday, September 21st, 2007
5:00 am: I woke up at 4:00 am to find that I couldn't move my legs. It was Zoe who had come up on the bed sometime at night and laid down between my legs. Not comfortable. I got up and pulled her off the bed and went back to sleep. That lasted until 4:30 am when she put her front paws up on the bed and licked my face until I woke up. She and Mollie both wanted to go out and then eat breakfast. Lots to do today in preparation for Chili Fest tomorrow . . . 12:15 pm: I've been doing a little cleaning - big cleaning a little later this afternoon. Now I've got to get the lawn mowed. 1:35 pm: Finished mowing the lawn. Now for the big cleaning. Can't wait. 8:05 pm: Did some cleaning. We're now waiting for our daughter to arrive home. She's flying in from Tulsa and we can't wait to see her. I'm sure Zoe can't wait either! Zoe was our daughter's dog, but now is ours as she just doesn't have the space to keep her.
Thursday, September 20th, 2007
7:50 am:
3:50 pm: I've pretty much finished the large batch of chili. I'm starting on the 2nd one that goes in the smaller pot. This is taking a long time. 5:20 pm: The chili is done. Well, it still has to simmer a little bit, but it's basically done. 19.75 lbs of meat. That's quite a large batch of chili. Now it's time for a nice, cold beer. 9:25 pm: Relaxed, had a couple of beers and, of course, a little chili for dinner. Had to taste a bowl of red. Had a bowl out of the big pot and I must say it's got a kick to it. I only used two habaneros and one jalapeno pepper. Hope it's not too hot for the folks at Chili Fest. I dont' know about the small pot yet as far as heat. I only used on habanero pepper in that pot. Both pots still need to simmer for a couple of hours yet. Need to meld those flavors together.
Monday, September 17th, 2007
A busy
weekend. Sat in with Billy Galaxy at Mulligan's Saloon in McHenry
Thursday, September 13th, 2007
This picture
of our dogs depicts a typical scene when I come to bed -
Monday, September 10th, 2007
Went to Mulligan's Friday night and played the first set with Billy Galaxy. Played a lot of songs like Layla, Old Love, Take It Easy, Sweet Home Alabama . . . it was a lot of fun. ⌂ It's beginning to get cooler and I've even seen a few leaves on the ground in the neighborhood. Fall is on its way and in another couple of weeks we'll have Chili Fest XIV. Mmmm . . love chili. ⌂ Updated the Kalo Foundation website (www.kalofoundation.org) with more details on our upcoming silver exhibition in November. ⌂ And I've been working on a website for a bed and breakfast in West Virginia for the last few days. Lots to do on that. ⌂ . . . and on I go . . . .
Friday, September 7th, 2007
Thursday, September 6th, 2007
We got Holly's car into the shop on Tuesday morning and, as Jac had diagnosed, it was a bad fuel injector. The shop replaced it that day and Holly was able to drive to work in it on Wednesday. However, she noticed a very strong smell of gas. As it turned out, one of the "O" rings with the fuel injectors had cracked. We got that (actually all of the "O" rings) replaced this morning. A big thanks to Rick & Lou's for taking care of us. They're a great shop and really care about their customers. ⌂ We've been a Nielsen family (the tv ratings folks - you know - what we watch is reflected the the ratings) for the past couple of years, but now our time with them is at an end. Their coming in and disconnecting all of their equipment this morning. Nice folks. Marty, who's been the technical customer service person for me has done a fantastic job. I'd hire him in a split second. ⌂ Also finally received both of our new garbage/recycling containers. The garbage one looks big enough, but the recycling one (they're the same size) I think is going to be too small for all of the recycling stuff. We'll see. ⌂ Lots to do today. . .
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
Our across
the street neighbor is my barometer for the Cubs. Every time
Friday, August 31st, 2007
A beautiful,
cool evening last night. I grilled brats and hot dogs, and the
buns.
Delicious. The nights are cooling down, the days are getting
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007
These are the flags of the countries from where I've had visitors to my website. Interesting and definitely colorful!
I'm working on finishing up a drawing and then need to start on the next one. ⌂ I've got a Kalo Foundation meeting tonight and need to run off note cards per the Foundation's request. Went out and bought note cards last night and the price has risen from $17 to $21. Talk about a price jump! Looks like I'm going to have to raise my price for those. I should check the prices of the other art supplies I use and see if those have also gone up. ⌂
Monday, August 27th, 2007
We received an email from our son who is on a WestPac (western pacific cruise) on his ship. He related that he is now a Shellback! For those of you who don't know a shellback is one who has crossed the equator on a ship. The furthest south I got when I was in the Navy was Singapore. We wanted to dip south to cross the equator, but the powers that be said "no." They wanted us back online in the Gulf of Tonkin, so I never got the chance to become a Shellback. Congratulations Aaron! ⌂ Our tv went out a week and a half ago. We've had the thing since somewhere around 1993/94, so it's lived a long and useful life. We now have our son's small tv up in the family room and are watching that, but it's pretty small. We're going to have to invest in an LCD HD tv. Not that we want to spend the money, but it's needed. Any suggestions on brand??? ⌂ The grass grew like it was springtime last week. I finally got it cut again on Sunday, but not as short as I'd like it as it was pretty long by then. I'll cut it again tomorrow, or perhaps Wednesday and lower the blade a notch, or two. ⌂ Got lots to do, so off I go . . . . .
Friday, August 24th, 2007
Yeah, rain
predicted again for today. Boy did it ever rain here yesterday
afternoon! I had taken chicken breasts out of the freezer to do on the
Thursday, August 23rd, 2007
Rain!
It seems that's all we've had for the past couple of weeks. The
Monday, August 20th, 2007
A busy, busy
weekend - even much busier than I expected. Didn't get the things done
that I had planned on. Sound familiar? Doesn't it
We wish them the best. ⌂ I have a new drawing to start on, so that's good. Also have to get going on a website for the bed and breakfast in WV. That's the next job in the line of things to do. Gotta get busy!
Thursday, August 16th, 2007
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
I'm always
surprised by the number of visitors to my website that I receive from
overseas. It's fun to think how close we all are in this big
Back to work!
Friday, August 3rd, 2007
This
weekend's getting busy! Started off with a few things on my plate
Starting off
I've got to finish a pen and ink drawing I've been working on for the past
few days . . . then I need to cut the lawn
today . . . need to go shopping at Sam's for salmon as I need to smoke it
for a Bullfrog Family & Friends annual party on Sunday . . . whew - and I'm
not done yet . . . I've got a website I
Wednesday, August 1st, 2007
Here are a
couple of pictures from the gig I played with my old band Bullfrog this past
Sunday afternoon. It was good sitting it for a set. I
Monday, July 30th, 2007
Boy, it's been a week since I last posted. That's a long time. Applied for a couple of jobs last week - you now fill out online applications and wait. No personal contact these days. What a change in job hunting for me over the "old ways". Have to visit more company websites and fill out more applications. ⌂ I was going to cut the grass yesterday morning, but when I went outside to do it - it was just so quiet and peaceful that I couldn't fathom starting up the riding mower and breaking that wonderful silence . . . so now I'll cut the lawn today - at least most people are at work during the week, so the noise isn't so disturbing to people. ⌂ I sat-in with Bullfrog (my old band) yesterday afternoon. It was fun (maybe a couple of pictures coming up from that when I receive them.) Thanks, guys, for letting me sit-in. ⌂ Our village is going to a "new" garbage collection system. It's not really new, but instead of plastic (or should I say in-addition-to) bags we're going to have refuse carts. Not such a big deal except that the price for getting rid of your garbage is really going up. Right now it's $2.85 a bag, and on September 1st it'll go up to $3.75 a bag. We always have at least 1 bag to put out every week, and occasionally 2 bags. Our costs will go from about $11.40 per month to $15.00 monthly. Yet another rise in the cost of living. . . . and life goes on . . . .
Monday, July 23rd, 2007 - Monday afternoon
Friday, July 19th, 2007
The finger seems to be coming along. There's a scab of dead skin with the slice in it from the cut. It's healing, but I think I probably should have gone to the emergency room for stitches. I just couldn't stand the thought of yet another trip to the ER. It's always 4 hours and expensive. Such is life. ⌂ Garage sale tomorrow. Last night my wife went through the basement and starting bringing stuff up to put in the sale. I'll go down today and see what I have - the Nordic Track is one item! I think I may have a couple of old power tools I can get rid of. The more "stuff" we can get rid of the better. Our neighbors who just moved had a 10 yard dumpster put on their driveway so they could get rid of "stuff" that they didn't want to move. It was full! I'd like to avoid the same thing, although I'm not sure that will be possible. ⌂ Also have to cut the grass today. I've been waiting for it to grow! We've had so little rain, but Wednesday night we finally got some. At any rate it needs it now.
Monday, July 16th, 2007
As I left you Saturday - I ran to Sam's Club to get more crab - got two more packages, but as it turned out the guests couldn't come, so now I've got an abundance of crab that we've frozen for future meals. I did cook the crab, but it was too lumpy to actually form into crab cakes. I was able to make actual "cakes" out of the crab a couple of weeks ago, so I don't know why it didn't work this time. Plus I'd bought ingredients for making a couple of different sauces for people to use with the crab cakes and I didn't make those. ⌂ Our daughter was in town for the weekend. It was great to see her. I sure wish she lived closer to us. ⌂ A lot coming up this week that will culminate with a neighborhood garage sale. I want to get rid of a lot of "stuff" that we have that we aren't going to use. Hmmm . . . . time to get busy.
Saturday, July 14th, 2007
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007
Haven't written in a week! That's a long time. Let's see . . . . on July 4th our next-door neighbors had a family party. I, unfortunately, sliced the index finger on my left hand. Didn't want to go to the emergency room (4 hours and expensive), so when the bleeding finally stopped we got it bandaged up and it's been on the mend since then. It was pretty much impossible to type (I'm a touch typist), so I've been down to "one-finger typing" since then. I find that I can now type reasonably well with the finger with the bandage on. What's really been frustrating is not being able to play guitar the normal way. I've been messing around with it using the remaining 3 fingers on my left hand, but it's very difficult and there are definitely chords that are impossible to make. Playing lead is difficult and composing is nonexistent until I get my index finger back. ⌂ Last Saturday our across-the-street neighbors had a Caribbean themed party. A lot of fun and a lot of nice people. ⌂ Sunday we drove up to Green Bay for a Mulloy family reunion. It's part of my wife's side of her family. Stayed in Green Bay on Sunday, Monday, and left late Tuesday morning for home. ⌂ It's already Wednesday and lots to get done this week .... and our daughter is coming home for a short visit this weekend. Can't wait to see her.
Wednesday, July 4th,
2007
The 4th of July! The day we celebrate our country's independence and all of the freedoms that we enjoy. May we continue to enjoy these rights and freedoms. ⌂ Busy day today . . . going to a party thrown by our great next door neighbors. They bought brats and burgers to grill and I've got them in my freezer. In an hour, or so I'll have to get them out so they can defrost. We're invited to a party in St. Charles, Il on Friday night, but already have plans to go out to a bar to hear our dear friend Billy Galaxy play. I think I'll sit in with him for a few songs. Should be fun. ⌂ Saturday our across the street neighbors are having a Caribbean party. Should be fun - frozen margaritas, wild shirts, and I've offered my grill and services to cook. ⌂ Sunday we drive up to Green Bay for a Malloy family reunion. A long drive, but we'll stay over at my mother-in-law's home on Sunday night. ⌂ It finally rained a little bit last night. Boy have we needed rain. The grass has barely grown - and I haven't been able to use my new mower! Soooon.
Saturday, June 30th, 2007
Haven't written a blog entry in quit a few days. I don't know where the time has gone. ⌂ I've got a gig today - apparently a graduation party. I'll be playing bass for this one with our old "The Proverbial Garage Band" from last summer. Since we haven't played together at all since last year I can't imagine what songs we'll play, or how we'll sound! I've got to drag my PA system along with my bass amp, mic stands, a bag for all the cables and mics, bass guitar, etc. It's a lot of stuff and most of it is down the basement. Can't wait to start loading! And then, of course, there's the unloading at the gig; reloading the car after the gig; and the unloading at home --- and people think that bands only work the hours that you see them on stage! ⌂ Received an email from our nephew Matt; he's joined the Army as a medical specialist. He leaves for basic training in late August. I hope we can see him before he leaves.
Monday, June 25th, 2007
Kind of an overcast, cool, blah, weekend. The sun finally peaked out late Sunday afternoon. Poor weather doesn't motivate me like sunny weather does. I wonder if I have that sunlight deficit disorder? Hmmm. . . Anyway, I did clean out a large portion of the garage. Still a lot more to go. Our old across the street neighbors just moved last week and they had a 10 yard dumpster in their driveway for a week just to throw "stuff" away that they didn't want to move. I shutter to think of how much "stuff" we have that we won't want to move. Over 35+ years of marriage you accumulate so much "stuff" - it goes in boxes, sits on shelves, is out-of-site ... out-of-mind --- until you have to move it. Then it's finally time to throw it out. I want to avoid that dumpster if I can. There's a garage sale coming up in our subdivision, so that's a chance to get rid of some of it and make/save a little money. If I don't sell it, or give it away I'm going to have to pay to throw it away. Hmmm . . . . lots of free stuff, or at least low, low cost stuff going into that sale.
Thursday, June 21st, 2007
The longest
day of the year - yup, that's today. The term solstice is derived from
the Latin (sol, sun; sistit, stands). For several days before
and after each solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky - its
noontime elevation does not seem to change. It's the beginning of
Tuesday, June 19th, 2007
Got my John
Deere lawn tractor yesterday morning. Read over the manual, gassed it
up and went and
Monday, June 18th, 2007
What a beautiful weekend. Did a little work around the house; cut the front yard, but the back needs to be cut today. I put it cutting it yesterday because my wife bought me a riding mower - it'll be delivered today. My daughter sent us a couple of Omaha steaks and lobster tails and key lime cheese cake. That meal last night was great - steaks, lobster tail, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob and then finishing it off with the cheese cake. Mmmm. ⌂ Had an appointment with the back doctor on Friday and he confirmed that I have a stress fracture in my back - he gave it a scientific name. I've had this for 20 years and basically it's never healed because like any broken bone you'd have to have it immobile for awhile to have it mend. I'll be going for a couple of sessions of physical therapy, but it's basically something I'm just going to have to live with. Got to get busy. Lots to get done this morning.
Friday, June 15th, 2007
It's another
beautiful summer day. Sunny, warm and while it's 73 degrees now, it's
suppose to get up to 88 today. Maybe I should cut the lawn this
morning rather than this afternoon. Good idea, Steve! ⌂ I
saw Rachel Ray make some crab cakes using fish the other day and now I've
Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
It was a beautiful weekend - temperatures were about perfect. Cooked steak on the grill on Friday night; Saturday night I did two strangely cut turkey breasts - not like we usually get them where they look like small turkeys - these were more like huge half chickens. They tasted fine, but were very difficult to cut and a little tough. Won't get those again. Sunday I did pork tenderloin on the grill and it was fantastic. My wife made the best mashed potatoes that I've ever had! Unbelieveable! Mmmm. ⌂ Last night we had a deer (doe) in our neighbor's backyard and the dogs saw it and dearly wanted to chase after it, but were good and stopped at our lot line. We have a lot of deer running through the neighborhood. Too many homes being built on what was once forest and farmland and now the deer have to go through our neighborhood to get from one forest to another. ⌂ Finally finished the drawing I've been working on. This one has people in it and people are very tough to draw. I've working off a photo that was taken around 1910 and the details of the people aren't very distinct. I've been practicing and practicing trying to get their "poses" correct. With pencil it would have been easier, but pen and ink makes it really tough to do.
Friday, June 8th, 2007
And into the weekend again! As I get older the weeks just seem to fly by. Remember when you were a kid and the days just dragged? Then as you got older it seems they started going faster and faster. First it's Monday and then all of a sudden it's Friday! Where did the time go? Tonight my wife is doing the walk for cancer in support of one of our friends who had breast cancer and is now cancer-free. Unfortunately her husband was just diagnosed with prostate cancer, but the prognosis is good as they caught it early during an annual physical exam. It's very important as we get older (and getting older is better than not!) to get those annual physical exams -it's where my doctor caught my heart problem. It looks like it's going to be a nice weekend here. Hope you all have a great weekend. Got to get busy on some things here, so I gotta go!
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007
The
Christmas pickle: We heard of this for the first time up in
Minneapolis this weekend. Have you ever head of the Christmas pickle?
Rumor has it that it's an
drawings as they're displayed on the TV leaves a lot to be desired. Solid lines are dotted and so much of the "ink" is missing that the drawings look terrible. Don't know why. ⌂ Lots on my plate today including cutting the backyard. Cut the front yesterday before it rained - and the back is due! Also have a couple of errands to run and a drawing to finish and another one to start. I also need to record. I keep not finding the time for that. Pretty soon I'll lose the songs I "wrote."
Monday, June 4th, 2007
We had a
very busy weekend. Up and back to Minneapolis for a wedding -
congratulations Eileen and Ron! Stopped on the way back from
Minneapolis to see my niece who's in the hospital - we're very worried about
you Leah. Didn't cut the
Friday, June 1st, 2007
Wow!
June 1st. We've gone through the first five months of the year
already! Time flies - especially as you get older. But it's been
a fine first five months. My back is good right now; I've had a pain
on the bottom of my left foot for a week, but while it hasn't gotten any
better, it hasn't gotten any worse - so I guess that's
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Pen & Ink Drawings by S.H. Randahl D.B.A. S.H. Randahl Associates
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