Horse Manure Park

It is so nice out today I decided to open the windows and let in some welcomed fresh air.  It has been a long time since I've opened the windows.  The cool breeze and clean spring air makes me think winter just might be over!  Man, it feels good.  I shouldn't complain, though.  This was a very "tame" winter by Minnesota standards.  I can only recall one really cold snap and maybe a couple of snowstorms, but nothing compared to what they had in other parts of the country, especially the East Coast. Went back home yesterday to Aunt Helen's funeral.  It was a very moving tribute to a great woman.  I did get to see my aunts and uncles and cousins and brothers, and a bunch of folks from Hewitt who I haven't seen in years.  Also visited Mom and Dad's grave site.  Helen was laid to rest just a few yards away from them. Heck, I bet they are all having a big game of " schmear " up there right now. So yesterday was bittersweet.  It is ...

The kids got their pictures taken a couple weeks ago.  Thought I'd post a couple here... Since Neil was named after my favorite drummer, we thought this was appropriate.  He's posing with one of his old man's drums here. This pose was not planned -- we were trying (and failing) to get Neil's attention, and we told Ava to just keep smiling (and she earned herself a DQ for her efforts!).  I think the photographer got frustrated and finally just snapped a picture.  Hey, some times the best ideas are not planned.  This picture might be my favorite of our whole session.     My little girl is already four years old.  Time is going far too fast and it's just not fair!

Some excitement in our house... Neil started crawling!  He started creeping forward very cautiously yesterday, and today he put it all together and he's zipping around everywhere.  He's a fast little bugger, too. My little guy is loving his new-found independence!

An update on Hank, the stolen boxer.  The good people at Minnesota Boxer Rescue and the Minneapolis P.D. have found him.  He has been recovered and is okay.  The bastard that stole him also tasered him, apparently for fun, so the poor dog had to spend some time at the animal hospital, but he is going to be fine. Why does God allow these type of people to walk the face of the earth?  Certain elements of our society should be systematically eliminated and their organs harvested for people who need them, so that at least some good will come from their pathetic existence.  I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

The latest craze... stealing dogs.  This makes me sick.

Had my consult with the surgeon yesterday.  All that's left is the slicing and dicing. Whoopee! Our yard is clean and bare.  No snow whatsoever.  This is pretty early to be relieved of all our snow.  I keep thinking we'll get that one last snow storm (as we do every year), but nothing is forecast and April is right around the corner.  Yes, it can still snow in April, but it would be very short lived. As a result, we've been grilling like we haven't grilled in five months... which is because we haven't grilled in five months.  Steaks, burgers, grilled veggies, paninis.  I am fighting the urge to open up the camper.  It is still pretty early to do that.  I don't want to let my enthusiasm get the best of me, open the camper and then get six inches of snow.  That would kind of stink. However, nothing says I can't whip up a nice campfire one of these nights.  Oh the temptation... Well, we are off to get our taxes done.  We...

I've been a Steve Vai fan for years.  I've had the pleasure of seeing him in person when he was with Whitesnake back in 1987 and with David Lee Roth in 1986, both at the old Met Center in Bloomington. I posted this on Facebook, but every time I watch it I am still blown away, so I am going to post it here too.  I suppose a lot of people can't appreciate what this guy is capable of doing with a guitar but it is truly MIND BLOWING. If nothing else, humor me and go to the 3:00 mark and watch the solo.  You'll find yourself saying, "You've got to be kidding me!" A couple of cool tidbits about this clip.  First, it is 100% live.  Second, it was recorded at the State Theater in Minneapolis.  Enjoy!

Here is one to share at Ava's high school graduation party. Tonight I was feeding Neil when I heard her yell from the bathroom, "Daddy!  Come here!" I got up and walked to the bathroom to find Ava sitting on the toilet. "Come here, Dad!" she insisted with a smile on her face. I came closer.  "What do you want?" "Smell it!!" she proudly exclaimed. That's my daughter.  I'm so proud.

It's Friday and it's the work weekend.  Beth and I just hate the work weekend.  It means little sleep at home and increased stress at work (because of skeletal staffing) for both of us.  The only good thing about the work weekend is that it doesn't last forever. There is a new place in town called "Daylight Donuts" and it is just what the doctor ordered.  You see, I have an unbelievable weakness for pastries and this place frickin' rocks.  I must limit myself to one visit per week.  This town needed a donut place and now it has got one.  I hope they stick around for a while.  Seems like businesses come and go like the seasons around here. It has been a gloomy three or four days here.  Gray, cloudy, foggy and rain, rain, rain.  I was listening to the weather forecast the other night and they said if it was 15 degrees colder, we would have well over half a foot of snow right now.  Maybe this was our annual March blizzard, manifes...

Had a pleasant surprise last night... got a call around 9:15 PM asking if I wanted to stay home on call.  Of course I do!  I was sure I would get called in at some point during the night, but the phone never rang.  Either that, or I never heard it ring.  Oops..... Beth and I watched the Academy Awards on Sunday.  For the second year in a row the winner of "Best Picture" was a film I had never heard of.  Last year, I think, was "Slumdog Millionaire."  This year it was "The Hurt Locker."  Never heard of it. In fact, many of the nominees for the acting awards were totally unknown to me.  Several winners were unknown as well.  Mo'Nique won for Best Support Actress.  Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor.  Not saying these folks are not brilliant at what they do, just saying I never watch movies anymore -- at least not new movies.  I've often got Turner Classic Movies or Fox Movie Classics on the tube.  ...

Another weekend has passed by.  Ray and Sandy stopped in on Sunday.  They were in town and called to see if we were home.  It was nice to have coffee and a quick visit with them. Sunday was just gorgeous.  It was over 50 degrees, bright and sunny, and the water was pouring off the roof from melting the snow.  Today is gray and cloudy, but still above freezing.  If the sun was out I bet it would be 50 degrees again.  We're not out of the deep freeze yet, though.   On this date in 1995 it was 22 degrees below zero here, so it can still get dangerously cold this time of year.  It won't be safe to say we're out of the "below zero" days until next month at this time.  In this neck of the woods, the latest recorded below zero reading was on April 6, 1979.  The low was 3 below that night. In case you are wondering (and I know that you are), the earliest recorded below zero reading was on November 4, 1991: 7 degrees below zero. ...

I've been going through a musical transformation over the past few months. Or maybe I should say my musical palette is expanding?  That's probably more accurate. It all started when I finished reading a (not very good) biography about the Rat Pack.  The book was poorly written, but there was just enough in it to get me more interested in Frank, Sammy and Dean (forget about Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.  Bishop was an awful comedian and Lawford had no talent whatsoever.)  Now I was not unfamiliar with these guys.  My mom had several Dean Martin LPs (which I still have).  I remember she always played them, so I guess you could say I grew up with Martin's music.  I knew she also liked Sammy Davis, Jr., although I don't remember much about Frank Sinatra. When I met Beth, she was already into Sinatra.  As usual, she was way ahead of me. Over the years, 'Ol Blue Eyes started to rub off on me.  Although he never played a note and he neve...