Coney Island: Where the Magic Began

The Jersey Shore at the turn of the 20th century was an exciting place to be, a real piece of Americana.
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Inspiring the Jersey Shore run, just outside the area, was the Grand-Daddy of all shore amusements: Coney Island -- buildings aglow, circus animals, freaks (sorry, it was an acceptable term and amusement back then), high-divers, even Venetian-type canals. What I would have loved: Midget City. I am such a fan of the Little People shows on TLC, I'm sure I would have enjoyed Midget City.
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Just before Coney Island began to deteriorate in the mid 1900s, there lived a young lady named Patti Van Note. Patti grew up in a nearby NJ neighborhood. The highlight of her summers were, of course, trips to Coney Island. The most memorable trip happened circa 1949, in the Truman days and the brand new VW Punchbug days and the Red Scare days, when Patti's good friend Nancy Katmeyer told Patti there was a bus heading to Coney Island that weekend, did Patti want to go? Patti knew her parents would let her go because she had just earned $25 working two weeks at the town hall, filling in for Aunt Peggy.
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The weekend arrived. Patti saw Nancy and her boyfriend approaching the bus with an odd fellow tagging along, a fellow in a maroon shirt and red sweater. Patti never would forget that maroon shirt and red sweater, what was up with that?
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They boarded the bus for Coney Island. Nancy sat in a seat with her boyfriend, leaving Patti in a seat with the odd fellow. A funny thing happened on that trip to Coney Island with the odd fellow in a maroon shirt and red sweater. Little Patti fell in love. By the end of the night, Patti knew she wanted to marry that boy someday and have bunches of well-dressed children. The odd fellow? Jim Sliker.
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(photo: thier children Marilyn, Glenn, Nancy, Bobby and little Tommy in front. Missing: Kathleen)
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Jim passed away in October, 2010. This coming Monday would be Jim and Pat's 60th anniversary.
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On my first visit to Jim's house when Jim no longer lived there, I got to hear Pat tell me about the day they met and now I never will forget that maroon shirt and red sweater. We love you, Papa. Your house is not the same without you.

Over at The Race Shop today talking Dakar '11

Psssst.... I'm over here today. The Race Shop.com.

#6 of Ten Most Overpriced Products

Guest Writer: Ruth Morse

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Disclaimer: information presented, however inaccurate, in the following post does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest blog owner and editor's endorsement or support of any such posted material or parts therein.
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I read an interesting article online about saving money. In fact, it was titled "Ten Most Overpriced Products You Should Avoid." A lot of what they cover in this article makes sense. Did you know that movie theater popcorn has a mark up of 1,275%? Staggering, isn't it! Today we are going to focus on #6 in the list. I'm not sure this will get past the blog editor [you know who!] but I'm giving it a shot. Ready? Here we go:
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Coffee!

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Buying coffee in coffee shops carries a whopping 300% markup!
Thanks Starbucks. Nowadays, it's pretty common to pay a markup of 300% or more for coffee. And even those huge profit margins still may not keep your neighborhood coffee shop in business. Just keep in mind: That $3 cup of coffee (assuming you don't tip, add shots, or buy some fancy concoction) you buy at the corner cafe can be made at home for a quarter. A quarter! A quarter! You can save $2.75 for each and every cup! Whee!--

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...and one more thing......
uh, I'll get back to you when I remember it.
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The Cheap Senior Citizen is a Guest Writer who occasionally shares helpful hints she has learned through her experience.
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Potato Soup

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So me good friend Jackie introduced me to her famous potato soup this past weekend during our Snow Blizzard '10. I'm not a pushover, folks, not a newbie to this whole foodie thing. I'm not easy to win over.

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But this potato soup? In the middle of a snow-covered field? It hit the spot. And I swore up and down to secure the recipe for you, my dear loyal reader.

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I cornered Jackie in her piping hot newly refurbished log stove dining room and pressed her for the answers, including the secret ingredient. When the heat was on, baby, she squealed like a pig.

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50 - 60 ounces of Swansons canned Chicken broth (no other brand!!)

Handful of sauteed onions

Begin boiling broth with onions while peeling potatoes.

5 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces

Toss taters into boiling mix.

Set half and half or whipping cream on counter to warm.

Add 1/4 tsp. dry mustard (the secret ingredient, baby!!)

Separately, mix cold, cold water with cornstarch to use as thickener in soup as needed.

When soup has finished boiling (45 min's or so), turn down heat and add the luke-warm whipped cream.

Serve. Top with bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese as desired.

May keep on simmer as long as you like.

Sort of.

Redneck Snowday III

Surprisingly, we had another snow day this year, just after Christmas. Of course we had another Redneck Snowday, video below. But after two this year, we are getting a bit spoiled. Our next snowday should be January 14, 2011 in Gatlinburg, TN. Stay tuned.
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More Redneck Snowdays in the South
Even More Redneck Snowdays in the South

Popinjay: Strong

Strong\ mentally powerful or vigorous, especially able or competent; of great courage, powerful in means of prevailing, well supplied.

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What an appropriate term for our Popinjay this week! Strong. That is my daughter all around. Strong because she just graduated law school as a single mom. Strong because she finished top in her class -- her last exam needed a 77 to pass and she got a 110. Strong because when she was a child we had to memorize Dobson's "The Strong Willed Child" in order to raise her. Strong because..... she is. She stinkin' IS. She is everything I ever dreamed of being. She is Strong. Here's to you, my beautiful daughter, as you decide whether to be a stay-at-home mom, a sweet, supporting wife, or an influential, aggressive lawyer that seeks to stand up for abandoned children. You go, girl!!

From My House to Yours

Merry Christmas!
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For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Luke 2: 11,12

'Twas the Night Before Christmas . . .

We're all so anxiously waiting! Did you leave cookies and milk out?
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Stress Less Christmas

-It was five or six years ago now that I finally realized Christmas is way better if you don't try to make it perfect or try to do everything. Slow down, enjoy, fellowship. For me, that meant don't decorate. Just don't do it. My decorations always went awry anyway (see photos above)
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I took and continue to take a lot of ribbing when I don't decorate. But on the first week of January when everyone's working hard to put decorations away, I'm in my recliner by the fire.
-Remember the Christmas when Steve Hyde allegedly "ruined" our Christmas by throwing the gravy juice down the drain? You know what? He didn't ruin our Christmas. Remember when my entire decorated tree fell on Tom S? It didn't ruin our Christmas. Remember when the Brom's unmanned car coasted into the side of our house while we had a crowd of company in the living room visiting and the car just smashed into our living room wall? It didn't ruin our Christmas. (killed the bunnies, didn't it?, but didn't ruin Christmas) Remember when Aunt Myra's pizza came crawling out the oven door? It didn't ruin our Christmas.

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So keep your chin up. Whatever major catastrophe happens, don't let it ruin your Christmas. If it's so bad it requires grieving, and I know many are grieving this year, grieve together, in each others arms, feel the warmth and love. What's important? People. Not gifts or shopping or traffic or decorations or food. People. Relationships. Isn't that why Christ was born? To make a way for us to have a relationship with God the Father. Take care and have a very loving Christmas. Comment about your Christmas catastrophes if you'd like, I'd enjoy reading them.

Dakar 2011: Le he Perdido Tanto, Mi Amor

When Thomas Berglund presented his souped up Husaberg FE 450 rally bike a few days ago and announced he would be riding the 'Berg instead of his usual KTM for this his fifth Dakar, I knew it was really here, it was really and finally time for the Dakar 2011. I've been waiting all year for this and most of you know it.
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Berglund says he switched bikes primarily due to the new 450cc regulations for the elite riders. The bike is about 20kg lighter and the engine layout provides easier handling, crucial for the Dakar. Other sweet features include fuel injection that automatically adjusts to big elevation changes and a very strong gearbox that keeps the oil cleaner longer. Berglund also admits that he hasn't had much seat time and, well, that can make any man a little jumpy.
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Berglund is riding on Team Scandinavia along with Pal Anders Ullevalseter (Norway, Number 6, KTM, 2^nd place last year) and Ronnie Bodinger (Sweden, Number 103, Husaberg – first Dakar).
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In other news. . . I knew it! I knew Califano wouldn't switch to four wheels. In a moment of unbridled glee, Califano notoriously squealed, “There is more than rugby for maturing in life!” Old Geezers rock. He claimed last year that it would be his final year on two wheels. But y'know, how could he resist? He's on KTM Red Bull Team this year with the legendary Cyril Despres. Last year, it was in the Dunes when Despres began to show his true colors and kick it up a notch. Despres won last year (his third win) with Ullevalseter right behind him and, surprising to me, Contardo taking third.
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Casteu is back after a nasty injury last year that put him out of the rally. All the regulars are back, Coma, Lopez, Fretigne, Verhoeven, Rodrigues, Street, Duclos, and for the ladies – Seel ('10 Dakar Ladies Cup Champion). Who could forget Annie Seel: Tomb Raider? Also returning: Pol, Giannetti, Meier, Liparoti. These ladies will be joined by a few newcomers.
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Dakar 2011: New Navigation rules forces riders to rely on old school navigation rather than GPS. Elite riders have mandatory 450cc regulations. 430 vehicles in the rally this year. The route this year goes to northern Argentina and Chile, to the Bolivian and Peru borders, a rest day at Arica, then the return trip to Buenos Aires. The more difficult stages will be in the second half, designed, Dakar said, to “maintain maximum suspense and create a crescendo of difficulty.” {smile} Like they didn't have that before?
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As always, go to Dakar.Com and for more info. And, of course, TheRaceShop.com.

Hootie & the Blowfish Memorial: the stonecarver

- the first in a series of 3
I met a master stonecarver over cokes in a restaurant that kept changing ownership in a dusty rural South Carolina town. We sat at a booth for 2.5 hours ordering only cokes, much to the proprietor's dismay, as we talked animatedly. I picked his brains. I couldn't help it. Who on earth gets to meet a master stonecarver? I was full of questions.

Ron Clamp, a third generation master stonecarver who resides in rural SC was selected to engrave the recently dedicated monument for Hootie and the Blowfish, now permanently located at the corner of Harden Street and Santee Avenue, a stretch of which has been renamed "Hootie Boulevard." The Five Points Association devised the monument in honor of the band's 25th anniversary. The band formed at the University of South Carolina back in 1985.

Clamp is a world renowned engraver and usually only does work which he designs as well as engraves; however, in this case, the monument was designed before Clamp came on board the project. Clamp was brought in to make the dream a reality, to "make it happen." The monument is made out of south African black granite in the shape of a guitar pick and is extensively engraved with biographical information about the band members and their music. Clamp's job was to make a 9' guitar pick out of 5' x 10' granite slabs. He had to fabricate pieces of two slabs together to form the 9' pick, a job generally done by the stonecutters, but due to the intricacies, Clamp did this himself.
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Clamp needed to make the biographical information weave around the guitar pick in a rambling fashion, so the next step was to enter the information in a CAD system, make it into stencils and put the stencils on the rock. He then sandblasted the lettering in the South African black granite and put a lithochrome sealer on it with a slight silver tint to make the lettering stand out and blend in with the overhead metal work done by a sculptural metal artist out of Columbia.
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The stainless steel sculpture reaches 17' overhead and has musical stanza shapes like a ribbon at the top, forming an archway over the granite engraving on the sidewalk in front of Yesterday's Restaurant in Five Points.
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All the granite work was done at StoneCrafter's Farm, Clamp's homestead where he conducts business under the name Memorial Design. Clamp relocated to the rural SC area after establishing a name for himself in the industry and out of a desire to slow down, get out of the limelight and get back to the artistic side of the work. Now that he can be selective about the jobs he accepts, Clamp says "If they have an idea what they want, I like them to give me the ideas and let me develop them. They give me the history, it's my job to get it on the rock." Clamp has done work all over the US and is currently working on a project in Charleston.
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Clamp also has a school on his homestead. "People won't train people outside the industry," Clamp said, "Stonecarving's a skill that's handed down generationally. My school changes that. I want to train people because I enjoy it, I really do, I like to carve the stone." The school came about one day when two people from Texas said they'd fly here -- out in the middle of a field in Pelion -- if Clamp would teach them his skill. Clamp realized this was a good thing so he built a shop just for teaching purposes. Next year he will have trained people from over 500 companies, some of which are based in Europe.
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Sallie Clamp, Ron's wife, just opened a retail store, Memorial Design - Lexington, in Lexington, SC, 120 N. Church Street. The store offers personalized monuments and markers, as well as a variety of sculptural art for sale. The store will also consist of an art gallery featuring local artists, a design studio and a stone carving studio.

More information can be found at RonClamp.com.

Read about their work on the SC Remembers 9/11 Memorial here and here.
Interview with Memorial Designs' Ron Clamp and Tommy Sliker.
Read about my lunchtime visit to their shop here.

Retro Gingerbread Man

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Which Gingerbread Man are you?

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1 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1/4 c water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c molasses

5 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
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Beat butter & sugar @ medium speed til fluffy. In a separate bowl, stir together 1/4 c water and soda til dissolved. Stir in molasses. In a separate bowl, combine flour & next 4 ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning & ending with flour. Shape into a ball. Cover, chill for 1 hr. Roll out, SHAPE with Cookie Cutters and cook on wax paper on pan. 350 degrees 12-15 minutes. Cool, make 'em oh, so cool!, then decorate.

Toss Your Trash in the Backseat

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In 2006 I learned (from watching Tom) about the joys of throwing things to the back of my vehicle when I'm through with them. He does it, specifically, with fast food trash. I do it with empty water bottles that I will later take into the house and recycle. ('cause I'm just good like that)
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On a road trip with my mom, she watched me and got a real kick of it. How "freeing," how "liberating!" So I even let her toss one just for the fun of it. Later in the year I asked her if I left my shoes at her house. She responded, "I've cleaned the whole house, even the bedroom you stay in and no shoes. Maybe they are in your car. Maybe you tossed them into the back seat with your empty cup?"
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Smartie. I again had the opportunity a few months later to spread the joy some more. Marj was riding home with me from the big city. We had picked up groceries and I had eaten some deli turkey and a banana right from the bag while driving. ('cause I'm just good like that) When I finished, I handed her the bag and said, "Would you toss that in the back seat?" She said, "For real?? I can toss it, just throw it??!!" I said, "Have at it." She questioned further, "I can toss it any way I want, even if it dumps?" I said, "Go for it. Get a big thrill from it. Nothing's worth doing unless you do it to the max -- even swing it round and round to build up some speed."
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Then she aimed for my head.

The Dead End of the World

I've been told there is a place

where all the currents

of all the oceans

come together.

And anything that has gotten lost
Or misplaced
Can be found there.

And I think

One day I'll find this place

And go there

And among all that floating debris,

I will retrieve my heart.

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The ABCs of Spices

Guest Writer: Ruth Morse

Here's a tip for saving money in the kitchen. It will revolutionize your cooking, your baking, your grocery shopping. What can do all that? It's simple!
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ALPHABETIZE YOUR SPICES!
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Huh? Who would want to do that? Sounds dumb.
But wait (this is starting to sound like an infomercial), there's more!
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I have all my spices in alphabetical order on two turntables. It's so easy to find the jar you want. It's super duper at helping you see when your supply is getting low and you need to shop. You don't end up with 3 jars of poultry seasoning that you only use once a year, lurking in the back of various cupboards.
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If you have more than one cook or baker in the house, this concept simplifies life a lot. Jim started baking several years back. He likes the system, too! We never argue over who put what jar back where.... and why.
But wait!! There's more!
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I rarely buy spices in a normal grocery. Most of my supply comes from Pine Ridge, a small Mennonite grocery in Bainbridge, NY, where they sell food in bulk. Spices come in small plastic containers and are so fresh and so cheap compared to grocery store stock.

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I store these in yet another turntable in a far corner kitchen cabinet and use the supply to refill the spice jars on the turntable. An example: for $.93, a small container of Italian seasoning can fill my turntable jar 3 or more times. A quarter of a pound of cinnamon costs $.53!! How much cinnamon is that? It'll fill 4 or 5 jars. Doesn't get any better than that. And bay leaves!! They only sell that by the large container and, believe me, that's more bay leaves than I will use in my lifetime. Anybody want to wallpaper a kitchen? Pine Ridge has a vast assortment of spices and other bulk products, homemade rolls and breads, a deli counter with delicious meats and cheese all at reasonable prices. And their subs! It's worth driving out there for the subs alone! I recommend a roast beef sub with everything, on a whole wheat sub roll, Yum!!
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OK, now I'm hungry. Need to find time this week to take a trek out to Bainbridge. If you check around in your area, I'll just bet you can find a good place to purchase bulk spices. Call around, ask around, theck the internet. NEVER drive around to multiple stores -- oh, don't get me started on that one!
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...and one more thing......
uh, I'll get back to you when I remember it.
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The Cheap Senior Citizen is a Guest Writer who occasionally shares helpful hints she has learned through her experience.
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Christmas

Here's a collection of my previous Christmas posts. I thought you might enjoy the recipes and things to do.
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Holiday Game where you get points or lose points based on the Christmas cards you receive.

Activities:
Riverbanks Zoo Lights
Christmas Lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Contemporary Concert at Shandon Baptist Church
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Food:
The Best Gingerbread Man Recipe
Mom's Famous Apple Bread
Mini Christmas Planner to Make
Mini Turtle Pretzels

Pretzel Turtle Snacks

So I was listening to "Debt Proof the Holidays" on Midday Connection, featuring Mary Hunt from Debtproof living and she gave us a quick and easy, excellent snack recipe. My daughter and I made a small test batch for our Community Christmas episode viewing and it turned out fabulous!! This is a great snack for the holidays, recipe follows:

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Ingredients:
Bag of round or square pretzels
Bag of Rolo candies
Bag of pecan halves
White chocolate squares or chips, melted with a little Crisco added in
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Directions:
Place one round pretzel on a baking pan. Place one candy rolo on the middle of each pretzel. Bake 3-5 minutes at 300 degrees. Pull out of oven. Place pecan half on top of each snack and press down on hot Rolo. Rolo will melt into pretzel. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

BitterSweet Graduation

Today we are celebrating Patti's graduation from Law School and Tommy & Eden's graduation from college.
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We are celebrating with friends and family who have meant so much to us through the years as the kids have grown.
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We are all sadly distinctly aware that one very important person is missing. She knew this day was approaching and I think she's probably celebrating, too.
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We Miss You Nana!!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

I live in the south. We get one snowfall per year, if lucky. Ice storms are more our thing. A few years ago, we had no electricity for an entire week due to an ice storm. We were camping in our kitchen by the stove. So I cracked up last night when Jen txt'd me: "Do you see any snow yet?" It's only Dec. 8! NO, I don't see snow. And you don't either, go back to bed!
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But I grew up in upstate New York and they have snow. All. Winter. Long. Here's my house back in the day:
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I used to circle that lampost, waiting for the bus to bring my sister back home from school. We used to drop water balloons from those upper windows when Halloween tricksters would soap the garage windows below.
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But the snow. Throwing our dinner plates in the sink, most nights we'd run out the back door, out to the field and jump on the snowmobiles with our cousins. We might light a bonfire and ice skate around the pond or snowmobile around the field. Wasn't it Billy Wheelock one time who fell through the ice? One time the snowbanks were so high Chris Stankus dove into them headfirst. Another time I smacked Chris Brom in the head with an icicle and landed him a few stitches, ooo, I was tore-up mad about something.

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Remember gingerly high-stepping through someone else's footprints in the deep snow? Sledding down Stankus' back hill and the jump we made at the bottom? The icy burn of ankles with snow packed in your boot tops? The way snow flying into your windshield as you drove looked like the shape of a trumpet horn?
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So, Yes, Jen, I have seen snow, just not right now. Remember last year's snowfall in SC? It was a big'un. Here's how SC Rednecks celebrate a good snowfall:
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NBC's Community: Stop Motion Animation

Thurs. Dec. 9, 2010, 8 pm eastern.

"Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas"
It's Abed against Reality.
Watch thursday night and see who wins.
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"the delusion you're trying to cure is called Christmas, Duncan." ~ Jeff Winger

This is a special stop motion animation episode in which Abed's fixation on Christmas becomes too intense for the group of misfits at Greendale Community College. (Thanks to NBC and the One2One Network for my special pre-viewing of this awesome episode.) When Abed wakes up in stop-motion animation, he takes it as a sign that he and the group must re-discover the meaning of Christmas. The rest of the study group has not noticed that they are animated. Jeff and Britta (@GillianJacobs) become growingly concerned about Abed's mental health and enlist the help of Professor Duncan. Even the snowman thinks Abed is a mental case. The group undergoes hypnosis and disguises Abed's psychotherapy as a group study to find the meaning of Christmas, which takes them through the Cave of Frozen Memories - a "safe place" to delve into their past. The friends take a walk through Carol Canyon and stop on Planet Abed, the most Christmasy Planet in the universe, it's atmosphere is 7% cinnamon.

• Find out which study partner gets ejected from Planet Abed.
• See Abed maneuver a train better than Denzel Washington in Unstoppable.
• Find out which friend surprisingly proves to be most loyal to Abed.
  
  Don't miss this special show, the highlight of Community's second season.
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NBC's Community is a comedy series about a band of misfits who attend Greendale Community College. At the center of the group is Jeff Winger (@JoelMcHale), a fast talking lawyer whose degree has been revoked. Winger forms a study group that learns more about themselves than their course work.
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I was drawn to Community (@nbccommunity) by Chevy Chase, having grown up under the Chevy Chase Saturday Night Live Administration (Caddy Shack, National Lampoon’s Vacation movies, Fletch, The Three Amigos) and wondering where he’s been in the last few years. He has returned to work after taking some time off to raise his daughters who are now 22, 25, & 27. I was shocked in the first episode of Community when I saw that Chase had aged, yikes, he’s an old geezer. What a shock. But he's still hilarious and one of my favorites. And I suppose, by now, I'm an old geezer, too.
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Abed explains claymation and a little about the episode:
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Facebook
Twitter

"Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap, Russo Brothers, Universal Media Studios production, in association with Sony Pictures Television. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development"), Garrett Donovan ("Scrubs"), Neil Goldman ("Scrubs") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers.
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Full disclosure: The One2One Network provided a free pre-view download of the show for me for the purposes of this review. In no way does that affect my review. I received no monetary compensation, although I will be entered for a chance to win a season 1 dvd or a Bloggie Touch hd camera or a gift card. But I never win anything, so that doesn't count.

Christmas Lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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New this year, Charlotte Motor Speedway offers a 2.5 mile drive through Christmas light show. Open nightly through Jan. 2, 2011, this is reported to feature one million lights. The cost is $20 per vehicle and when I went at Thanksgiving, there was no wait, we drove happily along at our own pace. The above photo, poor as it may be, shows the portion of the light show that is synchronized to Christmas music you can hear on your radio. It is claimed the largest synchronized lights-to-music display in the world.
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The Speedway offers much more than lights. At the halfway mark of your drive, you can pull over, park and walk into the Little Town of Bethlehem, a replica of Bethlehem including a live nativity scene and demonstrations on candle making, blacksmithing and basket weaving. I loved this, it was beautifully done.
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While pulled over, in addition to the Bethlehem village, you can go inside another building and enjoy a variety of decorated trees. My favorite, to the right, was the Starbucks tree. My niece's favorite, below, was the Chick-Fil-A tree. There was even a Lay's potato chip tree which my dad tried to steal from.
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You can also purchase some snacks here, let the kids do some crafts at Santa's Workshop, walk through the Petting Zoo and even let the kids ride a couple carnival rides. You can catch a horse drawn carriage ride in the parking area.
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We had a fantastic, reasonably priced evening. However. I think the lights at Tanglewood were better if I remember correctly. The Speedway is so expansive that a million lights comes across as.... well.... sparse.
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The light display is open 6 - 10 pm through Jan. 2. You can get tickets at the gate or at VisitCarolinaChristmas.com. Check out that link for more information and much better photos.
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I'm glad we went. It was a lot of family fun and togetherness early in the season. It didn't cost much and didn't require a long drive. You should go, I think you'll like it. Below are a few more photos from our evening.

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Christmas Flash Mob

Another flash mob, of which I am not a part. I want so bad to do a flash mob. Enjoy.
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I removed the video because it was very noisy and activated immediately upon opening my site, but here's the link for it if you'd like to see it. It's the Hallelujah Chorus flash mob at a shopping mall's food court.

R.I.P. Minivan

We recently rented a Minivan, piled "the kids" in like the old days and took a road trip to NJ/NYC. A few hours into the drive, I snapped this photo. With my eyes on the road, it sounded like old times, so familiar - kids singing, dancing, having fun -- but when I turned around, I was shocked to see they were all grown up.

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We got our first minivan the day Marj was born. As I signed for the van, the salesman said, "So when are you due?" I grunted, "Ten days ago." He went pale and rushed the paperwork. That night I went into labor. Pam Hilbish was on standby to keep our kids when I went into labor, so we took them over in the new minivan in the middle of the night. She wanted a tour of the new minivan.

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When Patti turned 16 and got her license, we generously gave her our third minivan and I got a spanky new red Mazda 6 (zoom, zoom). She took off with a smile and never looked back. She added a sporty steering wheel cover and sickeningly cheery bumper stickers like "4U2NV" and "Don't let the car fool you, my treasure is in Heaven" and "(Caution) Stunt Driver." In an extremely out-of-character moment, Patti bought flashing neon lights and glued them all over the inside of the minivan.

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Tommy next inherited the blue minivan and he added exciting silver racing stripes to the hood. The new license plate the state issued just happened to be 822-TMY, which was kind of cool. Tommy lived in the minivan and acquired a van roommate (Will) along the way, so the van was full of interesting, sometimes smelly things. One day his sister begged him to empty it out because she was missing her purse. Marj took the following inventory of junk in the van and I scrapbooked it:

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Some of the items she found in the van include:

• someone else's church clothes
• a piece of the van
• fishing poles
• skateboard ramp
• paintball guns and balls
• golf clubs and shoes
• tackle box
• 3 helmets
• piece of pizza
• 2 masks
• a worm
• many empty gatorades
• cleats
• 2 basketballs

Sadly, the minivan finally did die. And less than a mile from our house, too, poor thing, couldn't make it up the hill. So of course I had to document it and scrap it, too. Tommy had just started his rap career and in a tender moment of melancholy wrote up a song called RIP Minivan, featuring Will Rutland. I still sometimes play that song in my Mazda 6 (zoom, zoom) and it usually brings me to tears. Sort of.
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RIP Minivan lyrics (my comments in italics):

Ay, it's your boy, Tommy, know what I'm sayin'

I be ridin' in them mini vans, baby.

Big Will Rutland up in here

And we riding in them minivans, baby, them hogs.

Ay, tell 'em what we do...

I pull up to the house in the minivan

Even tho it smells like a skunk

Audio cassette, cd adapter,

A big 40 in the trunk. (a wooden 4' number 40 from my 40th birthday party)

I'm crawlin' on 13s

My wheels squeak

My rims shimmy like a chimney sweep.

I laid out my whole deck, man, read 'em and weep.

So I got some loud speakers

What 'cha think of that, boy? (the po-po thought about $150 for breaking the noise ordinance)

Got my flower on the back so you know this is my toy. (Patti's hippie daisy sticker)

You can bump this in your minivan

Your minivan

You can bump this in your minivan

Your minivan, boy.
Yo, Will R, up in here, ridin' in the passenger seat

Me n Tommy with these new instrumental beats

We try to be flowin', if you know what I'm sayin',

The seats don't recline so we can't be layin'

The thing goes 95 with our three hubcaps

One missin' while we dissin' N I know ya'll love that.

Got scratches on the van, but we don't care

The roof's so low, dog, that we got static-y hair. (fabric hanging loose, rubbing hair)

We don't have AC, so we can't get cool,

To fix this minivan, we'll need hundreds of tools.

......don't even mention my flower

For it signals more power!....

...Ain't no dash for my cd's between the seats

Some Gatorade bottles that are tossin' around my feet

I got the wiper fluid sprayin' the people behind me

They try to pass, but they can't, I point at the double lines.

See I'm on two twos, I'm talkin' two hubcaps

Got the antenna holdin' up with bubble wrap.

... You might see me pulled over with the hood up, engine ablaze,

Tire's a sittin' low on the left side so I'm

Sittin' sideways... always in a daze.

Brotherly Love

I saw this scene recently at the Riverbanks Zoo and it absolutely melted my heart.

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Of course it gave me all kinds of warm, fuzzy feelings about family and love and protection and compassion. And when I began thinking about Flashback Fridays, I started going through my old journals and saw a recurring theme that reminded me of the penguins. Laced through all my journals is the common thread of Patti loving on her little brother.
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In '89 I wrote, "Tommy is very easy-going and Patti is very determined, a little leader. When they're in a bind, Patti takes care of Tommy with so much love! She'll put her arm around him and pat his back and say kind, encouraging words."
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However. There was one time I remember she didn't take such good care of him. In '94 we were packing lunches for us to take on a day trip. Patti's job was to pour drinks into the thermoses and pack them. As she finished up, she stuck a little note in Tommy's lunch box. "Oh, how cute!!" I thought, "She's writing a love note to Tommy like I sometimes do for her."
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I never did look at the note and we headed out the door. At the appointed time, the children heaved their lunchboxes on a picnic table and began to unpack their food. I saw the note and scooted closer to take a peek.
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"Tommy," It began, "Try not to swallow the pink thing floating in your drink. Love, Patti."

My Life Would Suck Without You!

Marj made the video below for her friends. I think it's awesome. I miss her, I miss them, I'm so glad they have the technology to do this and to keep in touch with facebook, twitter and txt messaging.
Rene', we didn't have that, did we?
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(Look, Marj, hate to say it, you really are a chip off the old block)

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We had to cut and paste to make collages and then mail them usps. After my family moved to NC from NY, I remember we used to record ourselves on a cassette tape recorder and mail the cassette to our friends in NY. Just like this. Only it took a lot longer to get there. I think of my friends then who are still my friends now - Rene', Julie, Kedron, Patti - and all my brand new grown-up friends (all southern) --
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Here's to the crazy love of BFFs.
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New York: Before & After

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So. The other week we went to New York City for a little while. I've been there a few times, it's always a lot of fun, although I much prefer Chicago or San Francisco or mmmmm, Boston. Sadly, on this trip, we did not get to take a Pedicab.

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This was my first time to go close to Ground Zero and it was still shocking. It's basically an empty hole surrounded by tall buildings and you wonder how just one small portion could totally disappear and leave everything else standing like normal? How can so many lives be so totally destroyed while so many other lives remain unscathed? And as we stood at the top of the Empire State Building, I realized the Twin Towers were in view the last time we went up there and looked out. See? Above Tommy's knee. Isn't that the Twin Towers?

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And see now, what 15 years later?, in Eva's photo below, no Twin Towers.
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And then, of course, the other shocking thing is how fast time has flown and how much the kids have grown. You gotta enjoy every single minute. Love life! Live everyday like it's a Friday! blah, blah and all that.
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