Red Boot Boogie-ing

So by now anyone who reads this blog must know my absolute favorite band is Tom Rigney and Flambeau. At least a couple times each month, I get together with friends and we follow him wherever he is playing. We sit back, toes tapping, heads bobbing and watch the dance floor full of fans. We think we should be out there but don't know a two step from a flamingo (or is it flamenco?) . One night we noticed that way over there in the corner, on the other side of the room, there was a small group of people, all in a row, doing the same steps and it seemed to be some sort of line dance. We started thinking....

This queen did a little research and found someone who was willing to teach a bunch of red hat ladies with two left feet how to line dance. The next step was finding a dozen red hatters willing to go to the class. With a lot of work and much patience, we finally managed to pull together a group of twelve for this mornings class. Within an hour, our dear instructor, had us doing some semblance of the "Drinkin" Bone Boogie". Yep, we got guts. Most likely not one of us will ever dance with the stars (and probably won't even dance this Friday night) but we sure had a fun time trying.

There's only one slight problem. I did drag these red boots out from the back of my closet. They were the only shoes I could find with real leather soles. And after all, isn't this what one is supposed to wear when one line dances? So, here I was... I managed to tug the boots on but in the midst of one final tug, I threw out my back. Ouch and *#@*)(*%* I swore. Ah well, I had to show up. Just a couple of pain killers later, there I was, out there trying to boogie with the worst, oops BEST, of them. Hmmmm... maybe that's why I thought we were so gutsy and good.

Happy...

Shh....I celebrated my birthday a couple of days early with red hat friends over Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, surrounded by a brown sugar crust, topped with Caramel Ice Cream, a little chocolate sauce and raspberries.

Been thinking about the youngster days when I always seemed to get a new Easter bonnet and dress for my birthday. In those days, I was always so glad with my birthday came AFTER Easter so I could get something different. Funny, nowadays I would love to get a new red (or purple) bonnet for the near Easter birthday.

Now, on the other end, I was a very bad Big Sis this year. Today I received in the mail from Lil Sis the traditional sisterly Easter gift. I was filled with regret the moment I felt the squishy package in the mail box. Lil Sis remembered to send new undies in Easter egg colors... Big Sis was too busy eating dessert first and forgot.

Happy Easter to all.

3000 + Crosses

Our City is getting lots of attention lately due to this controversial hillside display. Your call - is it a memorial or anti-war statement or what?

Springtime Hatchlings

I came home a few days ago to see this on our countertop. Little J had been to the Bay Discovery Museum.

Not much later, we found the hatchling. Only trouble is he escaped the next day and we haven't been able to find him since. Could he be in the bottom of the slimy green swimming pool?

Not *****, Not ****, Not *** , Maybe **1/2?

We can't always stay in the best of places. We modestly pinched the drapes closed with our keyring (remind me to put safety pins in my suitcase for such emergencies). But then we were a bit surprised by the artistic shower curtain arrangement. Interesting enough, the bathroom was big enough to do a country line dance... in fact it was bigger than my little old home office.

California Dreaming

Yep, that's what I'm doing this weekend...

Green Yuck

Little J seems to think that Grandma should have spent her tax refund on swimming pool maintenance. Who wants to swim in that green yuck?

Summer is a ways off yet, so what did Grandma choose to do with her fun share of the refund? Buy a new camera of course. Yes, Grandma does like her gadgets better than swimming.

Chain Letters not Make A Wish

I do not respond to chain letters, whether they are letters or email. My first reaction if by email is delete-delete-delete. And of course if by letter, which is rare these days, it's straight to the recycle bin. It's not worth my time, or effort, to figure out what is real. HOWEVER, I couldn't resist the one that came my way today. Somewhere buried behind years of brain cell rejuvenation one tiny cell lingered just long enough that contained the name Craig Sheppard. So when the chain letter requesting business cards be sent to Craig came across my desk, my first thought was... this has to have been going around for at least 20 years. I dutifully went to www.snopes.com , searched for Make-A-Wish, and sure enough there it was. I did fax the article back to the sender of the chain letter urging him to check this out. Moments later the phone rang and my well intentioned friend expressed deepest apologies and as well as regret that his "good feeling about doing something so special" was nothing but an urban legend. Well maybe not all is lost - I like to think that some people may find their way to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and actually make a legitimate contribution. Here's my suggestion: Instead of forwarding the letter to 20 people, how about sending the $7.80 you will save in postage money to...

Grandma and Grandpa?

It seems that Fisher Price has captured the likenesses of me and hubby. Funny, I don't remember modeling for this. Anyway, just happened to stumble upon these while shopping for one of Little J's many many birthday parties he's been invited to this month.

Traveling

Withdrawing from candy can be a bit intimidating when one travels past the gingerbread tree and ventures through the peppermint forest, gumdrop pass, peanut acres, lollipop woods, snowflake lake and a chocolate swamp on the way to candy castle. Gramma Nutt must have been nutz to give Candyland to Little J for his birthday.