Happy Birthday !!!! Not ME!!!!! .. This blog!!!!

One year ago today....Maria and I sat down and put into motion this here little ol blog....

I had followed a few blogs from way back when.. I understood the concept of what a blog was..

I knew that Maria had started a blog... but never.. in a million years did I ever think I would try my hand at it...

I mean as you may gather from the title of the blog.. my main concern was..."What could I possibly have to blog about?"... and some of you may think..You were right to worry. YOU DON'T have anything to blog about... and yet amazingly I have managed to fill up a year's worth of nonsense on these pages.

Frankly.. it's been alot of fun... as well as a way to reminisce about people places and things... It's has been a way to communicate with friends and family out of the area as well as a way to vent. ( Hopefully I didn't hyper vent on any of the posts...)

I have tried hard to make the posts as positive as possible... after all who wants to sit down and read negativity ... especially when it is so readily available everywhere we look.

I am however.... a little surprised at how much I actually shared here... but in doing so...

I think you can get a preeeety good idea of the general make up of this family... If so... you now know why I feel so blessed.

Just as frightening is that through the writing of this blog .. you have also been able to peer into this bizarre quirky mind of mine and some of you have never been the same.. (Ha) for this I apologize.. But in the famous words of that salty seaman..POPEYE.. " I yam.. what I yam"

So Thank You .. to those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning...

Thank you to those of you who found me from another website... and wanted to find out who the heck is... this person making these crazy comments...

Thank You to those of you who plugged in an oddball word on goggle and landed here...and who maybe have come back to visit.

Thank You to friends and family who have been forced to read this drivel... and then reassure me that I didn't sound any crazier then usual.

They should be thanked .... for being the pawnsahemmmmvictims of so many of my posts.

So.....

Happy Birthday Blog!!!

Unfortunately Oprah has not yet come ringing my doorbell ... begging me to be on her show....

But that's OK..Maybe someday people will truly appreciate all this Wit and Wisdom...

* Cough * Cough...

But until then... Let's Paaaarrrty !!!!

* Hey if your feeling up to it... Leave me a comment... I'd LOVE to hear from you!!!

**For anyone not bored enough ... my original post can be found HERE:

Blaiseing Ann Arbor Fairy Doors.. and still 77 years young !!!

Thought I would fill you in on a very fun .....very impromptu evening Mr R and I had...

I received a Face book invite from my friend Chari to an event in Ann Arbor called the "Songwriters Anonymous Showcase"...

Now Chari's husband in his off time plays drums in a band.. So naturally I assumed her husband was going to be playing at this event..

I asked Mr R if he felt like taking a ride over to Ann Arbor to check this gig out..

Being the spontaneous kind of guy that he is...We jumped into the car and headed out for the evening...

The event was being held at a place called the 4th Street Gallery..

A very hip cool cat Ann Arborish kind of place...

Once inside....The featured artwork was mainly female nudes...

as well as some sculptures. ( also nudes... Hmmmm )

The venue was simply a very large room ....a couple of very very old couches ...a half doz rag tag chairs and even some plastic stackable

outdoor chairs...

Wine was served in small paper cups. A truly elegant affair.

Despite the Spartan atmosphere..

It was really a cool experience.. Most of the people seemed to know each other and could be described as older Hippish... Ann Arbor... Artist types ... but cool non the less.

Each and everyone sat in utter concentration when one of their own was playing.. heads bobbing with the rhythm ... toes tapping in time..

each performer in their own unique way....telling stories with songs ...

This is Blaise.( Pronounced BLAZE) yes that is his real name...

He is the reason we ended up being there..

It would seem that Blaise invited my friend Chari.. and Chari in turn invited us.(Chari and her husband could not make it... but forwarded the info to all her friends who lived near Ann Arbor...)

I soon figured out by the third set that Chari's husband and his band were not going to be there..

During intermission I called her at home.. telling her where we were..

She needless to say was floored when I explained we came thinking her husband would be playing.. She apologized for not being more clear in the email... I assured her it was fine.. the event and evening in general so far was turning out great!

Blaise I have to say had a really good voice.. and his one song in particular ... a homage to his father and five brothers who worked at a Ford plant was truly a heartfelt tribute.
In fact Blaise.. if you end up reading this.. I really think you should send a copy of that song to the Free Press.. It could end up being a virtual anthem for many of laid off workers here in the state.. It was truly a touching ballad.

People off the street... would step in and out of the the gallery..

One such visitor had Four legs.. fur.. and a tail..

such a well mannered dog..His owner should be proud...

I guess "It was music.. that tamed the savage beast..." This couple was the last act of the night.. and were a hoot... They just seemed to genuinely have a great time performing..

I only wish I would take the time to really get to know how to use this darn camera
I apologize to all the performers that I did not do a better job of capturing thier essence.

All in all....I have to say... it really was a fun night.. and one we would never have known about if Chari hadn't sent her email..

It was Serendipity at it's best...

Being that it was such a beautiful fall night .. Mr R and I decided to walk around town a bit.. and let me tell you... The place was packed!

I don't know if it was the weather.. or the football game with Indiana the next day that had the joint jumping?Maybe it was just the beautiful night.. young people... and a happening collage town.. After walking a couple of blocks... we found one of Ann Arbor's Fairy doors...I had never found one on my own... They are so darn cute... My sister and her girls went on this hunt and just loved it..

One picture I don't have and am so so sad about .. is one of the "Crochet Man"..

At least this is my name for the man we saw standing in front of the Starbucks... Close your eyes and picture this...
A tall white man.. perhaps in his mid 50's... leaning with one leg against a stop sign.. the other foot on the ground... near a busy intersection.

At the top of of his Rastafarian braided head sat a Bob Marley type hat..

He wore a white wife beater tee shirt and Orange high top sneakers.. his pants... Jacket .. and the aforementioned hat

EVERY last bit .... Crochet..... in variegated color yarn..non of it matching..

He truly was a sight to behold.. I mean I stopped dead in my tracks..

The sight of him almost took my breath away.. I wanted so badly to take his picture ... but Mr R using his ninja like senses could feel what I getting ready to do... and with much prudence took me by the arm and helped me cross the street..

Oh what a mistake not to have this photo as a keepsake !!!!

It really was a fun night..and cheap..

$10.00 (donation) ............ Blaise Glander CD..." Good Tunes.. Good Times"

$3.00 ( donation ) to the young kid working his way to New York City with his class selling candy bars..

$1.80 ... Parking in the parking structure...( Cheap!!! )

A night of fun all under $ 15.00

Not too shabby.

Thanks again Chari !!!

NOW...

Just a side note.. Today ( Saturday)

We also celebrated my father in law's 77th Birthday !!!

His choice for fine dining you may ask???? TGIF

Nothing but the best for this guy!!

After dinner we came back to the house for cake and Ice Cream... as well as posing for pictures..Grandpa and his peanut girlI guess handsome just runs in the family....Yes.. He doing pretty good for being 77 years YOUNG !!!(Mick.. these were posted mainly for you... We miss ya !! )

As Maria is so fond of saying... "Make Memories"... Let me tell ya.. this weekend.. we really did!

A Total Bitchfest!!!

Hey Kids...

Did you think I was lost and buried beneath the rubble that is/was my basement...Well.. I'm still here among the living... and the basement looks much better... Not perfect.. but better.

I really am going to try to get rid of a few things every week...

Hmmm .. wish me luck on that one!

Okay.. so today's post was prompted by reading another blog..

This particular blog is one that I have read literally since the beginning..when I didn't even know what I was reading was even called a blog.

She is a very interesting gal who lives out west and has had a very difficult yet I would say exciting life.

Her sharp wit and humor are right up my ally.. however I find that lately... ALOT of her posts are very critical in nature.. mostly about her neighbors..

No matter where she lives.( and she has moved a bit) she seems to find...

in her words.....

"The Jackass neighbor"

This complaining however is not limited to neighbors.. it extends to drivers... shoppers... ex friends.. and people who comment on her blog.. to name a few.

It became so noticeable that I pretty much stopped reading her blog...it was becoming a downer.

virtual "Blog Bitching"

Which brings us to today..

Today I decided to check in on her .... see how she was doing.

I remembered that she was moving again from a placed that she really loved (because of the view) but hated because of a noisy neighbor and his motorcycle.

Not surprisingly I found that she had already in her new place... had 'issues"with a neighbor across the hall.

It was as if I had just picked up where I left off ..

I feel bad for this gal... she is beautiful.. funny.. and super talented..

yet by reading her blog you would think she was that super crotchety old lady who can only find time to complain.

The only difference in this post was that she actually asked a friend of hers if maybe it was her.

I am sure the friend told her it wasn't her... and that she... for some unforeseen reason was born under an unlucky star that places her directly in one on one proximity of the biggest Jerk around...

Now if I were gutsy...

I would tell her a little story ... One that I cannot even remember the origins of ...

and it goes like this...

In the olden days.. the towns all had walls around them.. with a great gates at the entrance and at the exits..

This particular town had wise old man that would sit and study near the town's beautiful entrance...

He had seen people traveling from far and wide .. some stopping at the gate to rest ... some came and stayed.

One such traveler came to the city gate..and upon seeing the old man.. asked him.

"Excuse me Sir... but...What kind of town is this?"

The old man answered the question ... with a question.

"What was the town you just came from like?"

"Oh it was wonderful...

Everywhere I went in that town I found the people to be so friendly!"

One more helpful then the next!"

"If I didn't have to be on this journey... I would have stayed... the people were so good and kind"

The old man smiled and said...

"That is exactly the type of people you will find here"

The traveler thanked the old man for advising them of what he would find... and proceeded into the town.

A little time had passed...

and soon another traveler came to rest at the city gate..

He too came upon the same old man ...and asked him the same question..

" Can I ask you....What kind of town is this?"

Again the old man answered the question with a question.

"What was the town you came from like?"

"The traveler spat into the dust.... The people were so awful... mean and hateful.. always complaining .. I could not find one good person living there..."I couldn't get out of there fast enough !" Well said the old man..

"I'm afraid that's exactly the type of people you will find here"

He thanked the old man for the warning.. and never even went into the town..

I think you get the gist of the story...

On the one hand you might say... Well...Where ever you go, you will find good and bad...

OR you could say...

SOMETIMES.. just sometimes.. when EVERYONE else is the jerk.

We may need to rethink things and figure out if it really is EVERYONE else or maybe ourselves that need to make the change.
That we reflect back onto ourselves what WE put out there...

So...

I if I had guts.. I would refer her to this post..and this little story...

Apparently .. I don't have guts.

Afer all.. what do I know... Maybe she really does live in Jackassville...

But I always heard San Diego was so nice.

The Dark Side.. or.. The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Hey All...

Taking a break ... I have been up since the butt crack of dawn ( Took Mr R to the airport) and decided once and for all I was going to stop procrastinating on the one thing I have been putting off ... DUN DUN DUN.....

Cleaning the basement..

I just don't do this area as often as I should... and as a result it becomes a major ordeal for me..

It all builds up over time...

You see....I finish cooking and have used something from the storage area... and instead of putting away ...

I start to just plop down dishes.. vases.. platters and other kitchen items onto the closest area. Then Gifts bags and wrapping paper never put in the right place..

Stacks of Paperwork and bills to file all get piled up...The inch high layer of dust on everything...The Family of spiders waving to me from the rafters and window sills. UGH !!!

SO SO Gross...

I am afraid the basement and the garage are my two pits.. I just hate getting started on them....

I think mostly because they are our main storage areas... and I just don't want to deal with all the stuff.. that.. and they are so.... bleak and dreary..

Oh.. and did I mention the families of spiders??? eeeewwwwww

One half of the basement is looking pretty darn good... so I am proud to say I have put a major dent in it so far... straightening it so it doesn't seem so cluttered..

Amazing how organized things are if you just put them in the proper place..

(What a concept)..

So now with trusty broom in hand..I face the other side..

Better known as "The Dark Side" It has the storage room....Refrigerator/Kitchen type area and the majority of junk to go through...

I am vowing here and now.. to get rid of some of this stuff monthly...

Cleaners unite.. OK... Then just pray for me.. I'mma goin back in!