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| the smackdown | Little Blenheim | the dernier cri | |||
The unpleasant, acrid smell of burnt poetry.
Young Men in Spats, 1936
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November 25, 2009
6:01 p.m. - Took the day off to get stuff done before Thanksgiving. I made it to the gym at 6:30 and had a really good workout. It's still tough, but I'm gaining cardio strength. Then I came home and took the dogs to the groomers for their quarterly trim. They had a blast in the car all the way there and once we were in Mel's shop, they wanted OUT. Poor Gryffindor was quaking as they lead him away. Afterward, I stopped at the bank, picked up Christmas and Chanukah stamps at the Post Office, got a haircut, picked up groceries for Thanksgiving, and stopped at the dry cleaners. I meant to work on the house, but I kind of fizzled out and wound up taking a hard core nap and then puttered around putting a few things away here and there.
Mel called me to pick up the dogs around 3:30. Poor Arabella really does not do well at the groomer's, and it was worse because a man groomed her, and she does poorly with strange men. Turns out she bit him. How bad is it to be savaged by an angry maltese! They were very happy when I came for them, and they had not been out all day so Percy and Gryffindor beshat the lawn outside and peed on everything. The little bag of doo was horrific on the ride home, and they decided to punish me by dancing on the bag. Arabella was so excited to get home she threw up and then rolled about in the lush green lawn. I let them run around outside while I puffed on a briar, and then I went back to the grocery store to get a few noms to tide us over for the evening - diet coke, chicken strips (for J.), &c. Jennifer is working late tonight with the poinsettia show, and I'm reacquainting myself with an old friend called television.
November 24, 2009
8:51 p.m. - I came home from work and fired up the grill, for the first time in probably a month or two. With all modesty, I can say I made the best burgers I've made in a long time, accompanied by carrots and those frozen spanakopita I got at Sam's Club yesterday. Not bad. Meanwhile, I've got tomorrow off but I shall still be good and go to the gym at 6:30 a.m., followed by a long day of errands and house cleaning. Jennifer is still under the weather, and has retired to bed with the new Dan Brown novel.
November 23, 2009
9:06 p.m. - J got home a bit late from work, just of course as I had kicked off the old trousers and slipped into a pair of comfortably pyjamas for the evening. She wanted to go to Sam's Club to buy those little Norfolk pines to decorate the house. So I got dressed again in my finest raiments and we plunged out to 132nd and L Street and picked up two Norfolks, one for the east bay window and the other for the south window. We'll properly decorate the trees later in something less hideous than those ribbons currently festooning them.
We stopped by Ruby Tuesday for a low-carb dinner. Really. Honestly. I had a steak with sauce and mushrooms and a double-helping of broccoli. Jennifer had a crab cake with mashed cauliflower. No fries. No potatos. Fortunately for me, I love brocolli. I suppose I should leap up now and get ready for the gym tomorrow.
By the by, in case you're keeping score, I found my YMCA card.
Not me. Yet.
8:11 a.m. – What a morning at the gym! Of course, I misplaced my Y membership card somewhere along the way which added a whole new dimension of inconvenience to my morning. The first 10 minutes on that dam’ elliptical were impossible, but the 20 minute and 30 minute mark were not too bad. I think it was due to having the fan blasting on me that made it not so hard at all. That or I’m doing it wrong. Or possibly I’m gaining some cardio strength. I could have kept going, but I decided to cool off and did 30 reps with that weight machine set at a meager 50 pounds. Time to start shaking things up with a bit of weight training mixed in with the cardio. The hard part is seeing these monster guys looking like 19th century German strongmen with handlebar mustaches, tossing 300 pound weights around like toys, and I'm huffing and puffing my way through two sad little 25-pound weights on that machine.
So, says you, what did you do this weekend? Quite a bit, says I. I seemed to meet myself coming and going. The weekend started with a drink and a bite with some of the office at this species of German beer house called 1892 in Council Bluffs. The Bier Haus was actually a really nice place, and it wasn’t packed with people was only due to the fact that West Broadway is under a state of perpetual construction. We had appetizers which were not too special, but the patty melt achieved the sublime level of yumminess. No I didn’t have their schnitzels and schmaetzel and putzen. German food is too bland. What can I say? I like a good old-fashioned American burger. You can’t improve on that.
Got home by 7:00, and we had a quiet evening. I had to get up at 4:45 the next morning anyway for the Scottish Rite reunion. I made it to the Scottish Rite by 5:30, and of course the early-birds had done 2/3rds of the work before I got there. But I made the eggs, helped serve, clean, and did my usual mediocre job in the 16th and 30th degree teams before calling it a day at 3:00 or 4:00. Jennifer was out with Julie and Cindy at Costco so I ran an errand and took a brief nap. At some point in the mix, I got rid of the two remaining pumpkins feculating on the porch. Or rather, 1 ½ pumpkins. On Friday, someone – lousy teenagers, I presume – got ahold of one of the pumpkins to smash it against our front steps. So I took the remains of that pumpkin and the rotten, wet, juicy remains of the other one – it was really bad, I tells ye – and bagged it and lugged it to a dumpster down the street. Unfortunately, the desiccated pumpkin dissolved mid-air between the ground and the dumpster, so I had to scoop up as best as I could the juicy remains and throw them away. It was bad enough that I can honestly tell you that I won’t be entering the grave robbing business anytime soon. I’m just glad to be rid of the things. [Editor's Note: In case you didn't think I predicted the horrible death of those pumpkins, I did. I told you so. Right here.]
Jennifer got home around 6 or 7, and we had a quiet Saturday evening.
On Sunday, we went to the antique show at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. Jennifer bought some poinsettia pins to wear during the Poinsettia Show at the Gardens, and I bought a 1905 souvenir book of Omaha showing various city views and a 1940 book from Latenser & Sons Architects showing the buildings John Latenser had designed in Omaha over the last 40+ years. We followed that with a bit of lunch at Famous Dave’s and then came home to take the dogs out, finish the laundry, and relax before a 4:30 p.m. movie. Of course, I managed to fall asleep in the chair, watching Star Trek (third time).
We went to see 2012 at the new Marcus Theater in Midtown Crossing. Is it a good movie, says you? If you’re looking for character development, plot lines, and that sort of thing, go see On Golden Pond. Once again, the scientist discovers that End of the World As We Know It is a-coming, and he tries to warn everyone but No One Will Take Him Seriously. Or rather, they do, but it's too late.
If you’re ready to celebrate the destruction of Earth and her 7 billion citizens, 2012 is the movie for you. The movie had no merit whatsoever – though considerably more than Nicholas Cage’s Knowing or the 2nd and 3rd of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise- but that’s what makes it fun. A little twin engine plane flying between falling skyscrapers as the entire California seacoast slides into the ocean - what's not to love? Woody Harrelson hamming it up as a half-crazed conspiracy theory one-man radio program host is the best part of the movie! I’m still up in the air about whether I like the new Marcus Theater better than AMC. I suppose if I want to make a movie into an event, with dinner and a drink or two, I appreciate it very much. Otherwise, it is about the same with marginally more comfortable chairs and not as good popcorn. I also like that the staff are exceptionally courteous and pleasant. After the movie, we went to Dad and Deirdre’s to visit the family for about an hour. Got home by 9:00, finished the laundry and then off to bed. Busy weekend.
This is a short week with the Thanksgiving holiday. Yay! I still plan to hit the gym Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and earn at least 4 hours of sweat equity. And I’m taking Wednesday off, so I hope to spend some time cleaning the basement which has just become a storage dump over the last few months.
November 20, 2009
7:57 a.m. - Jennifer has been to see the doctor who pronounces her allergies as worse than ever. He gave her a cocktail of medicines which wiped her out all day yesterday. Fortunately, she has the next few days off. Of course, I have the Scottish Rite reunion on Saturday, so I won't see her until Sunday.
Meanwhile, I did my 30 minutes this morning on one of those new elliptical machines with the arm thingies that swing back and forth in attempt to give white guys rhythm and coordination. Fail. I simply contorted myself into a position where the metal bars did me the least damage as they swing back and forth. I really gave my leg muscles a good work out and kept my heart rate between about 147 and 153 the entire time. Still no results, but I feel good when I'm done. I am taking Wednesday off next week before Thanksgiving, and my goal - doomed to fail, but I'll try - is to eat healthy all next week including Thanksgiving and go to the gym every day but Thursday. I think I can do that - the gym part, that is.
November 18, 2009
8:01 a.m. - Two things amuse me. The first, watching the puppies chase a laser pointer dot around. And the second, watching Gryffindor simply walk through the bars of the puppy gate because he's so skinny, whereas Arabella and Percy can only stick their heads through.
Meanwhile, after all the anticipation for V and The Prisoner, both shows have dramatically let me down. They are dead to me. The Prisoner is trying to be something it's not, and it lost me within the first episode. Sigh. . . I guess I have to wait patiently for the next season of Mad Men and Lost.
It's only 8:00, and I am beat-down tired right now. I am already not looking forward to getting up and getting to the gym. I have a feeling I am going to drag in the morning.
8:11 a.m. - Went to Julie's last night with Jennifer to watch the new Star Trek movie out on DVD, and had Lo Solo Mio's for dinner again. Nom! Yesterday was double-tough at the gym, and I killed myself making 30 minutes. Today was hard, but not nearly as tough. I think it is because I had the fan on me today whereas I sweated like a meatloaf yesterday. I did the 30 minutes again, and even though I am still not seeing any progress about the middle, I feel better. I think I reported that I have been sleeping a bit better since I started working out, but last night belied that statement. I woke up at 4:00, and only slept in minor fits and starts until 6:00 a.m.
November 17, 2009
Here is a picture of me at the investiture ceremony last Saturday.
2:06 p.m. - I was on the AFP Philanthropy Day honoree selection committee, and having served faithfully in my duties, I went to the luncheon today. Had a great deal of fun, sitting with Lori B formerly of Charles Drew. It was a great luncheon, and it was fun to run into a great many people I knew.
8:08 a.m. - I slept through my alarm this morning and managed to take extra long to brush the teeth, throw on the togs, and head out to the Y. I think I didn't step on the machine until about 6:50 a.m. Yesterday was no problem at the gym, but I really had to push myself today to make my thirty minutes. I did it, and I am proud of myself for having made it, but it was difficult. I got off the elliptical caked in my own sweat.
Today's archetype gym nemeses was The Yakkers - those two guys on the machines next to me prattling on about nothing in particular while I need to put my feeble mental strength into concentrating on my workout rather than their banter. I can't fault them, nor will I have them put to the sword for doing what is natural, but it sure is annoying at a moment when I need to focus all my guile and cunning.
November 16, 2009
10:28 p.m. - Attended my first Scottish Rite business meeting as a KCCH. I felt self-conscious about it, like the Brethren were going to accost me and ask if I thought I was being funny, wearing someone else's red cap. I met a potential candidate for dinner, and hopefully he'll join Florence Lodge and get involved. . . . Got home by 9:00, and cleaned up the cutting board and mixing bowl Jennifer left out for me, put her laundry in the drier, took the dogs out, took the trash out, laid out my raiment for tomorrow, brought her water, took the dogs out again, and finally sat down to check my e-mail. On that note, off to a well earned rest.
8:26 a.m. - Monday again. Where did the weekend go? As hard as it is to wake up at 6 am nowadays, I feel much better after my visit to the gym. I pushed myself for my usual 30 minutes, and I feel good having accomplished it. I’m still trying to figure out my fellow gym goers, most of whom are nice enough. But I can’t figure out two archetypes: the first who sweats all over creation and can’t be bothered to wipe down his machine, and the second is the tattooed guy who wears his little wool hat (because, you see, it marks him as different than everyone else, and that’s why he wears it even when it is 72° indoors) and insists on yakking on his cell phone during his entire 30 minute workout! I hate that! Is your phone call so important that you need to talk in lieu of putting attention into your exercise? He was barely pedaling the stationery bike. Why not just stay home, in that case?
Be that as it may, this was a nice weekend. I picked up my tuxedo on Friday after work, and headed home. Jennifer got home late, after setting up for the trunk show this weekend, and we headed over to Mom's house for cake and ice cream to celebrate her birthday. One of her friends who is a theology professor brought over a Romanian brandy, which was one of the smoothest drinks I've ever had. Normally I am not a huge brandy fan, but this was excellent. On Saturday, I was up early for the
KSA meeting at Scottish Rite, which lasted an hour and 38 minutes. Somehow I wind up with more work afterward! I went down to the trunk show at the Gardens and talked myself into buying the terra-cotta torch that once adorned the old Masonic building in downtown Omaha. I know I probably ought not to have, but I couldn’t help it. And later, in a fit of Masonic passion, I donated it to the Scottish Rite so that everyone could enjoy it.
Time to hit the gym again. But the vest covers up a multitude of sins, as I head off to the investiture ceremony in Lincoln
After that, I went home, changed into my tux. Whoever invented the tuxedo needs to be shot. They are unforgiving, hot, and uncomfortable. And even worse for bigger fellows such as myself. Mom stopped by and took a few pictures – I can see I’ve put on too much weight since January at the officers’ installation when I last wore it. I rode the bus from Tangier Shrine to Lincoln for the KCCH installation, which was a lot of fun. I sat with Dan W and Kevin O, who had me laughing the entire time. And once we were there, it was a case of hurry up and wait. We did our pictures (I dread seeing mine!) and our class picture and a picture of guys from the Omaha Valley. Then just as I got all the way back outside to cool off – those tuxedos are hot! – they called us back in for a very beautiful and very impressive investiture ceremony, followed by a great dinner. We got back home around 8:30, and I was able to cool off and relax for an hour or two before bed.
On Sunday, Jennifer went to the trunk show for the second day. I picked up a few groceries and then spent the afternoon lazily cleaning up around the house, with a nice hour long nap in the middle. Watched The Prisoner in the evening, which was fun. And went to bed around 10:30, with the strangest, weirdest, most bizarre dreams ever. But I don’t remember what the heck they were! I was dragging this morning, but 30 minutes sweating on the elliptical works wonder to help the body bounce back from a restless night.
November 13, 2009
1:14 p.m. - I picked up pasta alla carbonara (sautéed prosciutto and onions tossed in fettuccine and white sauce - nom!) and home made minestrone for lunch from Lo Solo Mio. Yum! That hit the spot (and then some) on this dreary, overcast Friday the 13th.
8:02 a.m. - Made it to the gym this morning again. I'm still doing 30 solid minutes on the elliptical machine to build my cardiovascular strength. Yesterday was not too difficult (the first 15 minutes is hard on my heart; I have my second wind on the second 15, but I am physically tired). Today, however, was difficult for some reason. I did the entire 30, plus one or two more for good measure. I have yet to see any solid results about the Plimsoll line, but my legs are getting a good work out and I am doing the heart a bit of good.
The director made Omaha into a downright beautiful and magical place, even on those gray, dreary, blustery winter days. Now that's the magic of film making! Last night most of the office went to see the new movie Lovely Still, starring Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn, at the new Marcus Theater in Midtown Crossing. It was a beautiful movie, and no one had a dry eye in the house by the end. It was clearly made by a 25 year old film guy, and I thought the use of 35 mm camera and some of the juxtapositions were cheesy, but it was indeed a beautiful story and how can I criticize a 25 year old director whose first movie is in the theaters while I have yet to make and have rejected my first movie? At any rate, Marcus Theater is going to be interesting. You sit at tables and waiters bring you dinners (surprisingly reasonably priced), drinks, adult beverages, popcorn, whatever. What a fun way to enjoy a movie, though I can only imagine the paroxysms of rage I'll feeling hearing the person next to me slurping his soup or crunching her ice! But the waiters were well trained, and you barely heard them for all their coming and going. I'm looking forward to seeing a blockbuster there!
November 12, 2009
8:58 a.m. - Still going strong at the gym. My morning 30 minutes on the elliptical gets easier and easier. Still no easier waking up and pushing off so early in the morning, but I am getting used to it.
Otherwise, little from Omaha. We went to the Dell last night after running some errands, and otherwise we had a quiet evening.
November 9, 2009
9:18 p.m. - Jennifer lured me into having a slice of pie last night before bed. The upshot was that I slept horribly last night, and had weird dreams involving shoot-'em-outs with Joe Pesci. But I still dragged into the Y at 6:35 and managed a good solid 30 minute work out. Not bad, particularly after missing last Friday and a weekend of gastronomic excess and physical sloth. If I could just combine it with a bit of healthier nomming, I'd be set. Tomorrow I do it again.
Interesting thought: if my grandfather were still alive, tomorrow would be his 99th birthday. Happy birthday, Grandpa!
November 8, 2009
9:26 p.m. - Percy and Gryffindor rarely let Arabella have a rawhide. Even when I give them one each, Percy snags one and then takes a second one as a reserve. Right now, Percy is fast asleep and Arabella is gnawing on the stump of a tasty rawhide. She is as blissfully happy as a pig in a poke (whatever that means). I can hear her snuffling in ecstasy while working on her treats!
In the meantime, tonight's Mad Men is the season finale, and it is damned good.
8:32 p.m. - And again, we join our weekend in its waning hours. Jennifer and I went out to breakfast at Louis M's. Or rather, she had breakfast and I had my traditional guacamole bacon cheddar burger. Ahhh, Louis M's. Quite possibly the best burger in Omaha. Afterward, we went to visit Tom at Terrific Tom's Antiques. We were heartbroken to learn that his beloved boxer Mighty Manfred was put to sleep last Monday. Tom is devastated. That dog meant more to him than anything. Without Mighty, Tom's health will decline quickly. On the other hand, I am probably going to go back this week and pick up a lawyer's bookshelf for the front parlor. He's been reducing his inventory to retire, and the prices are choice!
Afterward, we looked in on Pier One and Jennifer picked up some decorations. We got home in time to meet my mother, and then we looked in on Mark's house to show her around before he moves to his new lair, the old Brandeis-Millard house at 38th Street. Without the furniture, the old homestead looks practically naked. It was designed by Georg Prinz and built in 1913. I hope someone buys it and will maintain the Gold Coast beauty as it was designed.
By the time we were done with the tour, Jennifer's allergies got the better of her, and we called it a day. She's been resting ever since, and I wrapped up the laundry, put my gym bag together, and am getting reacquainted with an old friend called television. Tonight is the season finale for Mad Men, and it better be good!
10:27 a.m. - Slept in until 8:30, when I found that Percy had beshit his kennel. I understand that. The little guy had to go, and Daddy was too long a layabout. But did he have to make performance art (Entartete Kunst, so to speak) out of it, and smear it everywhere? It was horrible. Horrible, I tells you. I cleaned out the kennel, washed (or really, boiled) his blanket and pillow, and then wiped the whole thing down with disinfectant wipes. And then washed it again, for good measure.
Since I was dirty, I tackled the last of the leaves that had fallen in the front yard, and raked up a nice four bags worth of foliage. With that, I have raked up about 98% of the leaves on the trees, and whatever is left may fit in one or two more bags by the end of the season, or more preferably, wait until the Spring, 2010. [Editor's note: by 3 in the afternoon, a great many leaves had returned, blown from neighboring trees. Sigh. . . ]
So what, says you, are you up to today? That, says I, is the right question. We may do one thing. We may do another. You never know where the axe may fall. My own preference is to look in on Louis M's or Dixie Quick's, followed by a visit to Tom, the antique-wallah. Jennifer may have her own ideas, and I'm sure we'll find an equitable (i.e., 90-10 split) way to enjoy the morning.
12:00 a.m. - What an amazing two days! I started yesterday by helping out at the Scottish Rite scotch tasting. I promised to be gentle with my sampling behind the scenes, and I was. Of all the Scotches I managed to sip (in great moderation, mind you), the Glenmorangie Nector d'Or was utterly sublime. It was so smooth, it was barely Scotch. It was like drinking alcoholic silk. It's first cousin was Glenmorangie LaSanta, which was equally remarkable. You know I don't go for all that "subtle hints of vanilla and toffee, mixed with the gentle aroma of raisins" nonsense. I have a simple Beavis and Butthead Binomal Theory of Opposition: something either rules or it sucks. And let us simply say the two Glenmorangie's I sampled rule more than anything has ever ruled before.
Perlman playing John William's Schindler's List
Followed by today. Tickets to Itzak Perlman with Julie and Mark. Itzak-freakin-Perlman came to Omaha, and I sat about 50 feet away from one of the best violinists in the world. Conductor David Wilkins started with Mozart's 29th Symphony, followed by Mozart's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, with Maestro Perlman performing. He truly is among the top violinists ever. The orchestra performed the overture from Candide followed by Gershwin's An American in Paris rhapsody. Perlman came back on to play the violin solo from John William's Schindler's List, followed by Fritz Kreisler's Liebeslied, and one other Kreisler piece the name of which escapes me. Perlman is fantastic. I wish he had favored the audience with one or two encores!
Afterward, we had a great, late-night dinner at O Casual Dining. Jennifer ordered eggplant and tofu, Mark the candied chicken, Julie the rice bowl, and I ordered the Hennessy shrimp. Everything was out of this world. Sometimes O Casual Dining is a bit too haute for me, but this time the entire order was spot on excellent. I am thoroughly stuffed, and I'll probably have awful middle-of-the-night indigestion, but it was worth it.
November 3, 2009
8:44 p.m. - Not impressed with "V." It's just not grabbing me, possibly because I already know what is basically going to happen.
Meanwhile, I put up fresh pictures of
the otherthe real V here, during her recent trip to Omaha.7:42 p.m. - My "V" watching experience has been tainted by watching too much of the cheesy 1980s version. Wisdom we learn from our alien visitors:
The aliens have ruined it for any real aliens who stumble onto Earth and offer to trade knowledge and technology for a few gallons of water and minerals. We'll shoot 'em down first and ask questions later.
Like Godzilla, aliens make a bee-line to New York and Los Angeles. Well, duh. Who wouldn't? Best shopping's there anyway.
Aliens who come to Earth looking like Morena Baccarin will be welcomed. But the converse of that rule is: the hotter the alien, the more deadly they'll be.
You have to admire aliens who have their own 4-color printing press on board.
8:08 a.m. - Whew! Made it 25 minutes again at the gym. Today was harder than yesterday. Hopefully I'll start seeing results in the next week or two. Meanwhile, I was voted SW at Florence Lodge yesterday. Ugh. I really want 2010 to be my last year serving in an office there.
November 2, 2009
Leavitt and Peirce at Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA
3:35 p.m. - Thanks to @msjen01 who sent me this picture from her family trip to New England. Ahhh, Leavitt & Peirce. . . how often did I enjoy visiting L&P in Harvard Square, smelling the huge glass jars of tobacco, the case full of cool shaving accessories, and the chess boards upstairs? I loved that place, and probably miss it more than anywhere else in all of Massachusetts.
8:02 a.m. - Today marks the beginning of Week 3 at the Y. Doing my morning routine is getting easier, though it is no less difficult to get up at 6:00 a.m., brush my teeth, take the dogs outside, grab my bag, and get to the gym. Still seems to take about 45 minutes to get out the door each morning. This morning I did 25 minutes on the elliptical machine, at its most strenuous setting. It is definitely not as hard as it was a week ago, and once I can do 25 to 30 minutes easily (or rather, easier), I'll mix it up with the weights. I'm still hoping I can keep up the momentum through the winter months.
Meanwhile, slept horribly last night. Keep getting up to use the bathroom or falling asleep and waking up with a start, from some kind of weird dream. Speaking of which, tonight is Florence Lodge elections. Hooray. I will probably get elected SW, with the proviso that I'm not moving to WM next year (and will probably make this my final year in line), won't do degree work, and won't go to GL.
November 1, 2009
Howard tells us about the chapel, built in 1915
Enter here. . . if you dare!
Jennifer looks enthralled!
7:42 p.m. - Fifty-five shopping days until Christmas, shoppers. Halloween is done, and we're on the big count down to the end of the year. Who'd've thunk it? Hopefully the coming months will bring economic recovery.
Quite the weekend at the old Evans homestead. On Friday, we decided to go to the Dell again. I had the famous Dell burger and Jennifer had the fish and chips. Afterward, we walked over to eCreamery and had ice cream. I am always amazed that they seem to find an inexhaustible supply of hairy clerks wearing those ubiquitous woolen caps that proclaim how different they are from everyone else - and exactly like one another they are. Oh look, you dress exactly like Colin Ferrell. How deep and soulful you must be in your little wool cap. I can't wait to hear your poetry. Your little wool cap must make it even more profound than if you weren't wearing a little wool cap.
We were up at the crack of dawn for the cemetery tour. Turns out, it was 10:00 p.m., not 10:00 a.m. So we puttered around in the evening until it was time to go. We didn't really do Halloween. Once again, Halloween has thoroughly outlived its usefulness. It used to be good, wholesome fun when I was a stripling. Allen, Tim, Mike, and I (or some combination thereof, with Jeremy in tow) would run through the neighborhood trick-or-treating until about 9:00, when we'd come home, gorge on candy and play monopoly or watch movies in the basement. Nowadays, parents drive their kids into neighborhoods they imagine mean more candy or bigger candy bars. Non-local cars were parked up and down 33rd Street, Poppleton Street, and the side streets. Imagine their surprise when they find Ford Birthsite is no different than anywhere else. Be that as it may, the kids come by and mumble trickertreat and then have the temerity to ask for candy for that sick brother who can't be here, or for that infant sister who isn't even eating solids yet! They don't even say thank you any more! My favorite was the father who was taking his kids around and complained that had he know there were so steps here, he wouldn't have come to this neighborhood!
Bah! I'm through with all of it. We didn't do the candy this year and kept the house quiet to not excite the dogs.
At 9:30, we went to McFoster's Cafe and met up with the others for the historic cemetery tour. We took off at about 10:15 or 10:20, and had a full bus load. What fun! Our tour guide took us to Forest Lawn, and we saw the resting places of the Civil War, Spanish-American war, and WWI veterans. We went to the beautiful neo-classical chapel, built in 1915 by architect John McDonald. The mosaics were beautiful. Howard took us down to the crematorium in the basement, which was creepy but good fun. I want to go back during the day time to see Forest Lawn! We got home at about 12:30 a.m. I can't wait until next year's tour!
Today was reasonably quiet. Lots of laundry, a bit of cleaning, a few errands. Otherwise, we enjoyed the day. I grilled steaks for dinner earlier, and have been puttering around in the evening while Jennifer watches TV in the other room.
