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There have been many years when ALL I watched was the ads and managed to totally ignore the game. Yes, it’s true. These are my favorite ads from this year:
1. Snicker’s/Betty White
2. VW Stevie Wonder (inspired!)
3. Audi Green (made me wish it was real, almost)
4. Letterman/Oprah/Leno (simple, short, hilarious)
5. Doritos dog collar, Doritos Ninja (laughed out loud, well beer was involved)
Worst ads were those showing men in their underwear. Don’t need to see that.
My beer of choice for the evening was Boddingtons Pub Ale.
The 141 million dollar lottery ticket was sold in Asheville…but not to us. I am so bummed. I just may be bummed all damn day.
We had a very small super bowl party at Becky’s condo last night. Just the three of us. I made Buffalo hot wings dip and some jambalaya. Becky made chili. We had a great time, managing to talk through the controversial commercial so totally missed the controversy. I’m glad it was an exciting game because Becky has no computer for me to play with downstairs. I was stuck. I haven’t watched an entire football game in decades. Whenever I got bored I’d holler “who dat?” just to, you know, get going again. Gerry and I wore black t-shirts with gold mardi gras beads to show our team spirit.
We all three pretty much hated the half-time geriatric rockers. You’re never too old to rock ‘n roll, but you can get too old to try to imitate your younger self. They should have lip-synced it and spared us the humiliating spectacle of Roger Daltry straining for notes that were better left un-sung. Pete Townsend with his belly-baring windmilling was so awful it wasn’t even humorous.
I’m happy for the Saints and all their fans. They proved they deserved to be there and they played an exciting game. Whew! Glad that’s over. I can go back to ignoring football for the next 20 years.
How high’s the water momma?
I don’t think we’ve ever seen this much water in the 5 years we’ve lived in this house.
We designed and built a birdhouse for a charity auction this weekend. Gerry pretty much designed this one on the fly. He really likes the asymetrical roof line.
Friends have been giving us things to use in our quest to make our birdhouses unique. This one has two pieces of silver-plate, a tray under the house and a footed piece under the center post. The tray has been drilled so it won’t hold water and breed mosquitoes. I placed bicycle gears on the front and on the side roof and then I hung crystals hoping the bluebirds would be attracted to the “shiny things”. The center post is a leg from an old table, the feet are old drawer knobs. The bird perch is a very scuffed up finial. On the right there is a brass light fixture base. I slapped that distressed aluminum on the front because I wanted to hammer in some more copper nails. I love to put those copper nails all over the place. The white porcelain knob on the side is for the clean-out. This house is functional and decorative. I hope it brings as much as the one we made last year, but this event is in danger of being postponed due to the CRAPPY weather!
As bummed as I am about the party, I just had a really good laugh reading that Dave Matthews would have said no to John Edwards had he asked Matthews to play at his fantasy roof-top wedding in NYC.
I picture John Edwards reading this and feeling bad. That makes me start laughing all over again.
I’m bummed about the canceled dinner party. I have all that pomegranite that I cleaned for the champagne cocktails.
I made Morroccan stew yesterday.
We got several inches of snow. I think the city has shut down. Sleet fell on top of the snow to make driving more interesting for the fools that want to get out in it. We were supposed to go to a dinner party tonight, but I think it’s been canceled. I’m trying to work up enough interest/energy to be productive but not making any progress.
Those two words make me proud to be a member of the human race. What a remarkable woman. Brave, in the simple, pure, unquestioning way of someone who knows what is the right thing to do and just does it.
I stand at the end of the long, long line of good Dutch people who did what I did or more – much more - during those dark and terrible times years ago, but always like yesterday in the hearts of those of us who bear witness. Never a day goes by that I do not think of what happened then.
The world is a lesser place with her passing.
If she's going this fast after 6 days, I suppose she'll be sprinting at her birthday?
Griffin took to skiing like a duck to water. Who’s surprised?
Once upon a time I met a cyber-pal at a blog. We exchanged emails and recipes, if I remember correctly. When I started up my art blog she bought a painting from me and it was a very special event in my life because SHE is an artist and she liked my painting.
To be precise, she is a famous artist. Sally Cruikshank. And today her animated film “Qausi at the Quackadero” was selected for the National Film Registery by the Library of Congress.
The Library of Congress selects 25 films each year that it considers "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant," chosen from hundreds of titles nominated by the public, members of the National Film Preservation Board and the library's motion picture staff.
Check out her blog here.
I’ve got the pot of black-eyed-peas on the stove to simmer for hours and be consumed with glee. That is a big ol’ ham-bone you see poking up above the broth. Serve with cornbread and champagne. I insist.
Happy New Year!
Some of my favorite photos from 2009.
We've just come back from a whirlwind visit to see Angela, Josh and Sophia. I thought we were going to spend a quiet Christmas, and maybe replace a window. But Nooooo! The laundry system was to be moved into the house from the garage. This involved blasting a hole through the concrete wall, and redesigning the large storage closet.
After three days of solid work, the same view looks like this.
And through the new bi-fold door we put in the spare room wall.
I left Josh with the trim and staining, but it looks pretty good.
Fun was had by all in the Greben household. We cooked and laughed and watched a lot of strange movies. Sophia and I had watched “Mystery Science Theatre – Santa Claus” and I lived to tell about it. Surreal would be the jumping off point.
There is always something to fix:
There were lots and lots of hugs.
Fashion show was pretty much 24/7.
Sophia and Bompie played some chess and then they cuddled up to watch…MORE MOVIES!
Girls are so fickle. Sophia has a new man in her life and he inspires her with a passion for nature. Her new crush is none other than David Attenborough. He of the wrinkled, dirty khakis and propensity to climb on things old people should just stand and look at. She particularly likes his bird videos. We've been here since Tuesday and I've seen it 3 times already. You'd think his budget would provide him with a change of clothes so that when he turns his back to the camera you don't blurt out "his ass is muddy again". He looks like he travels with a change of underwear and a toothbrush. Maybe.
This was the view out our living room window this morning.
Here’s the driveway:
The good news is our power is back on!
Gerry is making a must-see movie list. In about an hour he’s going to pack the van and head to the pond to sail. We are both enjoying a few quite moments. We leave again on Monday so I’m not sure I’m going to unpack. I hope we can take some photos of my most recent paintings.
The closest to I’ve come to holiday decorating is to put out a couple of cards that we got in the mail. I had an old neighbor call me last year. She said they were going through their phone list and saw our names and wondered if we were dead or alive. I told her we were alive and well, we had just stopped sending holiday cards because we’re too lazy.
My plan for the afternoon is to get on the treadmill and watch some TiVoed tv. When Ger is out of the house I can turn the volume up to dish-rattling decibels.
Peace out.
Kaye's grandmother's china:
Griffin insisted that the turkey be brought to the table whole, just like in the movies. Here he is getting carving lessons from dad.
When we arrived the microwave was on the fritz, only two burners worked on the stove and the oven was acting weird. Not to worry. Bomp is in the house.
We are getting ready to load up the van for Thanksgiving in Dallas. I emailed D & K to make a list of tools the “foreman” needed to pack to work on whatever projects they have planned. Here’s the response:
“tell the foreman to bring every tool he owns, all of 'em, including rip saws and saw dust inhalers... if you have to rent a flat bed truck, then fine (think: "Beverly Hillbillies") ...we can keep him busy for months...you can fly back and forth to your flower-garden-landscaping-blood drive-organ donor thingy meetings when necessary.”
Griffin has two movies he wants to see. I am bringing tools and supplies for him to use to paint something for his room. A visit with Don and Lana is on the agenda. Gerry will be grateful for a respite in the never-ending leaf raking.