Dinner is at 3

This tree is a few houses down from ours. I wish you could have seen it this morning. It was alive with birds, foraging for the last of whatever seed or berry it bears. Sometimes a whole flock of them would fly over to The Neighbor's to scavenge bits of apple and cherry that haven't yet been taken by the squirrels and crows and then they'd fly back to this tree to chatter and chirp and peck. It was a Thanksgivingy sort of scene and it made me very happy.

I am thankful for many things this year, not the least of them being a meaningful, fun job and the fact that I get to eat a glorious Thanksgiving meal without lifting a finger. (Not quite true...I chopped onions yesterday. But turns out I didn't bake because some women's group came by yesterday afternoon with 3 pies...and we already had 3 plus cakes and I really was in the mood to eat the pie that others baked rather than fuss myself. So instead I've been very lazy this morning and I'm thankful for that. And for pie).

And of course, among all the many gifts and graces in my life, I'm thankful for you, gentle blog buddy. I hope you have a very lovely day.

And Tonight I'll Make a Pie

I find it very amusing that even though I am now gainfully employed, I will be spending today doing many of the sorts of things I would have done if I were still at home. I will be going to the grocery store to get the last of the treats for Thanksgiving dinner. I will be chopping onions and celery and making salad dressing. I will be picking up someone at the airport. The fact that I am going to be paid for this just cracks me up.

My side of the family isn't convening for Thanksgiving this year because, well, frankly because 2 nieces + husbands + one baby are going to be in Oregon with the Stewarts and George Clooney's family isn't coming as originally planned because they have to save their travel time to come out when Mr. Stewart finally passes. Since The Spouse and I both work on Friday, we weren't going down until Saturday anyway and now hardly anyone will be there. It feels very raggedy and sad but there it is. Meanwhile, The Spouse's brother and his wife were going to be out of town and now they're not but it's too late because, in light of all this, we had already committed to joining the Fisher House party. It's going to be a spectacular feast.

So anytryptophen, today is the day for early dinner prep and picking up surprise guests from the airport. (I'm not surprised but there's a mom who's gonna be). And it still cracks me up that I'm getting paid for all that.

I may also crunch some data and make a chart.

Fun with Scrabble™

A couple of you asked how to play Speed Scrabble™, the game that's sweeping the nation.

Here are the rules:

Turn all the tiles face down. Each player draws 7 tiles. Using the tiles you form words, down and across, just like you do for regular Scrabble™, only in this case each player builds his or her own words.

When a player uses all her tiles she calls "draw" and everyone has to take another tile, even if they are still working on their words. If you are clever enough, you can really get the other players in the weeds by calling "draw" a bunch of times. It's fun to hear them groan. (If there is a point, and there will be, when no one can play all their tiles, you say "stuck" and everyone draws).

The other important feature of the game is that you may rearrange tiles as often as you like in order to use them all.

For example, note that I just drew a "c"...a very pesky letter, by the way.











A quick move of the tiles and "arum" turns into "rum" and the "c" is utilized in the ever popular word "sac".















It really sux when you draw an "i" five times in a row.


Unfortunately, "i yi yi" is not found in the official Scrabble™ dictionary.










You have to be fast if you are going to rearrange your words, though. I've been caught in the middle of a reorganization toward the end of a game. That is bad. Because the game ends when all the tiles have been drawn and a player, having successfully placed all his tiles, calls "Done!" When that happens all the other players have to stop making words and, just like in regular Scrabble™, you have to subtract any unused tiles from your total.



















Speed Scrabble™ is super fun and highly addictive. Just ask Buck. We played about 412 games this weekend.

I'm So Predictable

I am also still full. Has anyone else noticed that a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is basically a big plate of carbs? I should probably go out into this very frosty and cold Friday morning and walk 5 miles, just to return some semblance of feeling to my gastronomical parts.

But I probably won't.

Besides, The Child and I have to teach Uncle Buck how to play speed Scrabble.

See you on Monday. Enjoy those leftovers.



The Cranberries "Dreams"

Project Spit Mark

We'll make this short and sweet, kids. Yams, etc.

The designers were told that they would be creating something for a "fashion and pop cultural icon", as Heidi put it. The speculation and tittering in the work room was hysterical. "Madonna?" (As if). "Britney?" (Didn't catch who posited that one but Britney is to fashion what waterboarding is to human rights). And then, oh, then, the icon walked in: Ms. Sarah Jessica Parker.

"Oh My God" and "OH. MY. God" and "omigodomigodomigod".

I'm pretty sure several of them peed a little. I like SJP as much as the next person. Really I do. And you have to love how she has established herself over the years, all things considered (let's not forget "Square Pegs"). But wow. The tears and piddling over her seemed a bit much. It's not like she's Bono for crying out loud.

Anyway, the challenge: design a two piece outfit for SJP's clothing line, "Bitten". The real trick? It has to be high end but affordable. (I've seen the line. Ridiculously inexpensive and very cute and accessible). How affordable? The outfit couldn't retail for more than $40. Which meant the designers could only spend $15 on fabric. (I didn't actually see them go to China but they must have because I don't know where you get $15 worth of anything in New York).

The other part of the challenge: the designers had 30 minutes to sketch something, then pitch it to SJP. She would pick the 7 designs she liked best and those folks would then pick another designer to work with them to fabricate the ensemble.

The pitch bit was amusing...there were those who fawned, those who actually pitched, those who forgot to shake SJP's hand. Moving on.

Of the teams, the most interesting was Elisa and Sweet P. Everyone was shocked as hell that SJP picked Elisa's design in the first place...they clearly think she's a freak. Sweet P was the last designer picked to a team (hmmmm...not sure why that was); you could see it on her face...she so didn't want to work with Elisa. And you know what Elisa did? She said, "Oh, good. You're exactly who I wanted from the start". And I thought, "Damn. You are one weird hippie freak but that was one of the nicest things I've ever heard anyone say".

Right, so poor Sweet P was completely befuddled by Elisa's techniques. All hand-sewing. Spit marking. Yes. She spits on the clothes. Something about transferring energy. Eeeww. She described this week's dress as being "polymorphic". Cut to Sweet P repeatedly looking confused and overusing the signature Gunnian phrase "Make it work".

Most of the other designers were just happily working together, not much going on. Still lots flying under the radar. But Christian was still really arrogant and full of himself. Really. Kid, you're 21 years old. You might have mad skillz but let's accomplish a thing or two before we start walking around like our poo don't smell, 'k?

Ricky, or as I like to call him, Blubberboy, choked up half a dozen times in the show. He is way too sensitive. Too sensitive in a "overly fragile and possibly unhinged" sort of way. Plus, he wasn't even crying about anything of substance, like a broken bobbin or a model who suddenly hit puberty and no longer fits in the dress. I don't know what he's going to do if something like that ever happens.

The designs hit the runway. Wonder of wonders, Elisa's dress is one of the top 2. Everyone is shocked, except her. (Hippies have a wonderful sense of self, I'll give 'em that). There were "jokes" about her being from another planet. She softly replied, "I'm coming to your planet, with gifts". I think she's growing on me. That scares me.

Here was the Elisa/Sweet P collaboration:


Not bad. Why, it's almost, oh, what's the word? Polymorphic. (Huh?)

The winning design was Victorya's, who was partnered with Kevin:



Adorable. Although there were actually quite a few adorable numbers. In fact there really were only 2 ensembles that stood out for being not adorable. Which made the final judging pretty easy.

Christian's design, teamed with Carmen, described by the judges as "80s retro".


(It was the jacket wot done them in). Christian was very pissy with Michael and Nina (which was not smart because they are going to be judging every damn thing he does and he does NOT want to get on their bad side). They were giving their opinions and he was all, "I'd really like to hear what Sarah Jessica has to say". Ooooh, you're gonna be in so much trouble.....

It was bad. But not as bad as this, from Marion and Steven:


In their defense, SJP said it looked like Hermes. But Heidi thought it looked like it "came out of a basement...it's very sad". Ouch.

The impressive bit, after the scathing judgements, were that the team members were asked who should go. Carmen started to cry and Christian pretty much said it was his design so it would be his loss. Marion did the same thing. Very stand up of both of them.

Marion was auf'd for his raggy looking dress. I'd like to think the near miss had taken some of the stuffing out of Christian. But I doubt it.

Speaking of stuffing, I hope you all have a happy day full of thankful things and good food. And may no one spit on your clothes.

Song for Thanksgiving

Good morning! I meant to get up at 7 but now it's 8. I'm thankful for sleeping in.

There is frost on the ground but the sky is clear and blue. I'm thankful for November.

The house is not exactly in a state of readiness for Buck. Yesterday involved a lot more running around than I had anticipated. But I'm thankful for a house to clean and people to help me do it. Assuming, you know, that they help.

Today is The Dog's 3rd birthday. ("21", said The Spouse. "Now he can drink"). I'm thankful for my doggie who worships me and The Cat, who could care less about me most of the time but still deigns to sit on my lap and purr once in a while.

There is much to think on and offer up today. My finger didn't fall off, for one thing. A 4 day weekend, for another. Being 50. Having once been a teenager myself so I can remember what completely irrational beings they can be. Having friends. Good friends. Friends near and far. Friends down the street and in Blogtopia.

Yes. I'm grateful. I also don't have any time to make some poignant comment about said gratitude because if Buck is on time I gotta leave here in an hour and I'm so not ready for him. (Clean sheets on the guest bed are not a luxury but a requirement).

Oh, and here's something else to be grateful for: Scottish boys who make guitars sound like bagpipes!

Happy Thanksgiving, dear ones!



Big Country "Harvest Home"

Surprise! Wednesday Jukebox

Mouse emailed me yesterday suggesting that since we have a big feathered holiday coming up and most people will be off on Friday as well (a moment of silence for all those who work retail), perhaps we should move Jukebox Friday to Wednesday.

This tickled me because it's not actually like we have a charter or a Quorum of Nine or by laws or anything. Crikey. I played a video yesterday (breaking news story); probably gonna play one tomorrow, too (something to wow the Pilgrims). Guess it just speaks to the power of the meme. Or maybe mob mentality. Peer pressure? Or perhaps my willingness to jump on board speaks to the paucity of blog material I have at hand just at the moment. Anyway...

Here's a little number that always surprises me when I hear it. It takes a lot of courage to cover a song that a) was such a big hit and 2) an iconic one, at that. It seems to me that if you are going to do something like that, you'd better do everything you can to give it a twist and make it your own, preferably without completely obscuring the fabric that held the original together. Or, you know, completely make it into something virtually unrecognizable. But if you do that, it's not really a cover, imho.

This song completely succeeds for me. It's perkily familiar and yet the rendering of the song, both by virtue of the ska take and the outstanding vocals, make you (OK, me) hear it in a new way. Far too young and clever, indeed.

Anyway, here's a little twist-while-honoring-the-original cover tune for ya to peel yams by. (Or in my case: peel yams, make cranberry compote, supervise but not meddle while The Child makes pies. And that bathroom isn't going to clean itself).



Save Ferris "Come On, Eileen"