This is what going to town for a music lesson looks like.
I forgot to pack a tote bag, so that plastic grocery bag you see is holding all of my music.
Dancing Mandolin Player has been driving me to lessons and band practices, and my French Friend Janou has loaned me her car for the rest of my stay here.
The band is gathering for their weekly potluck supper after practice, which is the highlight of the week for me. I’ve looked forward to this all winter.
I have such good friends.
I have 89,015 things to do before I leave home tomorrow.
1. Change the lowest string on my guitar to a different weight.
2. Unpack the Ipod and make friends with it.
3. Somehow transfer all the music I own to the Ipod, if it is friendly enough.
4. Find my grandson’s Star Wars dvd’s, purchased on ebay last month and not seen since.
5. Make Banjo Man a cd of a new song to learn.
6. Blog for the authors’ website.
7. Bring my mother her gift, since I won’t be home for Mother’s Day.
8. Find the keys to the lake house and the condo.
9. Laundry.
10. Print out boarding passes.
11. Pack frozen oat bran muffins.
12. Pack vintage fabric for July yard sale.
13. Watch “River Monsters” at 9 pm.
14. Iron stuff.
15. Charge the Kindle.
16. Charge the phone.
17. Charge the portable charger.
18. Charge the Ipod.
19. Figure out how to pack the violin bow with the electric guitar, if such a thing is possible.
20. Program the dvr, so Banjo Man can relax while I’m away.
I am heading west! I am heading to the lake!!! 89,015 things cannot stop me now!!!!
Sarge called this afternoon. He wanted me to watch this video on you tube. And he wanted to say he loved me.
Okay, I’m crying.
Sarge and I have been through a lot together. I’m very proud of him.
Bakers beware. These are dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free muffins. Translation: not much flavor.
But they’re healthy, and much better for you than packaged protein bars.
I tried this recipe, “Get Up and Go Muffins” from Spoonful of Sugar’s blog. I adapted them a little.
Ingredients:
1 cup oat bran
1 cup oat flours
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon (I will use more next time)
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 400 and grease muffin tin.
Mix together dry ingredients.
Chop apples and put them in a saucepan with a splash of water and let simmer for 10 minutes until soft. Smash with a fork and then mix with the rest of the wet ingredients.
Combine the wet and dry, then fold in raisins and walnuts and blueberries.
Bake 15 min. until golden brown. These won’t rise very much.Let cool on racks for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and continue to let cool.
Makes a dozen. I kept mine in a bag in the refrigerator and reheated one every morning for breakfast. They’re only 145 calories each, with 4 grams of fiber and 17 carbs. Protein is 4.6 and fat is 8.
Banjo Man and I have a new morning routine: we wait for the fox.
He is a big, fluffy, energetic fellow who trots down our driveway between 7:30 and 8:30. I didn’t know that foxes could be that big, but after an hour of researching internet images I learned that foxes can be bigger than the ones I’ve seen scurrying off the side of the road while I’m driving at night.
Banjo Man didn’t believe me at first, but then he saw the fox for himself.
And he was impressed.
Our fox is usually carrying his breakfast in his mouth. A squirrel? A baby groundhog?
Because we detest groundhogs and squirrels, we cheer for the fox.
I now have my camera next to me here at the desk.
Stay tuned…
Let me tell you about my colonoscopy… (please don’t click off this website–I promise no gory details):
Last Tuesday I was on the table surrounded by instruments and two nurses, while the doctor was busying himself gathering his tools, etc. The song on the speakers came on: “Hooked on A Feeling”.
My doctor, a sweet man, was singing his little heart out. Loudly. In tune, mostly.
I just got this feeling, deep inside of me, girl you just don’t realize what you do to me…
The nurses, busy hooking me up to things, started singing along.
And I said to the doctor, “Have you knocked me out yet?”
“No, not yet!”
“Good,” I said, “because I know all the words, too.”
So we all sang along to the song until it was over and that’s all I remember.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqt_iZBvtCo
I wanted to find an old Easter photo for the blog, but instead I found lots and lots of them. So many years, so many pictures!
Here are my favorites from 1981.
He’s married and has a three-year old son. How did that happen?
He’s an uncle to a little guy who is exactly this age now.
She’s married.
And I don’t wear those sized jeans or bedroom slippers any more.
We both still like candy, though.
Happy Easter, my friends!
She’s the life of every party.
She’s an Extreme Gardner.
A charismatic singer and musician.
She has a gift for flower decorating. You can ask my daughter about her wedding decorations!
And she has a forgiving heart, because I have talked her into many, many adventures that she regrets having participated in. There was that Mountain Man Rendezvous…and several Boat Regattas…and the rum-soaked week at Bluegrass Camp. I’m afraid to list any more, because she might have forgotten some of them and I don’t want her think badly of me. Because then she wouldn’t give me any more raspberries and strawberries and pears and plums and green beans from her garden. Ellie makes sure I eat healthy all summer long. And I don’t know what I would do without her.
Party on, girlfriend! I love you!
Fourth of July
Glen the Banjo Man
LIVE at the Dump
is there any more pie? 