Boys Will Always Resort to Being Boys!

What boys do when they "have to go" and there's snow handy....M is for Max.

New Year Off and Running

Well, the ice cold temps have arrived, -11 at my house this a.m. Listened to my first live music of the new year, met up with a Wailers fan from Mizzoo who had an extra ticket and so I figured what the heck. Cold as hell, but the roads were bare and dry with no traffic coming back so it was a nice night off. Just a casual reggae fan really, but figured the Wailers have been around for eons and they'd be good which they were. Good thing Mizzoo passed that recent ordinance relegating pot to the lowest law enforcement priority because the Wilma was in a smoky haze all evening. I was afraid if I got stopped for speeding on the way home the cop would smell my coat and do a "probable search". Luckily no problem on the way home. Not to mention I haven't imbibed in the stuff for 28 or so years, but that wouldn't stop them from harassing me! So this was by far the most pleasant "internet" date I've been on so far. Very pleasant fellow, we had dinner and then the concert, pretty laid back atmosphere needless to say. It feels good to take a risk, albeit a calculated one, and get out there a little more. Doubt we'll hang out again, but I wouldn't mind if we did. A hundred miles away is a long way to go for a date, and I swore I wouldn't travel out of town for any more of these unknown "disaster dates" but for concerts I'll probably always make an exception. So onward to the new year!@

Verge of a New Year

New starts, new year resolutions may indeed be a bunch of crap, but there's something about a new start with a cool new number, 2007, that seems refreshing. Part of it is just getting the holidays behind us, and the dark days of winter have begun to be lighter and longer, although you can't really notice yet. Seems like people get down to business and begin again to focus on their work and being more organized and efficient when the holidays are behind them. A lot of stress and distraction happens over the holidays, even if it's just the sight of a nativity scene everytime you turn around, which is a little depressing. The in your face religious stuff is a little much. So, on to the new year with hopes it's as good as 2006 which was awesome. The laughing fits over rummy in the triangle hotel room in Paris, the rest of Europe with family, incredible music events, health, excercise and a sense of well being...a very good 2006 for which I am very thankful for.

Run Santa Run!!

Fun in the UK

Season's Greetings

Passe un temps des fêtes vraiment relax
Ou…tu peux toujours aller dans ta famille

(You can take it easy on the holidays, or
You can go visit your family)

Joyeuses fêtes!

Pie Notes

For crust, my Nana taught me how to make foolproof crusts. First of all, all ingredients should be cool. I keep flour and Crisco in the fridge and use very cold water to blend. For one crust use one cup all purpose flour with 5 tablespoons of Crisco, work quickly until shortening is about the size of peas or smaller using your fingers or a fork. I use a couple of dashes or up to ¼ teaspoon of salt. Double flour to 2 cups and 10 tablespoons Crisco for double crust pie. After shortening is worked into flour/salt gradually add very cold tap water, about ¼ to ½ cup, and mix in until all flour is blended and taken up into a ball. Split in half for 2 crust pie, roll out very thin with rolling pin keeping surface of counter and dough sprinkled with flour at all times so it doesn’t stick, until rolled out to desired thickness. Over-handling or the shortening having time to warm up makes a tough chewy crust, so work quickly and handle as little as possible. 

From Mildred Chaffin’s Cooking for Daily Living.

A lot of potentially good pies suffer from under baking. A nice brown crust doesn’t necessarily mean the filling is done. I prefer flour as a thickening agent. If there is raw flour in a fruit or berry pie, it came out of the oven too soon. If no raw flour is evident and you still have to eat it with a spoon, the pie could’ve used a little more thickening and possibly a little longer baking time. I have found no hard and fast rules for measurements since fresh, canned and frozen fruits differ in juice content. It is safe and sensible to bake fruit and berry pies an hour—sometimes more—until the juice boils up clear and syrupy. I start pies at 400° for 15 minutes (bottom rack) then lower temperature to 350° until juice begins to bubble. Finish at 300°. Pies won’t boil over so badly if cooking is slow and easy. (MY APPLE usually cooks 1 hour and 15 minutes, but if it’s too brown take it out a little sooner)

Putting fruit or berry pies together:

Line pie plate without stretching the dough and flute the rim (quite high) as if making a one crust pie before trimming the edge. Mix the flour for thickening with half of the sugar and sprinkle a thick layer of this on the bottom crust before putting in the uncooked filling. (FOR APPLE pie, I use ¾ cup of sugar, so half of this would be mixed with 3 tablespoons of flour and spread on bottom crust). This gives the bottom crust a chance to begin baking before it gets a soaking. (With apples, I mound quite high as they do cook down to about half volume.) Sprinkle remaining sugar on the filling along with seasonings. (FOR APPLE a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and I add a little sprinkle of nutmeg.) Place second crust atop and pinch around edges to seal, careful not to punch holes in edges, and trim off remaining crust. Cut decorative slits and you can brush a coating of milk or soft margarine (but I never put anything on them, and they turn out great).

The Search for the Perfect Tree

My perfect little tree, and I only spent $35. Last year we didn't have a tree, I put a couple of ornaments on my 50 year old Christmas Cactus, not a very impressive sight, so this year the tree means even more. I've always loved having a tree in the living room and revisiting the decorations, Sadie's little wooden rocking horse with "I love Willy" written on it, Wednesday's heart shaped grade school picture, the tiny stocking that I knit long ago, the other assorted crafty items the kids made while growing up. We still have a few of the nearly antique bulbs from, oh I guess 1960's? They don't make them like that any more. So it's up and while a little tippy if you mess with it, it does stand on it's own, looking beautiful.

Holiday Bliss & Family Reunions

Okay I'm not really into religious holidays, not even a Christian really, but this guy seen on the streets of downtown Helena struck my fancy.
Just reconnected with my step-half and step-quarter daughters, the sisters of my three and I hadn't actually seen either since they were young girls. MySpace really is a wonder that way. They're all grown up, 20 and 25, and living in Seattle and Alaska. When the two families lived in Missoula we actually had the kids spend lots of time together. Being civil really was the best choice and I'm glad we adults were able to see past the anger of divorce and betrayal to allow the kids to be family. After all I wasn't going to have any more than three but loved the idea that my kids could have more siblings. We'll have to figure out a way to all get together sometime.

Movie Notes

Just rented Ellie Parker with Naomi Watts and it's a fun romp of a movie, I'd highly recommend it. Also rented Down to the Bone, a realistic look at addictive behaviors. No major stars and a little depressing but worth viewing. If you're still on the fence about going to see Stranger Than Fiction, I'd recommend it just for Maggie Gyllenhaal alone. She's one of my favorite actors and Emma Thompson is great as the wacky writer. While it's not exactly a comedy, more melancholy than anything really, it's definitely worth seeing. Also rented The New World over the holiday, I admit just for Colin Farrell, and while it's nice to see him onscreen the movie crawls along with no real plot. Maybe they stuck a little too close to the real story and should've spiced it up a bit. I liked him better in Miami Vice. Looks like the holiday season has a few promising films, but early reviews on Bobby are not good.

Another Turkey Come and Gone

Well, another Thanksgiving with just me and Max. It's sad, pathetic and wonderful all at the same time. I set the table for four because two plates would've just looked too lonely, plus I wanted to try out the new dishes which are beautiful. So I took Max's suggestion and got a little bird this time, a 12 pounder, and did the usual fixings: the box bread, pecan and apple pies, squash, brussel sprouts, potatoes, gravy and stuffing. So, needless to say we'll be eating turkey for the next week. The wonderful part is that I didn't have to go anywhere, didn't have to clean the house too much and wasn't stressing about the meal at all. I know a house full of company/family is supposed to be a very festive occasion, but the stress that goes along with it rarely makes for a fun event, at least in my experience. So all those folks who had to gather with people they don't really want to hang out with have my sympathies. Me and Max had a great meal: chatted and enjoyed each other's company, expressed our missing of the girls, and listened to live Pearl Jam through dinner, probably not a tradition in too many households. The good news is if all goes as planned, it will be three of us for Christmas this year and in the next couple of years we may be back to all family members in the US. I'm thinking holidays in LA would be a fun change of pace. As long as we get at least one more awesome trip to Europe before everybody's stateside. We'll see how it goes.

Another Art Walk

Awesome Pollock, I wish this was on display at the local art walk last week, but there were some good ones and some interesting photography. Some mostly nude nature shots were very interesting, although I have to admit I liked the ones without the subjects cellulite showing. A large 5' by 5' abstract painted by a local artist is as good as anything I viewed at the big museums this year. The whole town comes out for the walks which just goes to show there's not enough to do in this small town. Plus the venues all provide snacks, so that probably attracts at least some folks.

Tester's In, Rumsfeld's Out

What a great day for the country. It just goes to show if you screw up in monumental proportions for long enough, even Americans eventually awaken from their comatose state.

Room With a View - DC

Happy Halloween - Don't Forget to Vote Next Tuesday!

East Coast

The Shame of America

Viewing The Road to Guantánamo, a first hand account of three British citizens caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time and sent off to Guantánamo Bay where they were treated like less than animals is a truly sad commentary of how the US views it’s role in the world. And these young guys of middle eastern heritage were citizens of England speaking perfect English, can you imagine the treatment of the ones who do not speak English? The story profiled just one case of the many citizens rounded up, jailed and tortured at the hands of Americans in the name of the “war on terror”. That the US government has condoned and even encouraged the torture of hundreds classified as enemy combatants is disturbing and shameful made more alarming by the recent signing by our president of the Military Commissions Act denying due process to these individuals. Every American should see this film and get a first hand look at what our government is doing in our name.

Last Leg of This Year's Art Tour

When in LA we just missed Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party by a few days, so when I heard it would be in DC at the private Phillips Collection, I figured it must be destiny to see it. With the vibrant colors and exquisite detail, it deserves all the hoopla. We also got to see some Van Gogh and Renoir works and another Degas ballerina painting. Some really beautiful art is housed in the museum/mansion gallery and the house itself is a work of art.

















I hadn't been to DC since 1975 so I had never seen the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial which was completed in 1982.  While the others are grand in scale and intent, Washington, Lincoln, and the new World War II, none carry the weight of the Vietnam wall. The granite slab memorial is neither huge nor ornate, yet when you get close and read the names and see the tokens of love left by family members, the personal nature of each life lost is quite overwhelming. It is hard to look at for very long at a time as the pain represented by each of the 50,000+ individuals who died in that tragic misguided war effort is heart wrenching. The human toll on a generation of our young men and the families who loved them is so vast and so sad. War should almost never be the answer in a civilized society. I wish George Bush had been in Vietnam, history would not now be repeating itself with the war in Iraq. While I doubt we will lose 50,000 Americans in the current war, the loss of Iraqi lives and the utter destruction of their country makes this war no less tragic than Vietnam.

Traveling Back to Paradise 9-15-06

Venturing back to these mountains always feels like coming home. Looking up to the ragged, cloud shrouded peaks, knowing in the morning they’ll be covered in a fresh coat of snow gives me a sense of calm and completeness, such beauty. My life really started about 20 air miles from here in this same mountain range when I had the good fortune of moving to Yellowstone Park when I was 20. Newly transplanted to the Rockies of the west I awed at the majestic views and wild land that would be my home for the next year. Soaking tonight in the hot tub in the quiet darkness brought me back to soaking in the hot pots of Yellowstone, the boiling river in the bitter winter, our long hair freezing upon exiting the pools and the quiet moonlit walk back to the Artists pot with the elk bugling not far off. There is no other sound that compares to the primal screams in the night air. The peace and silence of the vast outdoors brings to life an intensity of spirit that bonds all beings through time. Something very sacred comes over your consciousness when exposed to the smells and sounds of pure life. The energy vibrating off the forest is palpable. My life began here, the life that would bring me my three children, setting me on a course of conviction and love for the beings that would teach me the meaning of true love. The blessing of these three is almost overwhelming if I dwell on it, so I try to only pause for fleeting moments so as not to become overwhelmed. It feels good to come back home.

More Optimism on Dating

Dating is hard work, or maybe I’m just too lazy to do it with any enthusiasm. The lack of chemistry that does not translate over the high speed connection of your internet becomes apparent in the first five minutes of your first date. And of course without chemistry, you’re on just another date from hell, wondering why you put yourself through this unpleasant regimen. After a couple of hours of feigning interest in each other it’s suitable to just put a proper and swift end to it. No apologies, no lies about getting together again real soon, just hey, thanks, bye bye. On the lead up to the last couple of dates I’ve been on I was realistic and kept my expectations at pretty much nil. Good thing, because nil is just about the sum total of them both added up together. Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t a total waste of time. I certainly viewed a clearer vision of what I don’t want in life or in a relationship. But the question remains, why bother? Is it our never ending optimism of thinking that everyone deserves or at least hopes for true love? No matter how many times your hopes may be dashed, you eventually pick yourself up, dust yourself off and once again enter the fray. Are we all just too damn picky or realistic as we age? Where we used to just go with our wild abandon, now we calculate and speculate and hypothesize as to what the “down the road” picture will look like, take a good honest look and decide that for our own well being, we’d better not take that road after all. I see men everywhere, some of them are surely single and some of them look back as we make eye contact and smile, but I’ll never meet them, we’re just strangers connecting for a split second, ships passing in the night.

A Bigger Bang Indeed

When I was a sixth grader dancing to the 45 of Satisfaction with my friend Mona Sula on her linoleum basement floor, who would’ve guessed that I’d see a bunch of 60 year olds perform the song, their song, 37 years later in Missoula Montana in the year 2006. To anyone who will ever be 60 years old, the Rolling Stones are a true beacon of hope. Their energy and vibrancy, not to mention their lean muscular physiques, are proof that no one with a lust for life and a passion for their work needs to become fat and sluggish with all the heath consequences that come along with it. And their Maiden Voyage to Montana for a bunch of guys who have certainly seen more of the world than most could ever hope for in a lifetime, shows that even at 60 you can still see new places and have new adventures. I love that their music and level of performance has stayed as high as it ever was. This is no classic rock band milking the last few ounces of a long ago career like so many of those has-been bands you see around at county fairs. These guys are the role model for rock and roll.

As for the actual show, it was a spectacle complete with fireworks and magnificent light show which included the whole humungous stage. It's refreshing that they all look their age, not pulled and reworked with face lifts as so many rich and famous their age. And Mick can really belt them out. It reminded me of when I recently saw Sting, now he's terrific in his own right, but should not include Roxanne when he can't hit the high notes. Not so with Mick. The play list was a pleasing mix of old and a few new ones from their recent hit release. Starting out with a roaring Jumpin Jack Flash and going on to include favorites like Let's Spend the Night Together, Start Me Up, Midnight Rambler including rousing harmonica by Mick, Brown Sugar, Tumbling Dice and a dazzling Sympathy for the Devil complete with Mick in a red coat and top hat. When you think of how many hits they've had over the years it's nice to see they include a broad cross section when performing. Also made me glad I'd seen them do Ruby Tuesday in '89 as it was very moving and not included here. The crowd too was very well behaved, one of the best I've experienced, and an age range from about 10 to 75 from what I could tell. It was nice to share the Stones first experience in Montana with them and 22,000 enthusuastic fans. It was a blast being part of history in the making.