Labor Day Sunday Afternoon, 9/6/09

The last boat ride of the year. Didn't know it then, but we never got out again. Certainly thought we would on account of because September was great, and figured we were in for a good October too. But alas, October acted like November and did so with an Oscar performance. Overcast and gray, never having two days of sunshine in a row. A bit depressing for sure, and most folks didn't get their lawns raked or a last mowing until post Halloween.

Back to the river. Brother Johnny Jim, sister-in-law Cynthia and niece Jennifer aka Jenna came in the night before. Another nice day for a boat ride and a swim, all relatives this time, the last time. Yes this could be the last time, maybe the last time, I don't know - oh no. We are joined by Brother Greg-a-Bear, sister-in-law Lizette, and nephew Alexandru aka Alex. Oh, and Cindy's pet canine, Jack the Dog.Cindy, an underrated actress, poses as the cat who ate the canary. Happy and possibly just a little bit smug. She's a Leo and has her pride. Barbara eating a secret or two conceals her lips behind the rail. She's penned in - being a Capricorn. We don't want that lion to get her goat and well, I ain't lyin'.
A Lion/Crab cusp and the Bull. Doesn't spend much time in china shops but a whole lotta time antiquing. Don't know why he wears a watch, he's got lots of time. Funny how he checks his calendar rather than a shoe horn, to see, if he can fit you in.
Loving cousins. Another bull and a twin. Thank goodness the other twin to Alex, has yet to show, that might be more than we could take. See the mischievous look? 'Tis not a twinkle but a gem in eye.Papa goose, cork in mouth pours for little thirsty fetching, vetching chicklings.

Let me alone, Let me go home

Let me go back and start over

Well, the preacher will preach and the teacher will teach

The miner will dig in the mine

I ride the rods, trusting in God

Huggin' my little bottle of wine
Taking a break in a lake. The Scorpion, a Twin, Water Bearer, and Bull. The playful Twin is but the only male heir, and really the only one with brown hair. He graciously takes the place in this space of yet another Water Bearer, a son who suns himself on the coast, perhaps never to return. And his fate is still unknown.
Dominos vobiscum, says the eldest with a sign. Four boys, three brothers and an only, loanly nephew/son. Alas, where art the prodigal son?
Showin' off for the girls, as boys often do. Boys will be boys - 100%. Alas they are laughed at by their jungle friends, exposed to the elements, captured by hunters, forced to endure a terrible sea voyage, and finally placed in a traveling circus. Sigh.
Women ain't swimmin' today. Satisfied to watch the boys show off, as girls often do. Are they shaking their heads, or mildly amused? It gets harder and harder to make them laugh. Who and Horton only know what girls really think of boys?
About to be sprinkled with pixie dust, from a tinkers bell. Ding dong, one already gone, can it be John? More importantly, will he be missed by the miss's.
Where have they gone Joe Dimaggio? Joltin' beaus have left and gone awry? Perhaps gone to soldiers everyone. When will we ever learn?
Look what he's found at the bottom of the lake, a foot - soldier.
"A thousand cups of wine do not suffice when true friends meet, but half a sentence is too much when there is no meeting of minds." "Or Wine a bit - You’ll feel better." But of course my favorite, "Men are like wine - some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.”

It's such a lazy summer night

And inspiration point is right

For fancy dreamin'

And schemin'

To just relax and run away from town

A woman tries on the foot, soldier found and adds a gam, while the daughter makes sure mom still has all her fingers.
Cindy, John and Jack the Dog. No, he be not a lifting device, nor a knave upon this deck, and even John is not a Jack, though he seems to be domesticated.
Labor Day and the last splash of summer '09.

See you in September

See you now that summer's through

Yes we are saying goodbye to sensation

Summer vacation has taken us away

Labor Day Saturday, 9/5/09

Here we are at a lazy Labor Day Weekend, finally. I said at the beginning of this oeuvre, that I love summer. I started writing in early October about Memorial Day weekend when I figure summer starts, and summer ends for all practical purposes on Labor Day. I blogged a bit in August a couple times not having a clue why. Then we did so many things and enjoyed the summer so much I decided to document it. I'm somewhat of a shutterbug, and took lots of photos. I also like to write, and often enjoy reading my scribbles. Sometimes I am am-mazed at what flows through my mind to my fingers. So in early October I decided to write about these daze like a school boy just back in school after summer vacation. I've kinda had fun with word play, weaving whimsy with reality. A stream of consciousness by the water known as the Mississippi, if only my pen were so mighty.

Labor Day weekend was beautiful. It was actually warmer in early September than it was in early August, and it pretty much held through the month. We took advantage of the weather and lived outside on the deck, by the fire pit and on the water with relatives and good friends. Today a crew of five, Barbara, Rachelle, Ashley, Alex and I. Later we will pick up sixth and be a six pack drinking wine, as we pick up Derrick, who didn't take a truck but walked. I know, counter intuitive again. Shouldn't a Derrick pick up us, and maybe the whole darn boat easily?
A favorite photo. The wondrous, winsome ways of women. Don't you just wonder what Barbara and Rachelle are talking about? I often do wonder at the words and thoughts of women. Expect I will continue to wonder and wander in my mind of this and other secrets of grrrls.

Barbara Ann. She's got me rockin' and a rollin', boppin' with the rhythm. Barbara Ann.
Ashley Elizabeth, a sunny girl sunning.
Alexandru Bogdan, my first mate and relief pilot.
Michael Douglas. But he can't get a return phone call from Catherine Zeta Jones. Sigh.
Rachelle Ann, my pigtailed pal.
I'm taking my time for a number of things that weren't important yesterday, and still I go.
Nearly always first in the water. Ashley off deck near dock and part duck.
Ashley, thinking she is all duck, tries running across the water wings flapping attempting to fly. Have a seat while she takes to the sky.
Here I am being attacked - somewhat ironically - by a life preserver, apparently much to the amusement of two women. They probably think I'm a crying wolf.
Kayakers yakking. What next? Pontooners tuning? Whalers wailing? Catamarans running?
Ohhhh, baby boy napping. Or XY catching some Z's. Do you think he's as sweet as he looks?
Gasp. Girl can't believe I used chromosome code for boy.
Woman pleasantly surprised and grateful I didn't use another code word for boy.
Another woman pleasantly amused by it all.
The same woman now smiles for the photographer.
Rachelle, thinking she may have been lampooned a photo or two ago, gives the writer the squinty evil eye.
Whoa. Tidal wave! But Barbara, accustomed to being in pickles, stays cool as a cucumber on the briny. See?
Alex gives a thumbs up knowing the wave has subsided. Good for now unless a u-boat comes up along the pontoon, then we'd have a sub sided.
Barbara gives me that look that let's me know it was a bad pun.
Yo ho ho. Rachelle is in the crow's nest looking for her hubby.
Ho Ho Ho! And there he is looking like the Green Giant or a benevolent super hero. Derrick, strong as a crane. Duh da dahh, dada-da-dada. And disguised as mild mannered Ashley's Dada..., he minds his peas and q's.
From super hero to mild mannered Ashley's Dad. Daughter's make us smile and bring us back to earth every time. A different form of flying if you will.
I am determined, yes determined to get past this bridge and avoid the fate of those Billy Goats Gruff. Alex rolls his eyes, not believing in trolls.
Getting past the bridge, Rachelle and Derrick feel like dancing. Ever notice how men have to look to see what their feet are doing, and women don't? Perhaps that isn't it, perhaps he's shy. A woman can make you do the darndest things.
Barbara is amazed and amused that this couple is ballroom dancing on a deck, she thinks perhaps they are not playing with a full one.
Derrick, having been shown an instant replay of his dancing dissolves into laughter. That's why he didn't jump in the lake and why his wife calls him sugar.
Having made it under the bridge without encountering trolls, I finally relax. Alex starting to believe in trolls, grabs a pole for trolling. But alas, too late, we have passed under the overpass.
We approach the hundred yard dock, nearly home again having another fun-filled day on the waters. Feelin' like a lazy boy, wastin' time. Yeah, wastin' time and lovin' it.
Look like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes

Sittin' here resting my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home

Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock on this day
Watching the river roll away
Oooo-wee, sittin' on the dock on this day
Wastin' time

Back to the Future: A Digression 11/10/09

And For Dinner Tonight... roll out the drum 'ahh sticks...

I know, what is this Lazy Boy doing? Writing about nothing he knows nothing about? Well, I know less than I thought. And that has moved me to digress, leave the past and river and move into the present and the kitchen. Is that back to the future? Took me a long time to understand that phrase. Perhaps back to reality? Now how fun could that be? Not at all I suspect. But friends tell me that I shouldn't take risks. Well, I concur. Risks should be calculated isn't that so? No, no not me. I'm neither shrewd nor foxy. And I'm about to prove I'm about as gray as they come, no color you see. Or should I say I see, eye being color blind? Aye says I. How come it's only men and not women who are color challenged? Women always got a leg up. That hardly seems fair. Well, someone said once, "who said life is fair?" And I say yes, who said that? Got no clue. Perhaps it was "anonymous". He or she gets credited with many of my favorite phrases (and compliments), even gets credit for some things he/she didn't say to begin with, because people are too lazy to search let alone research. Yup, I've heard those kind of quotes even recently. See once in awhile something is just so inspiring I can't get it out of my mind, although it may seem like I'm just out of my mind.

Soo, I am "fortunate" to know a local kook in our community that has a section on food on her blog. Her name is Shell Deerden and I am usually quite inspired by her recipes, but not all ways. I was particularly sparked by a turkey sandwich with apple spears and pretzels she prepared on a lark one day a long time ago. So this one I definitely had to try. Oh my! This was some seriously good turkey. Even the houseguest that happened to join me for supper tonight asked, "what is this chicken??" Silly rabbit, no it's turkey. She couldn't believe the flavor. Neither could we? Oui! All the way home.

Good ol' Marie Callender's turkey pot pies. Hold your horses, please. WhoWhoaWhoa! Just so you three people don't get the impression that I'm a chef-effin dodo, that I've got it all together, that I make well thought out plans, wonderful impressive meals every evening (and why would you?)... so let me introduce to you, the act you've known for all these years... real life.

Again, this post was inspired by this friend who commented, "I wish I had the time and energy to be a kook like you." Hard for her to find time to be a kook, working, volunteering, facilitating groups, dinner with friends, a house full of people, only one computer, and a bath and a half. Oh dear innocent friend, no. Keep in mind, it is Fall, not really summer at all, but a blog fog, not the time for pic-nits, but the season that makes me feel less like cooking. Nearly always distracted and getting lazier. The meals I've been eating do not take long to make. I can usually read only the headlines while waiting for the waiter. I ignore thinking all day and then finally get to visualizing about eating around an hour before supper. It's about not planning ahead and not knowing what you're going to make or having the ingredients on hand, that's all. And if I'm at home and no where near a Country Kitchen or a fast food, well being Fall, it's time to punt and search the freezer.

But, not every day. Not today. It was a Tuesday day in November, it said on my Callender's box. Busy busy busy. Today, I get a little help from my new friend Marie. I'm not even adding a salad or any extra veggies to go with it. Who'll have time for that? It's this and a glass of milk, oh and a surprise you'll have to wait four. If you're still hungry after.... you make something yourself, yes you will I demand. You still have...witch you WILL eat...stale Halloween candy left, right?? Wrong! Boo!
Thought this photo deserved a special effect. After all this isn't Swanson's or Birds Eye pie. Oh my. No. This is Marie Callender's pie. Note the succulent fingered ridges around the edge. Put there by Marie herself, not I, no doubt.
Hot and brown pies. Reminds me of summer, which I will get back to after I rid myself of this diversion. Pretty peacock plates with matching forks. Who could ask for anything more? That was my question too.
No, that is not what it looks like. It's a turkey pot pie out of the cardboard pot, spread around, so it cools off. Counter intuitive, I know.
Add a couple pieces of toast and you've got something to fill you up. Yeah, Barbara was feeling creative and suggested adding toast with butter. Yum, well I jumped right on that one, I'm no fool. Supper with toast and Marie and a glass of doodooshaboo? Well, I think I've spent my time on such things. Maybe I'll do some work for a change and get back to where I once belonged and reflect on my favorite seasoning, summertime when the living was easier. Sigh.