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September 28, 2003
I likes airplanes.
Today, my folks and I went to the Alliance Airshow. Of course, there were the normal air-show staples: static displays of neat airplanes, aerobatic displays, and enormous numbers of people. I got to crawl around on a 777, which I'd never been close to before. There was also a mock-up of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Right as we were walking in the gates, the Oracle Challenger was taking off. Now, I hate Oracle corp (for personal reasons), but this was one cool airplane. I've never seen anybody do a one and three=quarters roll before. Really amazing flying.
We got there just in time to elbow our way to the flight line to watch the Blue Angels take off. Seems like their show gets better every time I see it. I particularly like the high-speed overhead passes when they demonstrate how you can sneak up on somebody with a fast (and loud) airplane. Of course, there was also the jet-assisted takeoff of Fat Albert, which is just way a lot of fun.
I want a combat jet.
Posted by Lee at 10:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 22, 2003
Iron Chef Night!
WOW! What a cool way to spend an evening with friends!
Last week at Movie Nite, somebody (might have been Rusty) thought it would be fun to nominate some people to compete in an Iron Chef competition for the next Movie Nite.
For them what's never watched Iron Chef on the Food Network, it's a pretty straightforward concept. Two master chefs, assisted by seven or so sous-chefs, compete in Kitchen Stadium in a Cooking Showdown. One contender is always one of Chairman Kaga's specially trained, carefully selected, incredibly gifted Iron Chefs. The other contestant is a prominent chef, most from Japan and other parts of Asia. Each chef must prepare a full meal (typically four to six courses), each highlighting this week's Secret Ingredient. Past Secret Ingredients have been thinks like sea bass, Kobe beef, octopus, traditional Japanese cabbage, et cetera. Each chef must complete the meal in one hour. Since we would be a) short on minions and b) sharing the same kitchen, it was decided that we'd get 90 minutes to cook. Trust me, it was still absolute culinary insanity.
So, all week, this idea has been intriguing more and more. I'd been nominated to be one of the cooks. My friends MattW, MattM, and Gene were also tapped. (Yes, I know eighteen people named Matt.) MattW (Iron Chef Six-Speed) and I (Iron Chef Dogcow) were selected to form Team Weezer, and Gene (Iron Chef Boyardee) and MattM (Iron Chef One Hand Clapping) formed Team Wasabi.
The secret ingredient was announced last Friday: We would be cooking with....*drumroll*
See, now I was all excited. My teammate and I started thinking up recipes. At first I'd considered a straight-up apple pie (since I automagically start thinking about dessert first), but we finally agreed that an apple baklava would be really interesting and impressive. We decided early that we wanted to do a salad, and found a really interesting recipe for a spinach and apple salad with a hot dijon dressing with cider vinegar. For our main course, we originally talked about working out a pork tenderloin with an apple-bourbon glaze, but MattW came up with a great idea for a baked salmon with seasoned potato cakes and apple-lemon butter cream sauce. Once I read the recipe, I knew that the decision had been made.
So today, we made our list and invaded Central Market (which was a rotten idea on a Sunday afternoon: It was a ZOO in there!). We then went over to Captain Dave's fish market (best in North Dallas, bar none!) and got some Coho Alaskan salmon fillets. Magnificent creatures.
Then we headed over to our impromptu Kitchen Stadium (Rusty's house) and started staging. We typed up our menu, organized our ingredients, and then got to kick back and drink some cider. You know, to get us in Tha Mood.
MattM and Gene arrived, and they had their game faces on. They had done a lot of organization ahead of time, and it really showed. Their menu didn't give me a lot to go on, as far as what they were up to, but these two are guys I know always make stuff I love to eat. So I knew we'd have our work cut out for us.
Sarah (bless her heart!) came up with a great idea for Spectator Bingo. She printed up cards, each with a four-by-four table of events that might happen during the cooking (Somebody curses, somebody sets something on fire inadvertantly, somebody dances around, somebody yells at a minion, steals opponent's food, goes potty, starts sweating, etc.). First person to get four events in a row gets to lick the spoon. I thought it was a great way to get the crowd (the half-dozen or so hungry mouths we were going to feed) to play with us while we were working.
Spectator Bingo Card
So, at 7:30, the flag went up! I immediately panicked. Heh. (Note: Everybody was working hard. We had two "minions", or helpers, who we tasked with preparing ingredients and primary assembly tasks. And the four chefs were going nutty, dancing around each other, trying to find counter space. I paid almost no attention to anything other than what I was doing at the moment, so that's what I'll talk about.) My first priority was to get the baklava in the oven, since I knew that needed to cook the longest. First, I had to cut up the apples (and my finger: hope somebody got that point on Spectator Bingo!) and get 'em cooking. That only took twice as long as I thought it would. What I didn't count on was the fact that phyllo dough is absurdly hard to deal with. I figured I'd get the baklava in the oven in about 20 minutes. Hah. An hour later, I stuck it in the oven. Fortunately, Matt took the initiative to do the salad dressing and cook the bacon, otherwise we'd a been dead. Then, poor Amy noticed the walnuts I was putting in the baklava, and informed me that she is deathly allergic to 'em.
oh good. Narrowly averted trip to the emergency room. Good planning, Lee. Eek.
So, I made half the baklava nut-free (which, appallingly, found a large audience even among the non-nut-allergic. Heathens.)
Rusty, Lee, MattM, and MattW, and Gene.
An aside: Single ladies out there, you need to know something. Of the six men working in this kitchen tonight (including Tommy, who's not in this pic) four are single. Y'all best make your bids now.
I finally got the darn pastry in the oven, absolutely convinced it was going to be an utter disaster. I was determined not to let on, and put my shoulder to the wheel on the next course.
My next mission was to julienne the potatos (which were both FREAKIN' ENORMOUS) for the potato cakes. That brings us to, oh, an hour and twenty minutes elapsed. Gene and MattM are starting their presentation to the judges, and we are nowhere close to finished. Rusty stepped up to the plate (or stove) to cook the potato cakes as MattW furiously stirred the butter cream sauce for the salmon. The baklava needed some attention, so I finished the glaze (honey and juices from the earlier apple cooking process), threw it on top, and caramelized it with my torch. (That was fun.) I finished the baklava just at the 1:30 mark, but our potatoes are not done. We decide that we're just going to kick it out as fast as possible, and commit seppuku for the judges later. I assembled the salad, and started serving the judges.
Twenty minutes later, we got the potatoes all done, assembled the platter, and served the salmon. Then, all that remained was to cut and serve the baklava, and collapse in a heap.
Let me emphasize: I take full responsibility for the schedule overrun. The baklava was my baby, and it took FREAKIN' FOREVER. MattW did an amazing job executing the complicated parts of the other dishes, ON TIME I might add, and making them perfect. w00t!
So, finally, it was time for the judging. I started by eating a plate that the opponents had prepared for me. They'd made a Traditional Potsticker with Apple and Pork and Soy Ginger Sauce; Apple Potato Samosas with Apple-Tamarind Chutney and Mint; and Baked Drunken Apples with Currants and Blueberries in an Amaretto Glaze.
Suffice it to say, they were in fine form.
The potstickers were really good. Gene had rolled them out and stuffed them by hand, which makes 'em extra yummy. MattM's samosas were absolutely smashing. All KINDS of very strong flavors, all bold and strange and delicious. The chutney on top was, well, not to be believed. Knocked my socks off. I thought that with this dish, they had it in the bag. The baked drunken apples were also really awesome. Later, we discovered that the liqueur MattM had made for the marinade makes a really nice moonshine-y sippin' drink. Kinda like a mulled wine, only with RUM in it. Dee-lish. MattW and I both agreed that all their dishes were just amazing.
Team Wasabi's Meal
Clockwise from top: Apple Samosa, Apple Potstickers, Drunken Apple
I was ready to concede right there. I thought that all three dishes did really neat things with apples, and all were flavors that I'd never encountered before.
Finally, I got to taste our own work! I was, frankly, a bit worried about the salad. When I'd first tasted it, it was really mustardy and vinegary, but we threw in some olive oil and sugar, and threw it in the food processor. It came out bold and strong, but not overpowering. Served warm on the fresh spinach and crispy apples, it was really good. The salmon (which I had almost nothing to do with) was absolutely marvelous. A superb cut of fish, baked to perfection by MattW, topped with a magnificent sauce, on seasoned potatoes. Lots going on. Lots of yumminess. I wanted more. Then, was the dreaded baklava. I hadn't told anybody, but I was sure I'd blown it. However, when I finally got to eat it, it was nicely caramelized on the top and tender all the way through. I was surprised, and really happy.
Spinach Salad with Apple
Baked Coho Salmon with Apple Butter Sauce
Apple Baklava
And then? The judging. Each dish was tallied on Taste, Originality, Honoring the Ingredient, and Presentation. All four of us agreed that really, we'd ALL won. All the dishes were magnificent, and we'd all had a really great time preparing them. I told MattM and Gene that, had I been judging, I'd have given it to them.
But, after the scores were tallied, on a total score of some 300 possible points from the three judges, MattW and I had won by two points.
I literally couldn't believe it. My running tally in my head had put the other team ahead by ten, and I was proud to have made such a good showing. But, to actually win? I was flabbergasted.
And really happy.
Next time, somebody else gets to cook, though. And the cleanup (performed by the judges) was, well, daunting. I got to loaf. Yay!
The Carnage
More pictures are available, and recipes for all six dishes will be available on Rusty's recipe database.
Posted by Lee at 02:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 20, 2003
Two Nights of Fun and Music
Thursday night, my swing dance friend Heather invited me out with a bunch o' cool people (and Tommy) to go to the Addison Oktoberfest. We met at Blue Mesa Grill for margaritas (YAY!) and went over to Addison for the fun.
Tony, Heather, Angela, Angie, Tommy, Sam, and Lee
Now, it was super wet and soggy, since it'd been raining cats and dogs, but nevertheless we managed to have a good time. In the Uber-Tent, there was food and bier, and a polka band. The band was cool, because when they saw Angela and Tommy transition from polka into swing, they obliged us with a swing tune that most of us knew how to dance to. Good times.
Incidentally, City of Addison, I don't think it counts as a real Oktoberfest if the only beer you have is Lowenbrau. Yeah, it might be Lowenbrau's "Oktoberfest Lager", but it's still right at the bottom of the barrel. My kingdom for some Paulaner. Yes, I am a Beer Snob, thanks for asking.
Now, Angie scored the Prize of the Evening. She got a wine bottle that has a copper-painted monkey molded into it. She said the wine was ick, but the bottle...coolest bottle evar. It wouldn't be the first time I got roped into buying nasty alcohol for a cool bottle. (Arrogant Bastard Ale, Sam Adams Triple Bock, more than I'd care to list...)
Angie and her Monkey
Tha Ladies
Tha Mens
More pictures at Tony's web site.
Tonight, Teel, Rusty, Sarah, and I went to see Polyphonic Spree. These guys are just about my favourite band on Earth. Imagine 20 people leaping around on stage in choir robes, playing every instrument you've ever heard of. Tonight they had a guest harpist, who did an encore solo that just blew everybody away. Suffice it to say, this band is incredible. Go out of your way to catch them next time they're near you.
Posted by Lee at 02:38 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 17, 2003
Diamonds are Annoying.
Remember the other day, when I talked about my pet peeves?
Found another one.
I really am tired of being told that a diamond ring is the only acceptable expression of undying love and devotion. Me, I don't happen to think diamonds are particularly attractive. Now, that's just my personal opinion, but I must admit it was influenced by reading articles like this
Now, I know I'm on dangerous territory here. My mom owns a very nice ring with four diamonds that my father gave her for an anniversary (their twentieth?) some years ago. You, gentle reader, might well own a diamond that you treasure, given to you by somebody who cares greatly for you. I wouldn't wish to impugn the emotional value of that symbol. The feelings that some people choose to express or symbolize with fine jewelry are absolutely genuine. Most of the time. Having given my disclaimer...
I feel compelled to say something about this because it nags at me every time I see that commercial with the guy in Italy screaming about how he loves his wife, then gives her a ring, and she whispers how much she loves him. Now, I know that he didn't just buy her love. I know that these characters probably have a long history of caring for one another, and this ring is simply a symbol of their affection and devotion for one another.
However, from an advertising perspective, the implication couldn't be clearer. You want love? Buy a diamond and give it to somebody. If you don't, you're a schlock and a cheapskate.
This is a relatively new phenomenon. From the Atlantic article I linked above:
The diamond invention is far more than a monopoly for fixing diamond prices; it is a mechanism for converting tiny crystals of carbon into universally recognized tokens of wealth, power, and romance. To achieve this goal, De Beers had to control demand as well as supply. Both women and men had to be made to perceive diamonds not as marketable precious stones but as an inseparable part of courtship and married life. To stabilize the market, De Beers had to endow these stones with a sentiment that would inhibit the public from ever reselling them. The illusion had to be created that diamonds were forever -- "forever" in the sense that they should never be resold.
The article goes on to say that the phenomenon of the diamond solitaire engagement ring was fabricated by the marketing executives for the diamond cartels. Heck, it worked on me: I bought a diamond ring (on credit, no less) for my ex-fiancee. That's what a guy who's in love is supposed to do, right?
Well, the relationship didn't work out, but that's not the only reason I feel like a sucker. I feel like a sucker because I got sold on this image: Diamonds==love. But that simply isn't so. They're a relatively common gemstone whose production is very carefully regulated by an international cartel, to artificially inflate their price. Don't believe me? Take a look at the secondary market.
So. Look into the labor conditions in diamond production. Look into the history of the marketing campaign. Then go shopping. Maybe you'll choose something like my folks did: A really neat emerald engagement ring that looks totally different from any other ring I've ever seen. One thing I do know about love: It is different for everyone.
Incidentally, if this doesn't inflame you the way it does me, just wait until we see DeBeers come down on the new firms wanting to use diamonds in computer production. That ought to get your dander up.
Posted by Lee at 10:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 16, 2003
A Roman Orgy...
Well, the food part at least.
This past Sunday,Movie Nite this week was Roman Movie Nite. Well, Greek and Roman.
Okay, let me rephrase. This past Sunday, Movie Nite was People Who Wore Togas And Are Dead Movie Nite. Right. Moving on.
We had a loose theme around Roman foods. Rusty and Sarah brought a pear souffle and a dish involving melon. Becky brought some zucchini thing that was yum. Amy brought a spectacular Greek salad. Many other people who will email me angrily that they brought other stuff, and I don't remember who brought what. Much love, peepz. Weyandt distinguished himself roasting a leg of lamb. Very very impressive work. I made my Kahlua Chocolate Cheesecake. People (particularly tha ladies) seemed to think it was, well, phenomenal. Heh. They were right.
Now, one of the guests just took the theme to eleven. Jeff's brother Mike wore a full-on TOGA! Now, of course, Jeff wore a kilt, so maybe it just runs in the family. Nonetheless, it earned Mike first crack at the lamb. Good work, man!
So, we watched Clash of the Titans, which is one of my faves. We also watched Caligula, which is a pretty notorious flick...and good reason. The movie had pretty well no redeeming qualities. It was really, really gross. Avoid.
Next week, we're going to have an impromptu Iron Chef competition at Rusty & Sarah's house. I thought it was really cool that, at the party, we found six people who wanted to compete. All were around my age, and all were men. So, for all you people who think that men don't know what they're doing in the kitchen, you need to come eat with us. We'll show you the error of your ways. Of course, our female friends are also magnificent cooks. Pretty much, if you want to eat well, you want to be eating with us. We can probably cook better than you.
Saturday night, I went over to visit my friends in Ft. Worth for a Gallery Walk. My new friend Chrystal works at for the Arts Council in Ft. Worth, and invited us to join her for a walking tour of the really impressive variety of art galleries over there. The culture scene is pretty impressive. Thursday, Erin and I had gone to the Modern and to the Kimbell, so Saturday we went to some smaller shows. Some stuff I liked, some I didn't. Gallery 444 was interesting. It was a neat little house that had been converted to house several installation art pieces. Very cool. That night, there was an after-party at the Arts Council. There was a body-painter who painted a woman, who then went out and did some fire-twirling. If you don't think that scantily-clad women with fire is art, well, suffice it to say that I disagree. Vehemently. I also managed to assist Chrystal with camouflaging a wine-spillage episode on her very pretty cream-colored dress. No, I did not spill the wine, but she allowed as how I was pretty cool to be able to help her fix it. My mastery of the masculine arts is one step closer to fruition. We also got to see a guy try to start a fight with a broken beer bottle. That's to say, the guy had a beer bottle, broke it, and tried to start a fight. Thought that only happened in movies.
If nothing else, I'm way more cultured now than I was when I was employed. : )
I just gave my grandparents my new web site address. Hi Grandma! Hi Granddad! Hope y'all enjoy my yammering. : )
(Oh, and Grandma? That bit about cooking better than you? I wasn't talking about YOU. Because you're the bestest. It was a non-specific, rhetorical "you". Not "you" like "YOU", "you" like "pretty much everybody on the planet except for my grandma. OK, and my mom. And dad. Oh yeah, and GramMarje. And the rest of my family. They're pretty good too." That kind of "you". : )
Posted by Lee at 12:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 07, 2003
OK, time for MY pet peeve.
Over the last couple of weeks, a few of my friends have posted some pet peeves of theirs.
My turn.
I'm generally a pretty even-tempered guy. However, I am something of a grammar and spelling nazi. When the latest Adobe PDF commercial (and why exactly do I need to watch a commercial for a FILE FORMAT? That's like watching a commercial for CARDBOARD BOXES. Stupid.) says "Blah blah blah, which begs the question blah words blah blah", it just sets my teeth on edge.
Listen, gentle reader, as I edify you.
From wikipedia.com:
In popular usage, the phrase is often taken to be synonymous with "raising the question"; for example, The recent KKK march begs the question "when does free speech go too far?" This usage is regarded by many, especially academics, as substandard. Part of the reason for the misunderstanding over what "begging the question" means may be due to the confusing term itself, which was translated into English from Latin in the 16th century. The Latin version, Petitio Principii, would be translated more accurately as "Claiming the truth of the very matter in question," but the more pithy "Begging the question" has become the well-known translation.
I accept and understand that I am seriously unbalanced to even spend a moment thinking about this. But it really annoys me as I sit here, unemployed, while some marketing flack pulls down six figures somewhere using TERRIBLE ENGLISH. Apparently, the same idiot is writing Lexus commercials too. Bring me his (her?) head.
(Aside: Repeat after me, my friends. "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...or the right of the people peaceably to assemble..." So, NO, the KKK marching most emphatically does NOT "beg the question (sic) 'when does free speech go too far'". If a free society starts suppressing dissidents, it is no longer a free society. That means that we must not forbid people we disagree with to speak, even publically. This is basic civics, people. It really bothers me how many people don't get that free speech isn't about protecting speech people agree with. If you can't rhetorically defend your objection to the KKK's precepts in a public forum, don't you DARE try to silence them. It's cowardice, and it betrays the foundations of our country.)
OK. Moving along.
Posted by Lee at 03:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 05, 2003
My Mom's Pretty Smart.
My mom suggested to me at dinner tonight that I should write a book, titled "If Their Mothers Love Me, Why Can't I Get a Date"?
I think she's absolutely right.
Posted by Lee at 08:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 03, 2003
New Junkyard Wars Sucks.
Well, I got to watch a bit of the new season of Junkyard Wars tonight.
Bleh.
The new hosts ask dumb questions. One is a ditzy girl, and the other is a ditzy boy. Neither have the vaguest idea what constitutes good engineering, nor are they funny. Cathy Rogers was a) gorgeous, b) the show's creator (and, therefore, clueful) and c) funny. Robert Llewellyn was a) funny, b) on Red Dwarf, and c) clueful. The American hosts from the last season were relatively non-objectionable, but these newbies are teh sux.
I love this show. The early seasons were about clever field engineering. Now, we seem to be focusing more on the friction that occurs on the teams as the pressure increases. I mean, I know the friction is part of the drama, sure, but (at least on this episode) it looked like Survivor. Really lame. Too bad the producers feel like they're making Yet Another "Reality Show", and not something fun and unique.
I would, however, love to compete. Gimme a good welder and somebody who knows engines, and I'll take on anybody in the world.
Posted by Lee at 11:09 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Hippies and Wine: Recipe for a Good Weekend
WOW!
I just had the funnest time. (Yeah, that IS a word, thanks for askin'.) My plan for the weekend changed a bit when my car died, limiting my mobility, so I arranged to ride to Central Texas with my friend Teel. After meeting her folks, and having a not-very-positive job interview in Austin, we went to Kerrville.
I had NO IDEA what I was in for.
Twice a year, every hippie in a 1000 mile radius of Kerrville, Texas descends upon an RV park called Quiet Valley Ranch to camp, hang out, listen to music, and socialize. In the spring, they come for the Kerrville Folk Festival ("Big Folk", in Kerrville-speak), and in late summer, they come for the Kerrville Wine & Music Festival ("Little Folk").
I had NO IDEA there were so many hippies still around.
The first thing I got to do was help Teel's dad build a floor for Faye, the tarot-reader lady. Later that weekend, she thanked me with a reading that was LOTS of fun. More on that soon. Then, a party started right outside my tent half an hour after I attempted to go to bed. So, I got dressed again and found about a zillion hippies gathered around the picnic table. I spoke with Kendall at some length about pop culture. He and I divined the sum total meaning of Prince's lyrics: Basically, we decided, The Artist likes to have sex. A lot. I have to admire his singlemindedness of purpose, if nothing else. This seemed pretty profound at the time.
Basically, I spent the next couple days hangin' out in the river, drinking a bit o' wine, singing, and listening to a bunch of great music.
I also made gravel angels. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
I got to go swimming at Monkey Island, which had neither monkeys, nor islands. I did, however, meet Curtis and Giovanna. These people wound up being on the wine-sellin' crew with me. Curtis is an American expatriate chiropractor, living on the east coast of Italy with his lovely girlfriend Giovanna. Cool people. Now I've got a place to crash in Italy. Life is grand!
Third Crossing Swimmin' Hole
That afternoon, I went to my "duty station" to set up the wine booths. (Basically, as a volunteer for the festival, they gave me two meals a day, free soda, and free beer. This is what we call a "no-brainer".) I met Colby, a friend of Teel's, who was the crew leader. Let me tell you, this guy wore me out with how hard he worked HIMSELF. Next year, if I get to be on his crew again, I'm going to tie him to a chair and make him delegate more. I met Tonya, her husband Gooch, Chrystal, and the Italian folks (again). Tommy, Erin, and Carolyn had not arrived, but they'd help us the next nights. I also met Earl, our mascot. Earl was a big ol' black and yellow argiope garden spider who kept us relatively bug-free.
Earl's Cousin.
View from my booth
View OF my booth
I was working in the Alamosa Wine Cellars booth. I had two wines to sell, both made from the Sangiovese grape (which I'd never heard of before). At first, the Risato di Sangiovese didn't really impress me much, but I had many customers who really liked it. On a second taste, I liked it better and think it'd be good with pasta. Chrystal and Curtis didn't like it at all...which was fine, since they didn't have to sell it. Heh. I was right next to the Sister Creek booth, and the Becker Vineyards booth. Both had wines that I really liked, although Becker was selling a Chardonnay, which I typically don't care for at all. Anyhow, we stayed there all night selling wine, and listening to music, and, uh, sampling the products, and talking to people...very very pleasant.
Teel and Carolyn: Two Lovely Ladies...who are CERTAINLY Up To Something.
Kids Jugglin'
I Like Wine
Three Pretty Girls, and a Crazy Tommy. Teel, Tommy, Erin, and Chrystal
On Sunday, I got my reading from Faye. She told me that I was both very analytical and very intuitive (true), that I am sensitive to the needs of people around me (true), and that I could expect several turnarounds in my life in the immediate future (yay!). I apparently already am acquainted with the woman I will marry, and I can anticipate an improvement in my financial and professional fortunes. So, pretty much good news all around! Faye and I spoke a bit, and I told her that although I don't necessarily believe in the mechanisms of tarot and astrology, I believe in their value as affirmations of what a person might already know. She surprised me by agreeing. She also told me that she really liked her floor. Yay!
Chrystal and I found a good blues-y song, and started dancing. She's better than me.
Finally, later that night, I got out of my booth a bit and listened to the bands. Chrystal and I wandered over to the band shell and caught most of Willis Alan Ramsey's set. Good stuff. I also met Hans the leather guy, who was really cool.
Later that night, the staff party happened. John, the festival organizer, bought our crew a bottle of Dom Perignon, because apparently we did a really good job that weekend. (I'm convinced it was all Colby, because all I did was sit on my rear and sell a bit of wine.) It was really cool to sit around a picnic table, taking pulls off a champagne bottle, on a beautiful Texas night. Very pleasant.
Colby and the Dom
Just after we finished our booze, there was a wedding! Teel's friend Jen married her boy Aaron, who she'd met at the last Folk Festival. This old coot in a funny hat, who also happened to be a minister, married 'em right there on top of a picnic table. Much loudness ensued.
Bride n' Groom!
After the remaining kegs were floated, everybody filtered back to their respective campsites. Chrystal and I wandered around, looking for cool music, which we found in spades. At about 5am, I decided I wasn't going to be able to make it 'till sunrise (since I was helping Tommy drive back home), and crashed.
Cool Campsite!
At about 10:30, Tommy comes into my tent.
"LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE! Get up! Chrystal gave me the keys to her car!"
w000t!
My feet hit the floor immediately. I got dressed real fast. Chrystal has a brand new Mini, and told Tommy he could take it for a spin. Since Tommy a) can't drive a stick and b) is always looking out for me, he woke me up. So I had to drive. *sigh* It's tough to be me! So we took it for a quick run. Pedal placement on this car is just PERFECT, and the shifter is a dream. Handling was sharp, precise, and responsive. The car felt really handy. I think I gotta get me one of those.
Then, it was time to go. Tommy and I hopped into the car, and headed home. That night, we were celebrating my parents' 33rd anniversary (YAY MOM & DAD!). My sister had done most of the leg-work for me, since I was out of town. She'd made a cake, some twice-baked potatoes, and procured steaks. All I had to do was make Steak au Poivre happen. Yum.
Then I went to bed. Bed good. What a great weekend!
Lots more pics here.
Posted by Lee at 02:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack