It's Pretzels.

Progressive Guy: I can't decide if this place is 'swag' or 'bling.'

Mall Pretzel Dude: It's 'pretzels.'

Bwahaha! That Progressive commercial cracks me up.

The Mooch is out ALREADY? I only got one chance to rant about him. Bummer! Wonder who's next!

My owl decoys for scaring off the overabundance of squirrels digging up our mulch and drip irrigation hoses...

Not. Working.

Well they sort of work, just not perfectly. There are definitely far fewer yard rats than there were. 

Squirrels been splayed out flat on their tummies everywhere in the 'hood lately, since it's been running about 105-ish degrees. Google "squirrels lying flat" and check out the images. It's hilarious. Some neighbors are leaving ice out in the mulch for them to lie on, but since I'm mad at them right now, I'm saying no. They still lie in our mulch on their bellies in the shade. I refuse to think it's cute.

We're going to replace our mulch with rocks. Yep! *shakes fist at yard rats* Talked to the stone guys this weekend. It will be dirt, then the drip irrigation hoses, topped with landscape fabric to keep the stones from sinking into the dirt, then stone. Ta da! DONE. No more squirrels digging up everything every day.

Then I'll post our before and after yard photos. Whee!

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The Mooch

This.

Really?

...See if I can c***-block these people the way I c***-blocked Scaramucci for six months. 

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

...I'm not trying to suck my own c***?

Mmmkay.

I want to... kill all the leakers. 

Dude. Take a pill.

The White House is Crazytown. Too bad SNL is on hiatus! Mario Cantone did a great job on The President Show as Scaramucci on Comedy Central.


Saturday 9: Angel (1998)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Sarah McLachlan wrote this song about someone she barely knew. She read the obit of Jonathan Melvoin, keyboard player for the Smashing Pumpkins, who died of a heroin overdose. What's the most recent news story that touched you deeply?
The stepmom bride and her vows to her little stepson. So sweet.

2) Ms. McLachlan performed this in tribute to Linda McCartney at the 1999 Concert for Linda. She was expressing her hope that, in death, Linda found relief and peace after a long and painful battle with cancer. What do you think happens to us when we die?
Wow. Hello Saturday morning! I think our souls go to Heaven/Hell or whatever your personal version of the afterlife is called. I don't believe in reincarnation or the complete disappearance of the soul/spiritual energy/whatever you want to call it. Reincarnation- the math just doesn't ever work out with things dying vs. things being born. Nothingness would mean that the body's spiritual energy/consciousness disappears, which doesn't jibe with physics. I'm hoping the afterlife allows us to literally gather with people we've lost, but if not, that the soul is at peace.

3) Daytime dramas General Hospital and As the World Turns used this song on-air after a major character died. Do you follow any "soap operas?"

I watched All My Children and General Hospital. I started watching All My Children in the 80's during the Greg/Jenny/Liza/Jesse/Angie/Tad period. Watched through the Tad-n-Dixie era and Kendall Hart (SMG), Leo/Greenlee, Hayley/Mateo stories. Stopped watching on any sort of regular basis in the early 2000's. Started watching GH during the Robert/Holly, Duke/Anna, Frisco/Felicia period in the mid 80's. Stopped after the Sonny/Brenda phase in the 1990's.

4) In 2007, Sarah donated her recording of this song to the ASPCA. Do you have a pet? If yes, how did you get it (shelter, pet store, etc.)?

We got our two kitties from a friend of Lauren's, whose cat had kittens.

5) She admits she can't watch those ASPCA commercials, where her recording of "Angel" plays over sad photos of animals. Is there a TV commercial that really gets to you (in either a good or a bad way)?

6) In 1994, Sarah was stalked by an obsessed fan. Tell us about a time you were really frightened. In retrospect, was your fear commensurate with the threat?
I developed a sudden fear of flying after my cancer diagnosis in college. I cried the entire flight to Cancun on our honeymoon. (Sorry, cabinmates!) Definitely not commensurate with the threat. :)

7) Sarah was adopted by Jack and Dorice McLachlan. Though she has a friendly relationship with her birth mother, she always considered Dorice her mother and sees herself behaving with her son the way Dorice did with her. Is there anyone in your family that you feel you resemble, either physically or by behavior?
I physically resemble my dad. So does my half-brother. Strong genes! My personality is a pretty even mix of Mom's and Dad's.

8) McLachlan is one of the founders of Lilith Fair, a summer concert series designed to showcase talented female performers. Do/did your summer plans include an outdoor concert?
Nope. Sad day!!

9) Random question: Which of these men would you most like to be seated with at dinner -- Clint Eastwood, Prince William or Jimmy Fallon?
Jimmy Fallon

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Damn Squirrels ('n Stuff)

Scaramucci said in his introductory press conference last week that Trump is a "very effective communicator" on Twitter. Good God, surely he was kidding. I mean, seriously. And Trump is "really well loved?" It's like the President's staffers live on another planet... in another galaxy... Maybe in that job, you have to keep telling yourself those things until you believe them, so you don't come across as insincere.

And if they're getting rid of people, why can't they dump the complete disaster that is Kellyanne Conway?

Gah. Sorry. Ranting.

Citibank has that great commercial on now with the new neighbor, where the lady welcomes her with a pie. "Wow, that smells intrusive." Bwahaha!



What's new around here... Ah- DAMN SQUIRRELS. I used to love all our little cutie grey squirrels. Then we switched to drip irrigation in the front beds. Those obnoxious varmints dig up the hoses, even ripping out the metal stakes holding them down.

We're trying out a couple of owl decoys and so far, I haven't seen one squirrel today! Yaaaay!! I hear we'll need to move the decoys every few days or the squirrels figure out that they're fake. I'm going to leave them where they are to see how long it takes them.

Saturday 9: Don't Stop (1977) 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Since we're not supposed to stop thinking about tomorrow, let's talk about it: What are your plans for Sunday?
Yesterday we caught up on DVR shows and then went out shopping for owl decoys.

2) Fleetwood Mac was formed 50 years ago in London. Fifty years is considered a "golden anniversary." Do you wear more silver or gold?

Silver

3) This song is from Rumours, which has sold 40 million copies. Is it in your collection?

Nope

4) It was written by keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie. She was born Christine Perfect, a name that earned her a fair share of teasing when she was a school girl. Do you recall being teased in school? What about?

When I was in elementary school, I was teased about being tall, which is hilarious today.

5) Before Fleetwood Mac, she was in a band called Chicken Shack. If you were to order out for a chicken dinner, which restaurant would you turn to?
Fried chicken- definitely Popeye's. Yummo.

6) Before she could pay all her bills with her music, she supported herself as a window dresser for a London department store. Do you enjoy walking along, just window shopping? Or do you consider "looking with no intention to buy" a waste of time?
LOVE window shopping.

7) When she found herself making big money, one of the first things Christine bought was a pair of matching Mercedes for herself and then-husband, John McVie. If you were handed a check for $1 million, what's the first thing you would do with the money?

Go on a long Mediterranean cruise in an expensive suite. Save the rest.

8) The other girl in Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, founded the Soldier's Angel Foundation. She believes in the healing power of music, and so she's proud to provide wounded soldiers with iPods already loaded with music. When you listen to music from your phone, MP3 player or iPod, do you use ear buds or headphones?

Ear buds, but I would love some headphones.

9) Random question: Let's pretend your high school reunion is coming up. Which classmate are you more curious about: the one who was your first date, or the one who was too cool to give you the time of day?

The one who was my first date. Who cares about someone who didn't give you the time of day?

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On the BED??!

Laughing at the IKEA commercial where the mom is commenting as the daughter is in her dorm room and a boy shows up. They proceed to sit on her bed to study and mom says, "Oh, on the BED?! Absolutely NOT..."



My mom said that all the time! LOL. I thought it was her generation, but here's a current mother of a college student saying it on TV.

One time I asked Mom, "So, it's okay if I sit with a guy on a couch, but not a bed?"

"Yes."

"So... Anywhere on earth but a bed."

"Yes! There's something about being with a boy on a bed that is sort of an 'invitation'."

Ahaha. It is?????! I dunno. I just never got it. If a boy was in my bedroom, there weren't many places for us to sit together to look at something or chat or whatever. I mean, we had the door open and parents were home. (That was a rule I understood and abided by to the letter- no boys in the house when parents weren't home.) I really tried to do the 'no boys on the bed' thing, but I never noticed we were on a bed together until Mom showed up and gave me the evil eye.

Plus, if we wanted to engage in activities we weren't supposed to be doing in mom and dad's house, couldn't we do those things on a couch? On a floor? In a chair? Still shaking my head on this issue.

For the record, I didn't care a bit if Lauren was sitting on a bed with a boy. With her, I constantly had to clarify that the door had to be completely open with a boy in the bedroom- not just a few inches. Ha!!


Saturday 9: I Will Never Let You Down (2017)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Fastball is a trio from Austin, Texas. Austin is the capital of Texas. When you were in school, did you have to memorize the state capitals?

I did! Good times. Can't remember all of them anymore.

2) Have you ever visited your state's capital?
I live here.

3) Fastball played dates throughout Canada this past spring. When did you last leave the US of A?
March 2015 when I went to Berlin to make a presentation at an investigators' meeting for work. SO very interesting. I want to go back and spend more time as a tourist.

4) Tony Scalzo is a founding member of Fastball. He's the singer in the video for this song, and that's his wife, Jennifer, playing the organizer of the speed-dating event. Have you ever gotten a job because you knew somebody?

Gallagher's- Kimberly was a hostess there

my current job- MelissaN suggested me when she couldn't take the job they'd offered to her

5) In this pitch to a perspective lover, he admits he doesn't have much money. Last time you went to the ATM, how much did you withdraw?

I can't even remember the last time I went to an ATM. Probably $20. I don't use cash in general.

6) He sings that at times, his mind is hazy. Do you have a good memory for names?

Noooo. I'm especially bad if I think we're just meeting this once and will never see each other again. Inevitably, we do, and you remember my name. Gah. I do wish I were better with names.

7) Fastball guitarist Miles Zuniga admits that he once had a crush on Carrie Fisher (aka Princess Leia). Tell us about one of your one-sided love affairs, either with a celebrity or someone you knew in real life.

My longest-running celeb crush is George Clooney. I liked him in E/R, Facts of Life and Roseanne, but really became enamored with him during the ER days. He's still hot today!

8) Fastball's drummer Joey Shuffield is partial to drums from Pork Pie Percussion. This company was started by Bill Detamore, who began making drums as a hobby. Do you have any hobbies that, under the right circumstances, could make you money?

Not right now, but I turned website design into a part time business from 2000-2017. It's going to be over August 2. Woohoo! On to something new.

9) The fast ball is the most common pitch in major league baseball. Now that the MLB season is past the halfway mark, how is your baseball team doing?

I don't watch MLB at all. I guess I would have to be an Astros gal, if pressed to support a team. Google tells me:
Houston Astros 60-29, 1st in American League West

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Cold Brew Coffee

I tried this cold brew fad over the weekend. I did a 2:1 (4 cups to 2 cups) ratio of water to coffee grounds and left it at room temp for 24 hours, per one of the recipes I found. After it had steeped, I figured out why people don't do this often. You think you can pour what simply looks like concentrated liquid coffee through a coffee filter into a pitcher and it's done. But no. It literally takes hours for that "coffee concentrate" to go through the filter. I didn't even try to put the wet grounds in there. Ha! We'd still be staring at it today!

I got a few cups of concentrate out of the experience. Next was the taste test.

I poured a little into a cup and added the same amount of water (1:1 per the recipe), then took a sip. Totally bitter. Of course, I never drink black coffee, so it probably wasn't a fair comparison to any coffee I'm familiar with. So I gave it a second chance.

I poured a half mug full and added the same amount of milk (another suggested recipe), then added some sugar. NOW we're talking. It was definitely much smoother and less bitter than any of the coffee or coffee drinks I've had. It did have a lot more milk than I'm used to, so who knows. It was good.

Was it worth all that effort? Nope! There are some contraptions that help with the long filtering time, so you don't have to babysit it so much, but I'm guessing they don't work well enough to make it worth the time and mess.

Cold brew coffee gets two thumbs up, but only if someone else makes it for you.

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Restaurant Review Time!

The Burger King next to Chik-Fil-A at 290 and Mopac has been leveled. When a neighbor asked on the FB group, "What are they going to put there?" another neighbor replied, "Gosh I hope it's another Chik-Fil-A!" Ahahahaaaaa! (That Chik-Fil-A is really overcrowded.)

While we're on the subject of local restaurants, I have to say that Cuba 512 earns a huge two thumbs up every time I go there. The restaurant at Westgate and William Cannon has a fabulous El Cubano Cuban sandwich, of course, but so far every single dish I've tried has honestly been exceptional. The ceviche could be lunch for two, served in a large goblet with crispy plantain chips. Boniato frito (sweet potato fries) are delicious with Cuban aioli. Mariquitas (fried plantain chips) with mojo are yummy. Their mojo is simple garlicky goodness. Tostones (plantain patties) are my favorite side, also good with mojo. Kathy and I had the Cuban churrasco (wagyu beef with caramelized onions and chimichurri) once, which was tender and wonderful. Last weekend I tried the lechon asado (Cuban pulled pork), and it was fall apart deliciousness with yellow rice. Yummo! Get over there and get some!

We tried the new Mad Greens in Sunset Valley yesterday. It was excellent! It's a chain, but so is Austin's beloved Torchy's now, so don't automatically wave it away, y'all. They have about ten pre-selected salad combinations with various themes. You can also make your own by choosing ingredients as you walk through the line. They also have hummus and pita that rocks. My favorite was the garlic hummus. Jeff's was avocado. One of my favorite things on earth is sun-dried tomatoes, but oddly the sun-dried tomato hummus lacked flavor. Overall, a great lunch spot! (Tip: The regular sized salad is plenty for a meal, so don't feel like you have to go for the large.)

Time for another Saturday 9--


Saturday 9: Listen to the Music (1972)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) The lyrics say, "What the people need is a way to make them smile." What song lifts your spirits and makes you smile every time you hear it?

Still Counting Crows "Accidentally In Love" and it has nothing to do with Shrek, I just LOVE that song! It's so happy!

2) Lead vocalist/composer Tom Johnston reports that he's made a lot in royalties because so many radio stations use this as a jingle. Tell us a jingle that sticks in your head.

OOOOOH-OOOH it's a summer full of fun yeah! The Corpus Christi tourism commercial always in my head.

3) The Doobie Brothers got their start in San Jose, California. San Jose is the largest city in Northern California, thanks to all the tech companies that have headquarters there. Let's talk about the device you're on right now: are all your applications up to date?
I'm on the MacBook. Of course the apps are up-to-date!

4) When they were still a local band, the Doobie Brothers had a strong following among bikers. Are you attracted to biker culture?

Not really. I haven't had much exposure to it.

5) This week's song is from Toulouse Street, which is considered their "breakthrough" album. Tell us about a moment in your own life that you consider a "breakthrough."

Going back to work in the same job I left 20 years prior. I was never sure I'd have the opportunity to pick up where I left off after that much time away. It was completely due to maintaining friendships with old coworkers.

6) In 1987, the Doobie Brothers did a benefit performance for Vietnam Veterans at the Hollywood Bowl. Next to the Beatles, it was the fastest-selling ticket in Hollywood Bowl history. Which group do you listen to more often -- the Doobies or the Beatles?

Beatles

7) In 1972, when this song was popular, Wranglers were America's best-selling jeans. Are you brand-loyal to one jeans manufacturer?

Nope. There are a few brands I try first, but the perfect fit could be one brand, could be another. Could be one I've never owned before.

8) Grocery stores saw seafood prices fluctuate wildly in 1972 because of a series of confrontations between the United Kingdom and Iceland regarding fishing rights in the North Atlantic. (Iceland won.) What was the most recent seafood dish that you enjoyed?

I had a bagel with lox this morning.

9) Random question: Which of these "top ten" lists would you prefer to be on -- the sexiest, the smartest or the richest?

Smartest. In the sexiest or richest groups, you have to be careful that the people around you are true friends and not just people who want something from you. Being among the smartest people doesn't come with that issue.

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Grocery Store Adventures

So I get into a regular checkout line this morning with 16 items in my grocery cart (that's one over the fast lane limit), behind a woman with a completely full cart. She immediately turns around and sees me. Five full minutes later, when she's about three-quarters unloaded onto the conveyor, another woman shows up with a completely full cart and pulls up next to us.

Original woman with full cart (to me): She's with me. We have two big cart-loads of groceries today. Sorry!

She couldn't have mentioned that... oh... I don't know... as soon as I walked up?

So rude.  What is it with this social climate where inconsiderate dunderheads run free? I blame Trump.

In other news... we saw The Big Sick last weekend. It is really good! Fun date movie!


Saturday 9: The Joker (1973)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Steve Miller claims he's a picker, grinner, sinner, lover, smoker and joker. Do any of those six words describe you?

grinner, lover, sinner, joker

2) He maintains he's still a midnight toker. When's the last time you got high?

at least 30 years ago

3) The lyrics include a reference to peaches. Name your favorite fruit.

watermelon

4) This song had a big impact on the character of Joey on Friends, who had an imaginary friend named Maurice with the occupation of space cowboy. Did you ever have an imaginary friend? 

nope

5) Steve Miller is the pride of Milwaukee, WI. What else is Milwaukee famous for?

beer

6) Steve Miller considers himself a serious blues guitarist. When did you last feel like singing the blues?
Wednesday, when I was looking at the rules for a program for which Lauren may be applying. There is so much legal jargon in the informational material that my head was spinning. I had the head spinnin', forehead smackin', "shall therein be referenced as the revocation of these statutes" bluuuues.

7) In 1973, when this song was popular, you could buy a portable 8-track tape player for $44.50. On what device do you listen to music most often?
my phone

8) A Curious George book packaged with a Curious George plush toy was a big seller at Christmas 1973. Tell us about a toy -- either given or received -- that brightened a holiday or birthday for you.

I remember giving Lauren a Skip It. 

Not Lauren.

It was really cool, because it's basically the Lemon Twist I used to have when I was little. I played with that thing until the lemon fell apart from being scraped on the driveway. 

Remember these? Superfun!

9) M*A*S*H was one of TV's top-rated shows in 1973. Who is your favorite M*A*S*H character?

I've seen every episode in repeats. They're all so great. I'll say Henry Blake.

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