Festival of Beer

Two Sundays ago I wandered outside and much to my surprise found our building surrounded, nay INVADED by multitudinous strangers. Most seemed to have moved in quite comfortably, bringing chairs, snacks, reading materials, and friends to keep them company. Why, oh why were hundreds of people camped out around our home? Clearly they were not there to catch a glimpse of me, as I was mostly ignored when I made such a glimpse available to them. Upon further investigation, I discovered that they were there awaiting their holy grail: tickets to the Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival. The Cork & Bottle was selling tickets and these drinkers were serious as damn. Doors opened and both the tickets and the mutitude of drinkers were gone in (I'm serious) two minutes. These dedicated beer tasters do not mess around. Bless their hearts.

Favorite Things

My favorite thing that Rosebud said today is this: "Mama, will you get the sun out of my eyes? It's making me crazy."

The favorite thing she did is hand me a bouquet of tissue paper flowers that she made and said "Happy Mothers Day!". The flowers are now in a Kahlua vase and the sight of them makes me giddy.

'Stache

Papa M decided to have a fancy moustache for a little while the other day. It was a silent, univited guest in the house, but certainly not without its own flavor of intrigue. Fascinating, yet after a moment, one had to avert one's eyes. He decided he looked a bit too distinguished, too je ne sais quois, too Inspector Clouseau and shaved it off. Nothing says "I love you" like getting rid of a moustache like this one before leaving the privacy of one's home.

I Am a Gardener

As of yesterday, I am officially a dirt-digging grower of plants, especially since Rosebud bestowed the title "Gardener" upon me. Huzzah! Could it be that Rockmama's lifelong black thumb will finally turn a modest shade of green? I believe that with the help of Papa M (and ONLY with his help), it could be so. We've secured a fine dirt patch behind our apartment building, and will be co-gardening with neighbors Storey and Kori. Storey warned us that we may encounter difficulties including hungry rabbits, diseased dirt, and vagrant strangers, but we'll go forward fearlessly. If we end up with a surviving tomato plant or an ear of corn, we'll be pleased. And I like the fresh air and exercise. Seriously. If I'm getting exercise, I do NOT want to know about it, so gardening is perfect. Progress reports shall be forthcoming. Oh, glorious spring!

If I were a comic book character, I'd look like this.

Boozelabra

We live above a liquor store and an acoustic musical instrument shop. Today I'd like to raise a glass to the former, the Cork & Bottle. Along with serving as an excellent and accessable source of fine wines and ales, the C&B also functions for our family as a playground and think tank, and provides musical entertainment. Rosebud has been given toys and birthday parties there regularly, and plays complex kid games with employee Dickey almost every day. Countless ideas have been hatched there, inluding the notion for Jimmy's and my acoustic Queen cover duet Farouk Assault. The Cork & Bottle String Band has often rehearsed in the back room and, when the weather is kind, the driveway. Jimmy performed the wedding ceremony for Papa M and me. The place is also a museum of local curios, including the boozelabra and the menagerie of plastic reptiles and rats. There is a liquor store poodle named Bob. Teena and Connie are the queens of the place and we try to take good care of it all. Thank you, C&B, for being a treasured room in our home.

Little Miss Trouble

Last weekend we helped our friend Thuy (for those of you not fluent in Vietnamese, it's pronounced Twee) celebrate her birthday! She had a party in her backyard, one of those dreamy parties that makes me looove my city and community. We tend to celebrate in kid-friendly, food-friendly and beer-friendly ways, and this shindig had all three PLUS sparkly, summer-like weather. Thuy's sweetheart Bucky manned the grill while other well-wishers loaded down the table with orzo salad, cold asian noodles, quiche, and some delicious things I couldn't even identify. I had three plates of food and many beers. We sang happy birthday and Rosebud and I shared a yummy slice of chocolate almond cake.

Papa M fortified himself with a few bratwurst and played with the kids for awhile. Seriously, I never knew that children and adults could have so much uncompromising fun. We even let Rosebud run with a pack of kids for a bit, all on their own. Pictures were drawn, popsicles slurped, and Miles learned how to play "Iron Man" on Bucky's 12 string. Pap M grabbed a fabulous shot of all the kiddos, as you can see.

I was ultimately giddy with socializing. Multitudes of revelers showed up to wish Thuy a happy special day. There were several Andys with dandelion crowns. Our friend Page makes his own beer, which I now refer to as his Secret Weapon. He brought a rich concoction, undoubtedly a cousin to barley wine, which was very delish. Yet, I do believe that one glass of said libation was the cause for Rock Mama to go to bed early that night.

And summerish celebrations were thusly kicked into action. We were up bright and early for 9:00 church in Rio the next morning. That's another story...