Birthday Purchases

Yesterday, while Chris took the day off and watch the kids, I got to spend some time out and about by myself. Since I got a gift certificate to Grimey's for my birthday, I went to spend it. Grimey's is located in an old house where the CD and LPs are pack in every nook and cranny they could find. It felt good just walking into the place. It's nice to be someplace so real after shopping on the ethereal web.


Not wanting to waste my purchase on something I wasn't sure would be a worthwhile purchase, I asked for some recommendations. Grimey (I think that's who I talked to...) asked what my last purchase was. I told him Brian Eno. Then when he spotted the bluegrass CD I was tentatively carrying around, he wasn't too sure what to tell me. (By the way, if you would have told me when I was 18 that I would live in Nashville and listen to bluegrass, I would have laughed in your face.)


I ended up with a stack of staff picks to listen through, and spent the next hour listening on a borrowed set of headphones. Television, a 70's punk band (an all-time classic, I was told), and Dungen, brand new from Scandinavia, were both things I would have bought in an instant when I was in my teens and 20s and childless. Amy Wineheart, whom I've heard on the radio, was also recommended, but too crass. And besides... I'd rather buy the Verve Remixed CDs, which I bet is where she got her gimmick from.


So I ended up with Uncle Earl and Wilco. The first song on the Uncle Earl CD sounded so... joyful. To catch a glimpse of them click here and here. The verdict is still out on Wilco, who I hear lots of folks rave about. It such a bad name for a band, but after listening to a few songs, I knew my kids at least wouldn't get into some funky mood when I played their music.

Not a Baker

Since I didn't do anything special for Chris on his birthday (which was Monday), yesterday, I thought I'd better bake him a cake. Especially since one of Finley's favorite stories is about a bear that comes to our house and bakes a cake for somebody's birthday.

Not being too fond of cake mixes these days and feeling ambitious, I found a recipe for German Chocolate cake. Sounded good. I whipped up some chocolate frosting and coconut filing, then dove into the cake making itself.

A couple years ago, I tried to do a layer cake for Chris, but it split open on top because I didn't cut the bottom layer to be flat... For Finley's 2nd birthday, I made an angel food cake. Her cake was pathetic as well. Droopy (I didn't let it cool long enough?) and a sick Pepto-pink color.

You'd think I'd learn. But after seeing the fabulous Veggie Tales cake I saw at a recent birthday party, I thought a simple layer cake would be... well... a piece of cake.

Everything went well until I tried to get the cakes out of the pans. Even though I had greased and floured as the recipe suggested, they stuck as if I had used Liquid Nails. No amount of coersion or threatening could get them out in one piece...

So Chris got a cake in a bowl... I threw a chunk of cake in, poured on some filling, threw in more cake, topped it with the frosting... Wa-La.

At least it tastes good.

What Does A Bear Say?

Lament of sorts...

I'm letting Finley watch Sesame Street while I poke around on the net. (Spare me the criticism, o ye anti-tv-ists. Sometimes a mom needs a break.)

Anyway, Sesame Street had Maya Angelou on as a guest. She has one of those great, deep voices, and carries herself with such grace and strength, it can give you chills, even if she is playing patty-cake with Elmo.

She performed in Nashville sometime last week, and I didn't go.
I should have.

The Finished Playset (for now)

Our wonderful neighbor has some grandkids that could use something to play on while at 'Papa Joe's,' so he decided to pitch in some funds to help finish the playset. He is also very happy that he doesn't have to mow and weed eat around the thing.

































We finally finished Saturday evening, and have spent the rest of the holiday weekend watching lots of kids test it out. I am now sporting a fairly good (farmer's) tan.