Obselete

Right now I'm going through some old cassette tapes.  Mine were not of the average sort.  I actually can't find the ones that Serg made me, but they are the reason for this "project".  I found an old song that he copied for me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FJA7cuqD6k), and was hoping to play the tapes again somehow to try and figure out what the songs could possibly be called and find more.  Serg was not considerate enough to actually tell me about the songs.  I found out later that the one he actually sang to me was, according to the lady who told on him, "a communist song."  Now that's romance.  Why didn't I dump him sooner, again?

Anyway, want to hear my successes so far?  This is just from titles and memory, as I haven't been able to locate a cassette player, yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaVY5GVn2VE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDoRwRLlc3s


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MsvAav1KG4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3nj7TDmiSs

Can't find Crathadh 'T' Aodaich & Zbadba.  Might buy it instead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axb2sHpGwHQ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SYDO3YE2AI


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI0ajKWPFN4  (Not the same rendition I had, but very close.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1So7q6IfJ4  A little Boney M?  ^_^  This video cracks me up, too.  More importantly, though, it shows the Jamaican children dancing the dance, which is the true origin of the song's lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF_QPSIV1n8


Wow.  My computer - this new computer - just crashed for the first time.  I'm little nervous.

So, you might be interested in Brother's visit.  Well, he showed up later than we'd anticipated because of circumstances beyond our control (he left laundry in the washer by mistake and had to dry it all).  We went to Poppy J's for lunch.  Very yummy.  If you are ever in the Warrenton, MO area, I suggest you try it.  It's the bright yellow building on Veterens' Memorial Parkway.  We had giant and delicious deli sandwiches, but then decided not to buy the fancy candy.  Instead, we went to Carson's Ice Cream.  Brother loves frozen desserts.  I pretty much never wanted to eat again, but shortly after we got home, I started cooking dinner.  I made that recipe I was telling you about, and "fake" potatoes (That's what I call instant ones.  I LOVE them, but I don't confuse them with potatoes that have never been dehydrated.) and sweet peas swimming in butter.  I also had a pre-made blueberry crumb cake by our buddy, Paula Deen.  If you thought I was stuffed before!!  We watched Labyrinth with the kids, and it was fun.  And then they went to bed, and we watched Not Appropriate For Children humorous youtube videos.

In the morning, I made a huge pile of scrambled eggs with cheese and tomato, toast, and the rest of the crumb cake.  Oink.  We were just kind of hanging out until lunchtime, when we were to meet my parents, so Josh and Brother started to mess with Josh's RC model airplane.  Josh was having trouble calibrating the remote, so Brother was helping him do that.  And that's when Josh learned that leaving the propellers on while calibrating the remote was not a good plan.  Mute point.  The plane is now without propellers....because they hit my kitchen table and flew across the house.  They'll be laughing about this one for years!  And I can join them, because by some freak miracle, nothing in the house was broken except the propellers.  There is a scratch on my table, but any of you who have been to my house are aware that we found that table in a trash pile in Yuma.  Not emotionally attached.

So, then we went to Olive Garden.  I wanted to get the Shrimp Scampi Fritas appetizer for my lunch, but then my mom ordered it as an appetizer.  D'oh!  So I got something else that was way too much.  And then they ordered dessert and they got my favorite and they set it right between me and the kids.  I was starting to panic!  Well, even though I boxed half of my lunch and gave lots of bites of cake to the kids, I seriously overate.  Ouch!  I would willingly and gratefully have gone the next 24 hours without sustenance of any kind, but the fates were against me.  First, there was a watermelon that was hand carried from Arkansas by a family friend, and I had to be seen having some.  Then, after my parents left (It was so nice!  They stayed so much longer than usual! ), Brother insisted on buying me my favorite grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches from Brewskis.  I couldn't refuse, but I did split one with Josh.  It didn't matter.  I was near explosion.  The boys went to play with he airplane again, and I sat in misery at the table.

You know how when your stomach is hurting, you have this instinct to try to eat the thing that will calm it?  Don't listen to that instinct!!!  I unhappily reached for a lone DOTS candy.  And that was that.  For the first time in my life I can claim to have eaten myself sick.  The rest of the evening was devoted to throwing up, and trying not to let my guest know that I was/had been.  I don't remember it well, except in a vague, nightmarish kind of way.

Oh, the shame!

Brother left Sunday morning, right before I left for taiko.  I was feeling much better then.  Brother seemed to have had a nice time, which is a great thing.  He certainly ate well!

No idea what I am going to make for dinner tonight.  I'm really not feeling it.  I don't suppose my family would be happy with crackers and weak peppermint tea.

I've been applying for jobs, and I'm also trying to get started with the substitute teaching thing.  The summer is coming to an end!

Wanna hear what we got Grant for his birthday?  Well, there is a great Smithsonian toy where you excavate "bones" out of compressed sand and then build it into a tyrannosaurus.  Grant recently decided that he wants to be a Paleontologist.  WIN!  Also, he's getting two big tubs of Kinex building toys.  (Hope I spelled that right.)  I also ordered some used Tom Swift books for a dollar or so apiece.  Yay for vintage SciFi!  So fun.  I think my mom is going to get him a croquet set.

Both kids are doing well.  Abbie is reading The Wizard of Oz.  I actually read Rikki Tikki Tavi to them the other day, as well.  Then we spent the afternoon researching mongooses.  Right now they are downstairs playing happily and nicely.  They are making a town out of blocks and boxes and toys and such. 
Swimming lessons for the WHOLE SUMMER are cancelled.  Since the pool is open again, this is a mystery, but it doesn't matter much.

Well, I am hoping for a pretty calm week.  And maybe some rain.  My poor tree looks worse and worse.  Now the other one even shows signs of stress. 

For you, I am wishing much happiness!  Have a happy week, and be sure to eat healthy!