Welcome To The World, Luke!

Dave's daughter, Janet, delivered a baby boy, Luke, just one day past Christmas. Like Dave (born December 24th, BC something - from all appearances), Luke, will most likely get short changed each year when it comes to Christmas/Birthday presents. Nevertheless, it's still a great season to be born and we wish Luke a peaceful and prosperous life. Welcome to the world, Luke!

Christmas Night

The weather outside was wet and windy, but it was nice and warm by the fire at home. Nancy and I had our Christmas dinner while listening to an iTunes play list of Christmas carols. Afterwards, we opened our gifts by the tree. We didn't buy all that much for each other this year, but it was fun tearing off the wrapping paper on the few boxes that were scattered under our tree. Nancy has collected quite a few pictures of Brandon Junior over the last year and a half, so the new digital picture frame she received should provide a good way to show the collection when she and others choose to view them. The new digital picture frames create slide shows and transitions in order to provide an easy way to transfer your pictures from a memory card for viewing on a high resolution screen. Nancy's unit has a seven inch screen, which is just right for her desk in the kitchen. You can see our Christmas pictures to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

Merry Christmas to all - and to all a good night!!

Brandon Junior 's First Buffet

As you can see from the pictures, the Golden Corral Buffet suits Brandon Junior just fine. What's not to like? You got a great selection of food to choose from and you can sample all kinds of tasty stuff. Yeah, no doubt about it, Brandon Junior is a Golden Corral "kind-of-guy".

Canon Powershot SD880 IS Review

To find out more about the Canon Powershot 880, check out the below link -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdybCjJ5sCQ

Christmas Decorations

Using my new Canon Powershot SD880 IS camera, I took a few shots of our Christmas decorations. You can see them to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

We still have several more areas to decorate, including both the inside and outside of our house. We should be done by this weekend. I'll post more pictures at that time.

Another Canon Photo

The second picture taken with the Canon Powershot SD880IS is shown to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. How many of you remember the classic Schwinn Black Phantom? I never owned one (instead... I had a Schwinn Jaguar), but the Black Phantom has always been one of my favorite bikes. To this day, it is still a very stylish cruiser bike.

New Canon Camera

I opened my Christmas gift early this year. Well, you know, I'll need it to take Christmas pictures... so it makes perfect sense. The weather has been overcast all day and the sun hasn't peeked out enough to take good pictures. However, I wanted to do something with my new camera (Canon Powershot SD880IS) and since it was best to shoot indoors, I decided to take a picture of a picture. The original was taken in a studio. The picture I took is posted on the blog. It shows Brandon Junior ready to throw a baseball. I didn't use flash, so the outcome was a little grainy, but the blog picture is actually pretty good. I'll run several more test shots this week and post the results. So far, it looks like it will be a good addition to my digital camera collection. It's my first Canon camera. I plan to use it mainly for 13 by 19 prints.

The below link provides a review of the Canon SD880:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_reviews/canon_sd880.html

Thanksgiving Meal

We had our turkey and dressing at the Bakers Square restaurant in Vacaville this year. The food was good, not up to home cooked quality, but still, it was nice to forgo the dishes and all the clean up necessary after preparing a holiday meal for several people. After our meal we went to a park in Vacaville.

While at the tot's park Baby Brandon had a great time going down slides, swinging in tot size swings and running around the large playground. I took a few pictures, but it was an overcast day and the lighting wasn't the best for getting really good shots, at least not with the camera that I brought. The pictures are posted to the left and at the bottom of the blog page.

Update - Auto Show Pictures

I still have several pictures from my visit to the 2009 Sacramento International Auto Show that I need to download and process. I'll most likely file the auto show pics in a web album, once I go through the entire selection. The AMG Mercedes, shown to the right and at the bottom of the blog page, caught my eye as I was browsing through my digital camera's memory card today. Neat looking vehicle!

MMJ - "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2"

Another You Tube video from My Morning Jacket -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpdwwa7lsUI&feature=related

I'm Amazed by My Morning Jacket (Louisville Band)

My Morning Jacket singing their song, "I'm Amazed" -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2TqaOWYYgE&NR=1

Accident - MMJ

Jim James, frontman for the band My Morning Jacket, was injured in a fall last month. The link below provides details.

http://www.ifc.com/music/indie-ear/2008/10/mmjs-jim-james-injured.php

My Morning Jacket

To listen to a song by "My Morning Jacket", from their album Evil Urges, click on the You Tube link below. MMJ is a band from Louisville, Kentucky (my home town). The band has been together for several years and they have evolved their sound so that it now includes an eclectic mix of musical genre. Lead singer Jim James mimics Prince's falsetto voice on the song "Highly Suspicious". I'd have to say that it's probably one of those - "really like" or "really hate" - kind of songs. So... you be the judge. As for me, I rather like the song, as well as the band's latest CD!

.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPKc3Q2in4I&feature=related

Rolls Royce Phantom - Lexicon Audio Demo

Have a look at Graham Pike, Rolls Royce sales manager for Silicon Valley Auto Group in Los Gatos, California, as he demonstrates the fabulous voice activated Lexicon Audio system in a Rolls Phantom - on display at the 2009 Sacramento International Auto Show at Cal Expo. Fantastic sound quality!!!

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=RollsRoyceLexiconSoundDemo.flv

Sacramento International Auto Show - 2009 Models

I attended the annual Sacramento International Auto Show this weekend. I've posted a few pictures from the show on the blog site, but in order to properly depict the entire show, I will need to put together an online photo album. It may take me a little while, so be patient - I have lots of pictures.

I spent about six hours at this year's show. I was able to capture the posted pictures, because Graham Pike, the Bentley, Bugatti, Rolls Royce sales manager for a dealership in Los Gatos, California, was kind enough to take the shots for me. The cars were roped off in a fashion that make it difficult to get really good pictures. So... Graham took the pics from behind the ropes. You could sit in most of the cars on display at the show, but Graham must have been a little hesitant to have a crowd of people messing with his one million six hundred thousand dollar Bugatti (this one was used, new ones go for 1.9 mil), hence the tight security. The Veyron is an absolutely fascinating automobile; one thousand and one horsepower (yes, those numbers are correct) and a top speed of 253 miles per hour. I was fortunate that Graham caught a nice shot of the interior, because that is not a picture that the average photographer could get. It's just not that simple to have the opportunity to sit inside a car that cost nearly two million dollars.

Graham also took some pictures for me of a Rolls Royce Phantom on display at the show and he even demonstrated the Lexicon sound system that Rolls uses (yes, Hyundai also uses the same type of sound system (Lexicon) in the new Genesis). I have a video of the Rolls sound demo. I will post it a little later down the road. Graham is a superb sales person - par excellence - in addition to being a genuinely nice guy, to boot. Obviously, I wasn't in the market for a car in this class, but that didn't seem to matter to Graham. He is a self described "car nut" and he enjoys providing information about the magnificent vehicles that are a part of the inventory at Silicon Valley Auto Group, in Los Gatos. Thanks, Graham, for your thoughtfulness, and consideration, in taking the pictures. More information about the auto show in a future posting. Stay tuned, it was a terrific show.

Halloween Night

Although there were showers on an off all Halloween night, the tricksters still came in large numbers to claim their candy. It must not have deterred too many kids and parents, because our total number of trick-or-treaters was two hundred and fifty plus. The first visitors rang the bell at 5:45 pm and the last, two teenagers, came to our doorstep at 9:20 pm.

We had plenty of help handing out candy bags this year. Dave, and Tom and Wendy, were very helpful with the dispersal of treats and Nancy took her turn at the door on many occasions as well. Mr. Axeman was reduced to a limited role. Upon answering his first doorbell he scared the two little tricksters to the point of tears (unintentionally, of course). The visitors were little children that were easily frightened by such a freakish looking character (anyway, so says Beales). The Axeman, who is actually rather harmless for the most part and only a little uglier than most monsters, was asked to stay in the background the rest of the night - out of sight, and he was only allowed near the door when adults were present. Poor old Axeman - he meant no harm! Heh, heh, heh!!

We were well fed prior to meeting the tricksters. Nancy fixed a meal of meatloaf, rice, peas and a small salad. Later in the evening we had dessert. Nancy prepared a Halloween cake and Wendy brought cookies and other treats.

All and all, a fun Halloween night!! Check out our Halloween pictures to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. Wendy took several of the posted pictures and Jim (Mr. Axeman) also captured a few.

The Axeman Speaks!!

Click on the link for a message from Mr. Axeman -

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=Axeman08Final.flv

Bring On The Tricksters

The cast of characters (see photos to the right and at the bottom of the blog page) are ready to greet our Halloween visitors. Dave, Tom and Wendy have agreed to assist with this year's trick-or-treaters. We can use the extra help.

Nancy has a great meal planned for our guests. We'll start the evening with a nice bowl of Jim's famous chili soup and then proceed to the main course. The forecast is for a rainy and somewhat cool Halloween night. Soup always taste extra good on a rainy night. We plan to wait to the last minute to complete our outdoor decorations. We don't want them to get too wet. More pictures will be forthcoming.

Halloween Candy Bags Ready

As you can tell from the pictures, we're ready for the trick-or-treaters this Friday. The only glitch on the horizon is with the weather. The forecast is for a thirty per cent chance of rain. If so, then we will have quite a bit of candy left over. This happens on occasion, but even when it does rain, it usually is more of a shower than a downpour. Hopefully that will be the case this year as well. Either way, we are looking forward to having some friends over and making the night a fun event.

Stroll Around Camden Park

I took a walk around our neighborhood park the other day. I use to walk through Camden Park quite frequently, as a way of exercising, but since I've gotten a treadmill, I don't do it as often. I rather miss walking around our neighborhood. It's quite beautiful. To view all the sights that interest me on one of these walks, it takes about an hour's time. It's not so much the distance, but it's the talking with neighbors along the way, regarding their pets, that can affect the time needed to complete the walk. I always enjoy talking to the neighbors and visiting with their pets. Over the course of four years, which is about the length of time that I have been doing neighborhood walks, I've noticed not only some of the more senior residents slowing down somewhat as they maneuver around the dog path, but their pets have slowed a little as well. Some of the neighborhood dogs are in their teens. I guess that is seventy plus in dog years, so the slowdown is to be expected, both from the canine caretaker, and the canine as well.

On my latest venture I took a few pictures of the park and of the lake. If you look at the first picture closely, you may want to check the larger version at the bottom of the page, there is a strange shadow that can be seen - just about in the middle of the lake. I snapped the picture at the same time that I heard a big splash and then saw an odd creature jumping up out of the water. Your guess is as good as mine as to what it might have been. I'm calling it the Camden Park Loch Ness Monster. That's what it looked like to me - like a big eel. I'll let you know it I get more information on this strange creature. I know my eyes aren't as good as they use to be, but pictures don't lie - do they?

Halloween Candy

Nancy has started to bag our Halloween candy. We probably will have over two hundred trick or treaters visiting our home on Halloween night, so it's best to start early with some of the preparations. It takes awhile to sort out the various candies for each bag. As you can tell from the picture to the right and at the bottom of the blog page, Nancy buys quite an assortment of Halloween candies. We still have more to purchase. Each bag will be a little different. The Sponge Bob sucker is for Baby Brandon. He won't be able to eat the whole thing, but he'll get in a few licks. Sponge Bob is a special friend of his - their tight.



We're keeping our fingers crossed that it doesn't rain on Halloween night. Nancy has a special meal planned for our guest, prior to giving out the candy. Some family members will be joining us for Halloween, along with a few friends. I'll be taking pictures, and perhaps a few movie clips as well. So, I should have some good pics to post on the blog. We're looking forward to a fun time on Halloween night!

Halloween Decorations

Nancy has started preparing for our Halloween get together. We usually have family and friends over on Halloween. She likes to have the indoor decorations completed, prior to putting up the decorations that we use for the front of our house. A couple of times we put our outdoor decorations up too early and the wind and rain did a job on them way before the trick or treating even started.

We have some new decorations this year. The ghost that you see in the picture to the right of the blog page is one that Nancy ordered by mail. I found the bloody foot that is sitting next to it at Walgreen. Walgreen has already marked their Halloween merchandise down, so.... I just had to buy the foot. I usually wait for the sales that take place right after Halloween to purchase Halloween stuff, but with the economy in a slump, a lot of stores are already starting to make significant discounts on their Halloween products. I plan to get some more items next week.

I'll post some more pictures of our Halloween decorations as we get closer to Halloween night.

More Greg London Icons Show

To see a sampling of Greg London's impersonations go to the YouTube link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdDWLCGIZq8

Fun in Reno!

Nancy and I enjoyed our recent outing to Reno. There is currently a fair amount of construction taking place on Highway 80 (both directions) - particularly around Kingvale and Truckee - but since we were traveling mid week the delays weren't that long. We stayed in a Studio Suite at the Eldorado Hotel. The rooms are nicely decorated and the size of the suite is about twice the size of a standard room. The mid week price for a Studio Suite is very reasonable - well worth the additional cost.

We had dinner at the Eldorado Prime Rib Grill. Our dinners were on par, in terms of quality and portion size, with the offerings at a Ruth Chris or Mortons. Their fillet mignon steak and their pork chops are especially good.

After dining ,we attended the Greg London Icons Show at Harrah's. I highly recommend this show as Greg London is truly an exceptional performer and he can do a believable impression of just about any singer in the world of entertainment (male or female). The Icons show is unique and it leaves you wanting more.

I've posted pictures to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. There are some additional photos on my Web Shot site. Just click on the below link to see a Web Shot slide show of our outing to Reno.

http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/567644941vLCBQa

New Pics

I just added a couple of new pictures to the blog page. One is of this year's first Halloween picture . Another is of a bouquet that Nancy arranged after picking some flowers from our front yard this afternoon. In a few weeks we probably won't see too many roses. The weather will be too cold. Chilly and rainy weather usually makes it way to Elk Grove around Halloween. The pictures can be seen to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

Dinner at Palermo's Italian Restaurant

Nancy and I had dinner tonight at an Italian Restaurant in Elk Grove - Palermo. The host, and owner of Polermo, makes each diner feel as if she/he is a special guest who has come to his establishment in search of an authentic meal from Sicily. It is not a place to have dinner if you are in a great hurry. The atmosphere is one of relaxation and conversation. The restaurant is conducive to both. Even though it was very crowded at the time we arrived (around 7:15 pm), the restaurant's tables are spaced well enough apart so customers don't intrude on one an other's discussions. We enjoyed each course of our meal and there was ample time between each item served. Nancy and I talked a lot and just forgot about the hour. There also were several birthdays being celebrated, so we heard the words to the song "Happy Birthday" multiple times. Polermo's is an interesting addition to the Elk Grove dining scene,if tonight is any indication, it should weather the current economic downturn quite well. It offers something unique to the area, while avoiding the cookie cutter atmosphere often associated with "chain" establishments such as Marconi Grill, Outback or On the Border.

After our meal we did some shopping for display items to be used to decorate our house for Halloween. Each year we add a few more decorations. We're expecting around two hundred and fifty kids to show up this year. October is just around the corner and Halloween is not that far off. The stores already have a good selection of scary stuff. A lot of the decorations make sounds and movements. Technology at it's best!! It makes the night for trick or treating even more fun!!

CES Boys Visit Benihana

Dan, Dave, Paul and I enjoyed a delicious meal at Benihana last night. Jose, our chef, did an excellent job in preparing our food and, as always, the service by the Benihana staff was excellent. You can see our meal being prepared by viewing the short clip posted to my photobucket site. Take a look:

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=BenihanaMealSept08.flv

New Pictures Added

I've posted a few new pics that I just happen to come across while checking one of my external hard drives. They looked rather interesting. I particularly like the one from Louisville. Louisville's Portland area provides a photographer with an eye full of interesting sights. The larger version of the pictures are at the bottom of the blog page.

Video Link - Fab Four

Click on the below link to see Artie and the boys (The Fab Four) perform a little of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at the California State Fair. The video was captured from quite a distance using my Sony Cypershot DSC100 Pocket Cam.

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=FabFourAug08.flv

USC vs Ohio State

There were a lot of good college football games on TV today. Having a 1080p HD TV really adds to the viewing pleasure. I especially enjoyed watching USC dismantle the Buckeyes. Ohio State has a pretty fair team this year, but they were no match for the Trojans. A neighbor friend of mine. who is a devout Ohio State fan (he is very zealous when it comes to discussing his Buckeyes), is probably in shock about this time. This game may have hurt him worse than the loses in the BSC championship games over the last few years. It appears that things are shifting in regards to which teams are the best in college football. It's about time.

I am still recuperating from my hernia surgery. I feel great and the pain has subsided. It will still be a couple of more weeks though before I can do my normal treadmill routine, but that is to be expected. All and all, the experience (my first real surgery) has been quite educational and hopefully it will improve my health in my advancing years. As they say, this growing old is not for sissies.

Hernia Surgery - Update

My hernia surgery has been fairly uneventful. Meaning... my recovery seems to be proceeding normally for the procedure. I haven't driven for a few days, but today I made my first outing without feeling any significant pain. It's a little tough getting in and out of my car, but that is to be expected at this point. Each day I have a little more energy and better stamina. Hopefully within a couple of weeks I'll be pretty much back to normal. I miss my treadmill workouts. I think I can start using the machine again, but at a very low rate of speed and without any incline. I plan to give it a try... maybe tonight.

Thanks for the phone calls during my recuperation period. Chatting helps to pass the time while one is in a couch potato mode. I've been lying on my sofa most of the time. Fortunately there have been several exciting games (both football and baseball) on during my recovery. My laptop helps me to pass the time as well. I hope to increase my activity level this week. I've been getting fatigued easily, but my energy level is getting higher by the day. I'll post another update in a few days.

State Fair and Greek Festival

As August draws to a close, there are two events that Nancy and always attend - the State Fair and the Greek Festival. We lucked out this year by picking a day to attend the fair that was just perfect - temperature wise. That's a big deal in Sacramento during the month of August. It is usually very hot when we attend the State Fair (I remember some 105 degree days) and that means more indoor sightseeing rather than outdoor ventures. This year we were able to do both comfortably. We had some great barbecue ribs at an outdoor eating establishment and we barely broke a sweat during our meal. We also saw some interesting exhibits at this year's fair. The Hollywood exhibit was especially noteworthy (probably due to our Governor's influence) and the "Back to the Future" exhibit brought back at lot of fond memories of Michael J Fox.

While at the fair we saw the Fab Four perform. They are as good, if not better than the other Beatles knockoff group "Rain", and as usual they provided a wonderful nostalgic performance for young and old alike. I met "Paul", actually his name is Artie, at CES in Las Vegas this year. He was staying at the South Pointe hotel where Dave and I stayed and I got to talking to Artie about the robotic Gibson guitar that I saw demonstrated at CES. Being a musician, an extremely talented guitar player and singer in his own right, he was very interested. When I saw him at the California State Fair this time we renewed our conversation and discussed our plans for this year's CES. Unfortunately, I will probably not attend this year's CES, but I do hope to see Artie again in Vegas at some point in time.

You can see the larger pictures of all our recent ventures by scrolling down to the bottom of the blog page. Today we went to see the movie "Elegy" at the historic Crest theatre in downtown Sacramento. Cruz and Kingsley are magnificent in their "May - December" roles in the movie. If you like film that doesn't rely on computer generated graphics and constant shoot-um-ups and car chases, then you will enjoy Elegy. After the movie we walked over to the Greek Festival and had a delicious meal and listened to some Greek music. All and all, a most fun day!

To see a short video clip of the Greek Festival click on the below link:

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=GreekFestivalDancing.flv

Phoenix, Arizona Trip

We had a great time during our short stay in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago. As usual, Southwest Airlines was right on schedule for both the departure and the return flight. Actually, to the minute both ways. We like Southwest. For the trip to Phoenix we got seats next to the emergency door. The seats are only two across and because it is by the emergency door you have a significant amount of extra legroom. It's as much legroom as first class on some airlines. It makes for a more comfortable flight.

I rented a Chrysler 300 for our transportation around the Phoenix area. The particular model we rented was just OK, but I wouldn't give it all that high of an overall rating - say, compared to a Cadillac DTS. I like the Caddy better. Our Chrysler 300 only had thirteen thousand miles, but it ran like a car with many times that amount. I'm going to have to rent the Mercedes S550 that is is available from Dollar Rental at some point. Phoenix has one. I really like the looks of that car. It should be fun to drive for a day or two.

Our lodging at the Embassy Suites was nice and as always we enjoyed the breakfast that comes with your reservation at all Embassy Suites. The omelette's are especially good and they are made to order. That's a nice touch and it saves the hassle of having to find a breakfast place near the hotel.

We saw a play at the Phoenix Theatre during our stay. The play is an outstanding musical that is headed to off Broadway after it's Phoenix debut. The performance is titled, "Unbeatable". It's about surviving breast cancer. "Unbeatable" is a very inspirational play with an exceptionally talented cast.

Prior to our attendance at the Phoenix Theatre, Nancy and I enjoyed a special meal at Donovan's Restaurant. The restaurant is located in a very nice area of Phoenix - the Camelback Road area. The service was impeccable and the food - a cut above most establishments. If you are a wine connoisseur, not my thing, you would enjoy the meal even more. They have a wine cellar that has every wine known to humankind. The restaurant is in the same class as Ruth Chris or Morton's. It was definitely a memorable meal.

I've posted a scanned postcard picture, along with one of my own, from our visit to the Rosson House in downtown Phoenix. Additionally, there are some other pictures taken in Phoenix that are posted to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. Rosson House was built in 1895 and the Victorian is a historical landmark. The docent would not allow any pictures to be taken of the interior of the house, so I have none to post. It would have been nice to have some interior photos and some video footage as well. The city has done an excellent job of keeping the house authentic to the period and the tour provides a wealth of historical background about Phoenix. It is a very worthwhile endeavor and highly recommended if you should happen to visit downtown Phoenix.

We may do one more short excursion before winter arrives. We're considering Houston or Dallas as possible outings. Time will tell.

New iPhone Takes Pretty Good Pictures For A Cellphone

The specs for my 3G iPhone camera are not all that great, but if the lighting is not too bad, it takes pretty good pictures. Nancy took the picture of me that you see posted to the right and at the bottom of this blog page. The iPhone is certainly an amazing technological marvel. Jobs has done it again! I forwarded the State Fair picture, unedited, using the iPhone to connect with the AT&T 3G network, and it went directly to my Apple Mobile Me site. When I got home I was able to view the picture on my Regza HDTV using the Apple TV device that I recently added to our media room entertainment system. This is some way cool and really fun technology to play with. I already love all of my new toys. You can do a lot of creative things with the latest products from Apple. More on the Apple TV at another blog posting.

Family Outing to the Sacramento Zoo

The below link will take you to a slide show of pictures taken at the Sacramento Zoo.

http://community.webshots.com/user/jimdaviselkgrove?vhost=community

Hot August Night Gathering at Paul Carter's House

When it comes to cooking vittles on the barbecue grill, Carter is "The Man". He certainly didn't disappoint at his latest gathering - appropriately named - Hot August Night. Paul had three grills going at the same time and each was filled with beef, pork or chicken. With Carter's knack for getting the seasoning just right, producing a tempting aroma of smoke and barbecue that encircled the patio area, it was difficult to wait for the grill to reach the perfect temperature where your meat can be cut with just a fork. It took a little while, but it was worth the wait. Of course, Paul also had all of the side dishes that you would expect to accompany the outdoor meal - corn on the cob, salad made with vegetables from Paul's own garden, rice, bell peppers, onions, dips, chips and a nice array of desserts. The open bar was set up in his garage and there were plenty of beverages to choose from - both alcoholic and non alcoholic.

I lost track of the number of people who attended the gathering. The guests kept coming in and out at various times. My guess is that there were around twenty five people who attended . Paul was the perfect host and he had several activities available to be enjoyed by the young and not so young alike (darts, video games, digital picture albums and more). Great food and great company were the hallmarks for Carter's first annual Hot August Night gathering. So, now we're only four months away from Paul's tenth annual Lighting of the Lamps get together - a Christmas tradition. The December gathering is always great fun. Thanks for your hospitality Mr. Carter. We appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Sharing A Special Meal With Sir Thomas and Lady Wendy

Nancy and I had some great meals this week and we didn't even have to do any of the cooking. Tuesday night we visited with Tom and Wendy, to enjoy a very special Chinese dinner. It was a terrific way to jump start the Beijing Olympics. Wendy's Won Ton soup was out of this world. The ingredients blended together perfectly and the taste was scrumptious. We had a wonderfully prepared fruit bowl prior to our main course and we capped the meal off with a delicious peach turnover prepared by Sir Thomas. After our meal, Tom did a demo of all the great features included in his new Apple TV device, a very impressive gadget, and we watched a few You Tube videos on his Vizio HD TV. Thanks, Tom and Wendy, for a great time. We really enjoyed the evening.

A Smart Move?? Lots of People Think So!

I saw two new "Smart" cars in the parking lot of the B Street Theatre, while on a recent outing with friends. The Smart looks cool, but the car's size can create some rather scary moments when driving on a freeway. For more information about the Smart, click on the link: http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/622/going-small-a-smart-experience/;_ylc=X3oDMTE4MXNyNDllBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNzbWFydC1yZXZpZXc-

More on HP TouchSmart IQ504 PC

Below is a video link to a demo that shows the various features of the latest HP TouchSmart PC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=173fPhCyXHE

HP TouchSmart IQ504 PC

I've ordered a new desktop computer - from Staples. I'll write more about the specifics, regarding the purchase, at my next blog post. The link below provides information about this rather unique desktop computer. I saw the first generation TouchSmart last January, at the 2008 CES event in Las Vegas. I rather liked what I saw at CES and the second generation product has several significant improvements that make it even more appealing - and at a lower price than the original. Check it out. My new HP TouchSmart is due to arrive next week.


http://www.elitezoom.com/hp-touchsmart-iq504-touchscreen-pc.html

New Addition to the Family Room

What with the Beijing Olympics being telecast next month, the not too far off football and basketball season within sight, and of course, the new fall season of network shows starting in just a few weeks, I decided that it was time to upgrade the family room television to a digital format. Our 61 inch Sony rear projection set had served us well for the last five years, but the time had come to purchase a HD TV. The questions, as always when considering this kind of purchase, are what size screen will fit best in the viewing room and should the set have a plasma or LCD screen. The 1080p part was a given. There are other factors (such as the brand) to consider, but these are the basic questions that I was trying to address during my extended search for a new TV.

I settled on a LCD screen, but in doing so I made some compromises. First, was regarding screen size. My preference was to buy a unit that had a screen between 58 and 65 inches, but the prices for those units were more than I felt were reasonable - at least compared to TVs a few inches smaller. The cost to value, relating to the screen size, is currently in the 52 inch range. Go larger than 52 inches and the price escalates considerably. Also, screens in the 58 inch and above range tend to be of the plasma type. I did not rule out buying a plasma unit, but my preference was for the LCD format. The LCD screens tend to be brighter and you eliminate the risk of "burn in" with a LCD screen. I found my best value at Sears. Sears had a display model that was steeply discounted and well bench tested (it had been on display for approximately five months), so I went for it. With a little help from my neighbor Al (thanks so much for your help, Al), using his trusty Tahoe truck (great vehicle for hauling a large screen TV), we moved the one hundred and two pound TV home without a hitch. With the HDMI hookup connected to my previously purchased blue ray player (a BEST Buy Insignia brand) and another port connected to my newly acquired Comcast DVR (that now makes for two DVR's), I was ready for the fall TV season.

I really like the Regza. It's not at the top of most HDTV ratings, but it fares extremely well against the Sony XBR, the Sharp Aquos and the Pioneer Elite. Several online reviews have been quite favorable toward the Regza and even more so if you factor in the cost. You can see a picture of the new addition to our family room to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. Can't wait for the Olympics and Kings games to start!!!

Froday Night at the Movies

Our recent Friday Night at the Movies gathering was a lot of fun. Participants brought their spouses, except for Dave - no spouse to bring (we expect that to change in a short time), so the format for our meeting was a little different from the usual session when it's just the guys present. For the special occasion, Nancy and I decided to have a barbecue, with all the fixings. Together we prepared barbecue chicken legs, hot dogs and hamburgers. We also had plenty of fruit (grapes, peaches, bananas, strawberries, plums, cantaloupe), chips, dips, tomatoes and corn on the cob. No one left hungry.

Our movie for the night was "Bucket List". Nicholson and Freeman are still at the top of their game. During our intermission we had dessert. There were two choices - coconut cream pie, or angel food cake with strawberries. If you wanted, you could also add a few more calories by topping your choice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

After the movie, some of the participants stayed for a discussion regarding the movie's script. We bantered about various ways that the Bucket List script might have been rewritten, but eventually we concluded that the movie was very entertaining, and very thought provoking, just as it was written.

Everyone seemed to have a good time and there wasn't as much food left over as I had anticipated. We must be big eaters. All and all - a great gathering!

You Try Eating Cherries With a Big Fork!

5:00 pm - Fourth of July

Regarding that blog picture of me. OK, so what if there is a little cherry juice splattered here and there; you try eating cherries with a big fork! Besides, we're all here at Nana and Richard's house to eat a lot of food and just have a "good ol" time. I went swimming, kicked the ball around the basketball court, danced to some old school songs, watched a few Sponge Bob cartoons and sort of ate my Fourth of July meal with my big fork. Wow, after having so much fun, I'm really exhausted! I'm really starting to feel all of my fifteen months of age. I think it's about time for a nap. I've just got to get some rest before the boys go out front to the driveway to set off their fourth of July fireworks. Later....

9:00 pm

I'm back, and ready for more action, but I really underestimated just how loud and scary fireworks can be when you are seated right next to the location where the boys decided to set them off. Pow- bam- flash-screech! REALLY, REALLY LOUD!!!! That can sure get your attention fast! As a result, Mom decided it might be best to take me inside for a while - you know, just so she wouldn't get too stressed out from all that racket going on.Really, I'm fine. Anyway... some of this stuff is kind of new to me - but I'm sure having a great time checking it all out! Hope you are too! Happy Fourth of July to you all!
Hey Mom - did you bring any earplugs??

Baby Brandon

Casandra's Dream

I usually like Woody Allen movies, but Casandra's Dream was a big disappointment. Woody has recently decided to film in England, rather than his more familiar habitat - New York City. He is a bit of a fish out of water when he leaves New York and Casandra's Dream leaves you hopping that Woody will decide to depart Britain asap and return to his homeland. Casandra's Dream is not the worst movie of the year, but as one reviewer mentioned, it pales in comparison to his earlier films. If you just must see every film that Woody Allen writes, you will probably want to skip the below link which reviews his latest effort - Casandra's Dream. I guess if you don't set your hopes too high, you might enjoy certain parts of this film. I did find some scenes somewhat intriguing. But after seeing the entire film, I kind of felt like I had just watched a rather mediocre "B" movie. Let me know if you agree or disagree. Below is the link to a review of Casandra's Dream:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cassandras_dream/articles/1706178/cassandras_dream_lacks_energy_and_spark_monotonous_and_simplistic_it_is_definitely_not_worthy_of_woody_allen

Birthday Activities

We had a good time celebrating my 63rd birthday. On Tuesday we went to Woodland for a meal with Dave and his family. Morrison's restaurant proved to be a good choice. The food was excellent and we ate early enough in the day so that we virtually had the entire restaurant to ourselves. Thanks for a nice dinner, Dave.



The follow day we went to dinner at the Macaroni Grill in Elk Grove. Tom and Wendy and Dave joined us as we dined from a menu of pasta, chicken and fish. After our meal we returned home to share a movie, actually a documentary, about the changing economic status of China over the last two decades. Wendy added some interesting commentary to the show. After the documentary we sliced my birthday cake and enjoyed cake and ice cream for our evening dessert. Check out a picture of me, with my cake, to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

Our Anniversary

Nancy and I celebrated our twenty-third anniversary today. We went to a preview performance at the B Street Theatre. The show was in the little theatre, which seats around a hundred people. We've always been able to get front row seats, because we are on the B Street mailing list and we make our reservations pretty far in advance. Today's show was very funny. The show is titled "Sylvia". It's a story about a man and his dog (Sylvia) - and his wife. The man really loves this dog, but the wife - well... not so much.

After the show we went to a restaurant in midtown Sacramento - Buckhorn's. Buckhorn's has several locations. We've been to the one in San Francisco, at the Metreon, and another one in Woodland. They serve a tri-tip sandwich that is hard to beat. There were several pictures on the restaurant's walls, painted by various local artists and all depicting dogs. The picture, to the right and at the bottom of the blog page, was taken with my LG cellphone camera.

After our meal we walked a few blocks and checked out various midtown shops. The day was warm, but there was also a little breeze. So it was pleasant. I hope it is the same way twenty three years from now, when we do it all over again.

DMV Day

It was that time again - my driver license renewal. However, this year would be a little different from previous years. This year I had to renew in person, rather than simply by mail. As anyone who lives in California knows, going to the DMV is pretty much akin to having a root canal at the dentist. Another words, it's not one of the more favorable task you want to put on your daily calendar.

There is good news though. DMV has made great strides recently to improve their service - at least that is what the web site declares. After today's experience, I would agree - at least in part. The most significant improvement is that you can now go on-line and make an appointment. You'll need to book about six weeks prior to your license expiration date. That's what I did and as a result I was able to renew my license about a week before it was going to expire. Under no circumstance do you want to be driving in California with an expired license. That could prove to be a very foolish over site.

Time wise, the process went pretty much as I expected. On the upside, having an appointment saved time. Anyone who just dropped by DMV today, to complete a transaction, would must likely have had to wait for an hour or more to see a service person. On the downside, even with an appointment, you still have to wander around asking for information regarding where to report, as the signage in the building was minimal at best. If you weren't proactive about getting information, you could be sitting for a long time. I saw several people, even with appointments, who were confused because of the lack of signs to provide clear instructions as to how you weave through the DMV maze.

My experience, from start to finish, took about forty five minutes. Now that I know the ropes, maybe next time it will take even less. Oh, you know I think I might have to go back anyway. I'm almost certain that I blinked when they took the picture for the photo ID. Gray hair, a turkey neck and closed eyelids just don't cut it when using your driver's license for identification. They're probably going to need to re-shoot it.

Movie - Steel Toes (2006)

I'm still watching movies when I do my treadmill exercise. It's been about fourteen months since I first started using the treadmill. The challenge to overcome any rationalizations that I might conjure up to avoid sticking to my five day workout is ever present, but so far I've persevered.

I rented the movie Steel Toes this week and finished watching it last night. The movie is very intense. It is about a white supremacist who commits murder - in a fit of rage that manifest itself through extreme violence - using the perpetrators own steel toed boots. This anger and racial hatred is inflicted on a person of Indian descent. The young man, who describes himself as a skinhead, is arrested for the murder and upon meeting his lawyer for the first time shows no remorse, or empathy, towards the innocent person who was subjected to his brutal attack. The man did not die at the scene, but later died an agonizing death in the hospital. He describes his hospital appearance as that of a person who has been mauled by an animal. The court appointed lawyer must find some defense for the skinhead's action and the crux of the story evolves around that point.

The character portrayals in the movie Steel Toes are excellent. As disturbing a subject matter as one might ever encounter, the acting is mesmerizing and the outcome seems plausible. If you are in the mood for a very intense movie experience, check out Steel Toes. You may come away with a different view of human nature and the facets which contribute to bigotry.

Future Outing to Phoenix and Recent Outing to Almost Maine

We've got another three day, two night trip planned. This time it will be during the middle of August - to Phoenix, Arizona. We will have a similar itinerary to the one we planned for our outing to Portland, Oregon. The first day we will just take a little time to get acclimated to the area and the second day we will visit a typical tourist attraction in the city and afterwards have a meal at a nice restaurant. During this trip we will also see a play - at the Phoenix Theatre. The show is "Unbearable". It's slated for off Broadway after it's run in Phoenix. The show is a musical and it should be a quality production.

As to "almost" visiting Maine, well that also has to do with theatre - more specifically the B Street Theatre in Sacramento. B Street is managed by Buck Busfield. Buck is Timmothy Busfield's (30 Something, West Wing, Studio 60) younger brother. On Saturday we had a great dinner meal at "Outback" with our friends, Dave and Paul, and afterward we went to the preview performance of Almost Maine. Almost Maine is a hilarious comedy about romance in the chilly locale, not too far from Kalamazoo, called "Almost". It seems that the folks living there never actually got around to officially making their township a "city", hence the name, "Almost". The play had several extremely well acted and exceptionally funny scenes. It was one of B Streets best performances this year, I think. You can see a picture of the program cover, to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. B Street is local theatre at it's best. Sacramento is fortunate to have this worthwhile and very affordable venue for patrons of the theatre. We really enjoy the Saturday preview shows.

Friday Night at the Movies - Comparison of Two Blue Ray Players

Blue Ray disc players are becoming more and more popular, now that the format war is over and buyers feel secure that their purchase won't become obsolete overnight. That being said, trying to decipher the ads pertaining to various Blue Ray players is still somewhat confusing, especially when you factor in the price. The prices can vary by several hundred dollars. What do you really get for the added cost. That was the question Terry and I asked ourselves prior to our Friday Night at the Movies gathering.

To determine, at least in part, the answer to the question of what benefits do you get by purchasing a higher priced player, we tested a basic Best Buy player (house brand Insignia) against a basic Sony model. Both players are low-end regarding their pricing, but they are both considered full featured Blue Ray players, at least when being described in various advertisements. The results:

The Sony has a better remote

The Sony syncs with other Sony products i.e. a Sony XBR HDTV, but the Insignia does not

The picture quality for both players, whether in Blue Ray mode or up converted DVD mode, is virtually identical. There is no discernible difference, at least not that we could see.

If you are looking to save around seventy dollars (sale price for the Best Buy player - $308, for the Sony it's $378 at Costco) and you don't need to sync your player with your HDTV, than the Insignia should work just fine. As to build quality and overall design, we'll have to let the test of time answer that question. The Insignia is made by LG and the current model is too new to predict it's reliability. Sony players are typically rated high for their reliability and Terry's and my experience with Sony products supports this finding.

Friday Night at the Movies was a lot of fun. We had a great pasta meal prior to watching an excellent movie, selected by Dave Beales. The movie is titled "Shine" - all thumbs up (the sound track is exceptionally good). The next gathering, in July, will be a "mates invited" get together. Be there and be square!

Tom and Wendy's Wedding Reception

I've posted a couple pictures that I took at Tom and Wendy's wedding reception. Nancy and I met several interesting people while attending the reception. Tom and Wendy put a lot of effort into making sure that everyone had an enjoyable experience. The cupcakes (see picture) were notable for their size and weight - very filling and very tasty. We each received gifts, individually wrapped, upon departure from the reception. Music was provided by a colleague of Tom's. Her harp playing added just the right touch, without being overpowering while conversing. All and all, a very nice reception.

Tom and Wendy are very happy to have found one another. We wish them the very best.

Ruth Chris - Morton's - Carver's???

Actually, it's none of the above. The picture to the right and at the bottom of the blog page shows our expertly prepared slow cooked medallions of beef. Nancy and I whipped up the vittles for our Friday night dinner. The slow cooker does a good job of roasting the Raley's Black Angus beef (a cross rib roast) so that it stays tender and flavorful and the potatoes and veggies are added near the end of the cooking cycle to keep their texture just right for serving. It's a fairly simple meal to prepare and if you are in the mood for beef, as we are on occasion, the results are as good as what they serve at the big name restaurants. Bon Appetite!

Catrike with Trailer

Tim, my friend who lives in Tampa, sent me a picture of some upgrades he has added to his recumbent trike. The Catrike, with a nifty trailer, looks very cool and it is capable of hauling pets, groceries and just about any small cargo that you might want to move. You know... this just might be the way to beat soaring gas prices. It is very innovative transportation.

Also, it is not a bare bones means of getting around. Tim has added certain conveniences that make for a more functional and comfortable ride. As Tim stated to me in a recent email:
"I now have a GPS holder, a bike computer, a bell, an air horn, two speakers to use with my Ipod, a motion alarm, two headlights, a taillight, and two saddle bags for the trike".

Knowing Tim, this won't be the last of the upgrades. Neat ride!!!

Visit to Portland, Oregon

Nancy and I just got back from Portland. Great trip! We went first class for our return flight on Southwest Airlines. Since we had an "A" boarding pass, and low numbers for entry, we were able to get seated in the exit row seats. That translates to generous legroom - and no middle seat. Great accommodations and a ten minute early arrival. Go Southwest!!! The best low fare airline in the business!

Our stay at the Embassy Suites was very relaxing, as well as very comfortable. The free breakfast is also a nice bonus (see picture of omelet station). This particular Embassy is about twenty miles from the airport, but it's convenient for going into town and for seeing the usual tourist sites.

We used our Garmin GPS extensively and it did a great job of getting us to our various destinations. On Friday we joined our friends from Salem, Oregon, Paul and Karen Lemmon, and they showed us some of the highlights of the city. We had a great dinner at the Ringside Steakhouse Restaurant. Prior to dinner, we visited the famous Powell Bookstore. A huge establishment that sells every book imaginable.

Friday evening we went to visit with Paul and Karen's daughter and her family. It was great to see their home and to have a chance to chat about life in Portland and Salem.

We lucked out with the weather. It was hot, but no rain. It was actually pretty comfortable, even though the temperature was in the nineties much of the time. Portland considers that to be a heat wave. Yeah, right! Compared to the heat we felt after landing in Sacramento, it was a very "mild" ninety degrees up in Oregon.

We achieved our goal of getting a better feel for one of our northern states and we will continue to explore other sites north of California when time permits. Seattle is on our list and Vancover is also a possibility.

It's now back to the treadmill and restricted calories - darn!! I was really enjoying the omelet breakfasts and the fancy dinner desserts. Time to get real, I guess. Check out the pictures to the right and at the bottom of the blog. I captured some good pics at the Japanese Gardens. I'll also be adding a movie to the blog later this week.

For Those Who Attended SHS

The below link has a wealth of information about good old Shawnee High School (yes, I did somehow manage to graduate from high school). For those of you who are SHS graduates, I think you will find this site to be of interest. Onward Shawnee!!!

http://www.shs54.kyintx.com/index.htm

Off to Portland

We'll be leaving for our visit to Portland, Oregon in a few hours. The weather looks favorable for the trip. It's going to be very hot in Sacramento while we are gone and the forecast for Portland is warm as well. We plan to visit the Japanese Gardens (where I hope to take some interesting pictures), Powell's Book Store and a couple of interesting restaurants for when we have our evening meals. We'll be staying at the Embassy Suites in Tigard. It's Oregon's fourth largest hotel, according to their web site. We will be linking up with our friends from Salem, Oregon on Friday. I've known Paul and Karen for nearly forty year. We first met when I was in the Air Force. It will be nice to see them again as we haven't seen one another for some time now.

I plan to post the Portland pictures soon after our return. I will miss seeing the Preakness (live) this year, but it looks like Big Brown ought to be able to move forward with his quest for a triple crown. Brown outclassed all of the Derby horses and I see no reason why he won't do the same in the Preakness.

Iron Man and Moo Moo Burgers

Dave, Richard and I went to see Iron Man at the Lodi Stadium 12 theater this week. Iron Man is deserving of it's big box office receipts. The computer generated scenes are outstanding and the storyline is not bad for a film of this genre. The three of us gave it multiple thumbs up.

After the movie we had sandwiches at the Moo Moo Burgerbarn. The restaurant is just around the corner from the theater - very convenient. The food was tasty and reasonably priced. Also, as you will note from the pictures - they have great salt and pepper shakers. By the way, the fries are quite different. They are sweet potato fries. Unique and delicious. The meal was a nice capstone to a fun Iron Man outing. Any idea where I might be able to get one of those Iron Man suits at a reasonable price???

Stuff Happens

Well, my Derby picks didn't pan out this year. I'm not alone though. Once Big Brown took charge, and showed the rest of the field that they were outclassed, several long shots had a real chance to be a distant second place finisher. I didn't see any picks from handicappers that matched the trifecta outcome. It was just one of those days. Big Brown showed the world that coming out of the gate from the twentieth position suited him just fine - and as they say, "the rest is history". So, now we await the Preakness - to find out if we have a super horse - and a definite triple crown candidate. Go Brown!!!

I've posted a few new pictures to the blog. One is of a special recumbent trike (sent to me via email from my friend Tim). It's a "way cool" trike. The other picture shows our current collection of Dr. Seuss stuffed animals. The furry beasts are for our great grandson. However, I may decide to keep them until he is around five years old. I think they look kind of neat on our couch. The last picture shows my new laptop (HP DV6775US). It was purchased from Office Depot. It's a display model, so it's a little rough around the edges, but there is nothing major wrong with it, except for the cosmetic blemishes that accrued from being used as a display model. I've got two weeks to decide if it's a keeper. So far - it's the best laptop I've ever used. I'll do an update about the HP laptop, in a future blog.

Kentucky Derby Picks

After some serious deliberation and thorough research, I've decided to go with Colonel John as my pick to win this year's Derby. For a show bet, Z Fortune should have pretty good odds and a decent shot to be in the money. He'll need to run his best, if he hopes to even take third place. However, with Big Brown coming out of the gate from slot number twenty, the race is now wide open for a long shot to be in the money. If the track is muddy, don't be surprised if Big Brown loses a shoe. So... five bucks on Colonel John to win, and/or ten dollars to show on Z Fortune - should enable a bettor to cash a ticket(s) tomorrow. Good luck!

Cherry Bomb

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts performed on the Main Stage of the Stockton Asparagus Festival this evening. And they did not disappoint. Jett is the same rebellious icon that we know and love from back-in-the-day. I really enjoyed the show and the audience as well. The old folks showed that they can still get it on. It only took a song or two to get the group motivated to dance. It took practically no time at all to hear their voices singing to the lyrics of Cherry Bomb. Remember - "Can't stay at home, can't stay in school. Old folks say, you poor little fool. Down the street, I'm the girl next door, I'm the fox you been waitin for." How can you help but sing along to those lyrics?? Needless to say, Joan wowed them all - young and old alike. I had a great time at the concert and even though I didn't have the best position, in relation to the stage, I still managed to snap a few good shots using my Nikon and my Sony camera. You can see the pics to the right and at the bottom of the web page. To see the video clip click on the below link. As mentioned, things were shaking pretty good at the concert, so it was difficult to keep a steady hand. So... expect to see some jiggling of the camera in a couple spots.

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=JoanJettStocktonCA.flv

To view the You Tube video of Joan singing Cherry Bomb, use the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW_HCdU-qEY

Dave, Nancy and I ate a little of the festival food. The deep fried asparagus spears were hot and filling and the tri-tip sandwiches were yummy. There was lots of activity going on at the festival. One of Sacramento's TV stations had a booth - KCRA 3. I got a picture of Pamela Wu seated at the KCRA booth and she signed a picture card for us (see blog pictures). Pamela's midtown apartment was featured in today's Sacramento Bee. Her residence is nicely decorated and the location seems to fit her lifestyle perfectly. It was fun chatting with Pamela regarding the Bee article.

The Stockton Asparagus Festival keeps growing each year. The planners are starting to offer top notch entertainment, like Joan Jett, and that draws people from hundreds of miles away. A big plus, especially during a recessed economy, is that It only cost five bucks for seniors to attend the festival - and that includes the concert as well. Ain't life great!!! We plan to go again next year.

Devastating Night for Our Neighbor

Last night was not a typical run of the mill nocturnal occurrence for our neighborhood. I was awaken around five fifteen in the morning - to the sounds of sirens - numerous sirens. I walked to the front room to look out the window and I saw several fire trucks stopped directly in front, and to the side, of our house. Hoses were outstretched and firefighters appeared to be scurrying all around. It was somewhat surreal. I immediately woke Nancy, she was still sound asleep, and told her that we had to get out of the house. I sensed that the firetrucks were not there for a fire in our dwelling, although I couldn't be certain that there might not be a problem on the side of the house, or possibly in the back of the house - but wherever the fire was - it was nearby.

I immediately smelled smoke when I exited our front door. I was in my pajamas and I had quickly put on a light coat, as it was rather chilly outside. When I looked over at our next door neighbor's house, I could tell that the fire was in their garage and that things were already pretty much under control; but I could also tell that there had been some damage to the garage interior. I saw my neighbor(s) standing in front of their house, surveying the damage. It didn't look too bad in the dark, but later today, when I talked to our neighbor, Doug, he said that the smoke from the fire had caused extensive damage to the interior of their home. He said that they would be moving out of their home, most likely for several months. It would take that long to remedy the extensive damage caused by the smoke.

After some time had passed, and I had a chance to process what had actually happened, I realized that my neighbor was actually very lucky. If the fire had gotten into the attic, and onto the roof, they could easily have been harmed -and the house might have been a total loss. As it were, no one was injured and they should be able to restore their house to it's prior condition. Still...this kind of an event really shakes you up and reminds you just how fragile life is. They will be going through some trials and tribulations for a period of time, but I'm sure they will persevere. The cause of the fire, you ask? An extinguished cigarette butt that inadvertently got placed in their trash barrel.

Portable GPS

I started looking into getting a portable GPS a few weeks ago. I soon learned that there are a whole array of models available and it seems the number of manufacturers keeps increasing almost daily. To say the least, there are a bountiful number of good GPS devices currently available for purchase. Most all are discounted, some considerably. I finally settled on the Garmin Nuvi 260. It has text to speech and was reasonably priced. Most of the reviews that I read were favorable and the negative comments weren't deal breakers - not for our usage.

We've had it about a week now and it has come in handy on a couple of occasions. Today it was useful for finding a business that we thought we knew the location, but subsequently found out that we were off by a mile or so. The GPS put us on track and got us to our appointment on time.

Next month I plan to take the Nuvi 260 with me to Portland, Oregon. I've never been to Portland and the auto rental company that I use doesn't offer the option to rent a navigation device. The Oregon trip should provide a thorough test of it's capabilities. You can see a picture of the Garmin Nuvi 260 to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

Recently Viewed Movies

Our Friday Night at the Movies group recently saw "Keane". The movie has, at it's core, a rather disturbing and somewhat convoluted story to depict, yet it still manages to come across as a honest, empathetic and very believable film. Several scenes are extremely intense, and they take some time to set up - it's not an action or computer generated graphics type of movie - but the process is integral to really getting to know the mindset of the lead character, so it's worth every minute. Thumbs up from the entire Friday Night at the Movies participants (a consensus is rare with this group).

If you haven't seen "There Will Be Blood", you will want to make time to do so. It won't take long to realize why it was nominated for several Academy Awards. The character portrayal of a ruthless entrepreneur is unparallelled. The film provides a whole new meaning to the term "dysfunctional family". The shrinks should have a field day with this movie. Allow for enough viewing time. It's over two and a half hours long.

Catrike - Recumbent Trike

My friend Tim, from Tampa, Florida, recently bought a Catrike. As you can see from the blog picture, it's a very cool way to travel. Add the trailer - with his three pups - and you have an ingenious way to get to the local dog park. At one point in time,Tim and I use to ride our skinny wheel bikes around our neighborhood in the West End of Louisville (yipes, it's been nearly fifty years since we partook in that endeavor) , but I don't think we ever envisioned the likes of a "Cat" becoming available for purchase. It's a far cry from the Schwinn's and J.C. Higgins (Sears) models that were offered back-in-the-day. Times have really changed. Great bike Tim! And thanks for the picture.

IMAX Theatre - Shine A Light

Scorsese did a good job of capturing the very essence of the Stones. The movie is all about the special chemistry that happens when four British chums get together to play rock and roll. Forget about their ages, it's irrelevant - this group is timeless.

The huge IMAX screen contributes significantly when viewing the Stones concert, but it would have been even more impressive in 3D - like the U2 concert. Even without using 3D glasses, it was still a lot of loud raucous fun! You even got to see the Clinton family embrace Mick and the boys - although it felt a little awkward when Bill's mom was introduced. It's just a real stretch for me to picture her as a fan of the Rolling Stones. I've really got my doubts. Ditto for Hillary. As for Bill... well that's another story.

After the concert, Nancy and Dave and I had dinner at Applebee's - where we reminisced about the good old days. You know, when it was hard to get even a little satisfaction and you actually were stigmatized for having any sympathy at all for the devil. Yeah, I'm sure you can remember those days. It was a whole different era. Fortunately for us boomers, the Stones still know how to keep it real - so that rock and roll never dies. Peace!

Damian Lewis in Keane

The movie Keane is an intense portrait of a man that teeter-totters between sanity and insanity. His predicament has its origin from an event that any viewer could empathize with - the loss of a child. Such a happening is, of course, a profoundly legitimate cause for mental suffering, but the problem with observing Keane (played by Damian Lewis) is that one never knows where truth starts - and fantasy ends. The viewer gets caught up in Keane's unsettled universe as he searches, oftentimes while in a drug induced condition, for his missing six year-old daughter. His odyssey takes him to many seedy places and his bizarre behavior sets the tone for every unpredictable encounter along the way. It is a mesmerizing film that becomes almost too real at times. Be prepared to play this film over and over in your head, after your initial viewing. The movie has that effect on its audience.

Regarding the Pictures

I mentioned that I would expound, in regards to the pictures recently posted, so here is the update:

As you can surmise from the photo - Wendy has arrived. Tom and Wendy had dinner with Nancy and me last week. Dave also joined us on our outing to the Macaroni Grill. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and Wendy got to sample several Italian dishes. After dining, Dave (Pollock) Beales decided to create one of his famous, or is that infamous, drawings - using the supplied Macaroni Grill crayons and a paper mat. It proved to be an interesting capstone to our outing. Yes, in case you are wondering, it's a bird, of sorts, and I'm sure the true Pollock would have been amazed - or even dumbfounded - by the outcome. I plan to post the bird picture on EBay - with a reserve somewhere in the six figures. If it can work for a Pollock, why not a Beales?

The pictures from our visit to Davis, California prompted me to include a scan, from the book I bought at at Davis bookstore, showing what is probably the most famous of the Schwinn bicycles - the beautiful Black Phantom. Although I never owned a"Phantom" (my bike was a Schwinn Jaguar), I always liked the balloon tired, cruiser type bikes - over the skinny tired ones. The 1949 Black Phantom epitomizes the best attributes of a cruiser bike, to my way of thinking. You can still get a restored "Phantom" on EBay, provided you are willing to shell out between one and four thousand bucks. A little too steep, I think, for a bicycle that sold for less than a hundred dollars, back in the day.

Lots of Pictures

I've taken a lot of pictures over the last week. I've posted several of he more interesting ones, to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. Note: Wendy has finally arrived from China. I'll write a summary of the events and happenings during the week, when I post the next blog update. A visit to San Francisco is always an interesting outing and this trip certainly had its moments. Today, Nancy and I went to the Children's Theatre at B Street and afterwards we drove to Davis, California for lunch. More to come regarding recent outings...

Swirl Treat

On my return trip to Elk Grove, after staying overnight in San Francisco, I turned off at the Davis exit to have a special treat at Dave's son-in-law's new business - Swirl Yogurt. It's been open for a couple of months now, but this was my first opportunity to stop by and sample the product. I'm glad that I did. Very tasty! I had the green tea flavored yogurt and it was tart - but not too tart - with a delicious texture and a great green tea aroma. I would definitely order it again, but I would probably add some toppings the next time. Oh, and I'll have a large cup on my next visit. The small one is just a teaser. Swirl - the healthy dessert!

Where's The Beef?

As you can see from the picture to the right and at the bottom of the blog page, there is no lack of tri-tip beef in a Buckhorn "Big Buck". That's what I had for dinner tonight, while visiting the city a hundred miles down the road from Elk Grove - home of the Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco. So far, my stay has been pleasant. I saw U2 in concert - on the Metreon IMAX screen. I'm not a big fan of Bono and his band. The concert was filmed in Argentina and overall I guess it was alright. The main theme is peace and understanding - all around the world (oh, and don't' forget to buy some U2 tickets along the way - so you don't forget the message). I'm really looking forward to seeing a different concert, also filmed in IMAX - The Rolling Stones (Shine a Light) - it should be much better.

A little earlier I took a shot of the San Francisco skyline - at dusk. It was taken near the Sony Metreon, which happens to be a rather lifeless building right now, after several years of trying to find its identity. What's left is a three story complex that contains a rather meager food court and a few movie theatres. It started off with a somewhat grandiose vision, but Sony has failed miserably in its attempt to capture the public's attention. I wonder how Sony plans to fix the problem? They are going to need to do a complete makeover - and start from scratch - in my opinion.

Garage Floor

The garage floor project is now completed. It will take a few days to totally dry. Nancy and I prepped the floor last night, so that our grandson, Kenneth, could do the acid wash and roll the epoxy paint (with sprinkles) today. We did not do an excessive amount of prepping, as the floor is almost twenty years old and it has several deep cracks and a few oil spots. However, we did the basic cleaning, as suggested in the instructions and I'm satisfied with the outcome.

I'm off to San Francisco tomorrow and Nancy, Kelly, Kristie and baby Brandon are headed to Reading at about the same time. We'll all be back home by Wednesday and the floor should be dry enough by then to start putting things back in the garage. We're definitely getting rid of our garage junk this time - if we can figure out exactly what qualifies as "junk".

You can see the project pictures, to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

March Madness

I started watching the NCAA tournaments today. Kentucky got ousted early - so I guess Louisville will have to uphold the state tradition, if we are to get a team from Kentucky to the final four (I'm not sure about Western Kentucky's status). Getting one of our teams into the final four is still possible, but the odds are long.

This weekend we intend to prep and paint the concrete floor in the garage. The project is overdue. It's a good time to do that particular project, as we will be away for a few days next week and the floor will need to be thoroughly dry before we can park the cars in the garage. I don't like to leave our cars sitting in the driveway, or on the street, for long periods of time. I plan to venture down to the Bay area on Monday, for a picture taking session, and Nancy will be making a jaunt to the north (driving to Red Bluff and Reading) with Kelly, Kristie and baby Brandon, to visit a friend of Kelly's. The short trips should be a lot of fun and upon returning we hope to have a nice cleanly painted and completely dry garage floor - if all goes as planned. I'll post some pictures, after we complete the project.

Good Burgers

The mural, to the right and at the bottom of the blog page, is painted on the interior wall of a restaurant that Nancy and I visited over the weekend. Nation-Wide Sandwiches has been around for over forty years, but for some reason we just never made it to the restaurant's midtown location. It's noted for serving exceptional hamburgers and steak house fries. I won't go so far as to say that it was the best burger that I have ever eaten, but it certainly ranks very high on my list of great burgers.

Nation-Wide keeps the menu simple. The menu consist mainly of burgers (with french buns), fries, shakes and a few deli sandwiches. We enjoyed our meal and plan to return, before too long. On occasion we enjoy going out for a good burger and fries. We noticed another burger place while driving to Nation-Wide and we'll probably have to try that restaurant at some point also. It's always a fun venture to go searching for the perfect burger!

RT Update

You can see a picture of the "RT", to the right and at the bottom of the blog page. I've taken out a loan for the needed repairs - using our house as equity. I hope it will be enough. The loan officer said we should be able to pay it off in less than thirty years, if we make an extra payment a month. I've got to check with Nancy, regarding the nice man's suggestion, to see if we can afford it. Still no word from Dave. I tried to call, but his number is no longer listed. Something seems odd about this "Beales Deal".

Dave's New Car

Dave Beales bought a new car today - a 2008 Subaru Impreza. It's a neat looking hatchback model with factory navigation and all wheel drive. A nice combination. Dave will still probably get lost a lot, but at least he will now be able to find his way back home. Dave graciously let me drive his new vehicle and I can attest that my experience was very gratifying and the road trip brought out the positive aspects of this vehicle. Consumer Reports gives the new Impreza high marks. You can see a picture of Dave's new car - to the right and at the bottom of the blog page.

There was an unusual twist to the deal. I only mention the following, to forewarn others. Nancy and I are now the proud (is that even the right word??) owners of the RT (code for Rattle Trap). Yes, we bought Dave's ancient Honda Civic. He convinced us after saying something about..."Who needs a Lexus, when you can drive around in a gas sipping RT with only 159,000 miles on the odometer". There was something about the way he said it, at least at the time, that really made sense. It took a couple of hours for 'Buyer's Remorse' to set in - of course Dave was long gone by then - and to add to all of that, Nancy just had to remind me that the clutch in the RT is inoperable and the car still has to pass a smog check. I guess we can tow it to the smog service station... if need be. Is this another "Beales Deal", I ask myself? When will I learn? Oh well, we still have the Buick LaCrosse to fall back on, I suppose... unless Dave decides to talk me into another "Beales Deal". I may have to move to another state, to avoid all of this abuse. Too bad the housing market is in such bad shape. Guess that I'm stuck with the clutchless RT. I'll write more on this matter later, after I take another one of my ulcer pills.

Kings Game

The Sacramento Kings played a good game against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight. In the early days, when the owners first moved to Sacramento, we use to have season tickets to the games, but after a few seasons, we lost interest in driving all the way out to Arco Arena, just to see our team lose. Now Nancy and I watch most of the games on television. The team is back to losing, after a few seasons in the playoffs, so an effort like the one tonight, against the hated rival - the Lakers - is appreciated. It won’t look like much in the win/loss column, but it provides a little hope for die hard fans, who have supported the team throughout the lean years.
The Kings have a few young players who may form the nucleus of a championship team - at some point in time. With a good draft pick, and a couple of strategic trades, we just might be back in the thick of it again. I hope so. It’s lot more fun to watch when you have a competitive group of players, who give it their all each game. Unforunately, the rest of this year is pretty much a lost cause, at least when it comes to making the playoffs. But... like they say - maybe next year!!

Movie Updates

Of the movies that I’ve recently seen, while doing my treadmill routine, there are a few that stand out above the rest. American Gangster is, of course, not up to The Godfather standard for it’s genre, but it comes close. I can understand how it was nominated for Academy Awards, and if you like the genre, you won’t be disappointed when viewing this film.
Jane Austen Book Club is from an entirely different genre - and it also has a lot to offer. Male viewers will need to enable the affective side of their brain, to relate - and that may just prove to be a very challenging endeavor when viewing some of the scenes in the movie. Lots of “girl stuff” in this movie. Nancy and I did enjoy watching it together and it almost made be want to read a Jane Austen novel. Maybe later….
“Interview” is another good movie, with a very strong script written for the lead female actress. Unfortunately, the name of the actress slips my memory at the moment, but she is very good. The movie has some unpredictable happenings along the way, coupled with lots of game playing between the interviewer and the interviewee. It’s a real cat and mouse kind of scenario.
That’s this week’s movie update. Let me know your opinion, pro or con, if you see one of the above movies.

Looking for Small Vases

I’ve started purchasing a few of the nine vases that I will need to fill the small vase box which I added to the master bedroom wall some time back. My budget for this project is small, so I don’t want to spend more than five dollars per vase. As you can see from the blog picture, I currently have a total of three vases - so six more to go. It’s been a little difficult to find what I want, in the price range that I’m willing to pay. Big Lots had several small vases, but they were slightly too large for the vase box that I’m using for my display. I found a vase at the Elk Grove Ross store that works and I plan to try Pier 1 in Laguna the next time I go searching for more vases. Tuesday Morning is another store I intend to check out as well.
It’s been fun looking in the different stores for the small vases. I’ve also searched online, but aside from eBay type sites, I haven’t seen anything very suitable for my purpose. For this type of a purchase, it’s actually more fun to wade through the clearance items where little vases, like the ones I’m looking for, tend to get stuck. You just never know when you might find a real jewel next to all that junk the stores like to stash way in the back - and away from all of the really good expensive stuff.