Summer Song 2006

Seems like every summer has its own song for me. This year it's "Over My Head" by The Fray. I don't know a whole lot about them other than that they are from Denver, but this song sends me everytime I hear it. I particularly like the rolling bassline. It's the perfect windows-down-in-the-car song, and if it's playing when I arrive at my destination, I just have to sit and let it finish before I get out of the car.

Here's the video for the song. The kid was well cast (I read he is the singer's little brother), and the storyline is one that we can all relate to - the awkwardness and trial of middle school. If you've got a few minutes, watch and enjoy a great summer song.

Shameless Self-promotion

The 11th annual Kaleidoscope variety show is next week, of which yours truly is a part. Encompassing music, dancing, comedy, and drama, the show always features patriotic numbers and a different secondary theme each year. This year it's K-Country Time, a tie-in with Mandan's 125th Anniversary celebration and the annual Mandan Rodeo Days.

Last year, we did "These Boots Are Made For Walking" in full Nancy Sinatra regalia. The go-go boots were sexy and fun. This was us goofing around before we went on:

Two years ago, we did "Singing in the Rain" and did an additional performance of it at the Mandan Band Shell. Here's a pic:

As usual, this year I've put together two numbers for the Chours Line: "Air Force Song" using ribbons, and "Thank God I'm a Country Girl" complete with adorable pink and white western boots. Of course, everyone loves the high kicks, and they're in there as well. We have a couple of dancers in their twenties, a couple of grandmothers, and everything in between. These women work so hard, with rehearsals starting every year in March, and we have a lot of fun. Not to toot my own horn too loudly, but many people tell us that the Chorus Line is the highlight of the show.

Hopefully I'll have more pictures to post after the show. Here's another one from 2004 of Jennie Lacher pinning my hair for a patriotic high kick dance:

This is a great show that benefits the Musicians' Association. You may know about the Mandan Band Shell performances they sponsor every summer. This year's Kaleidoscope includes a segment by the AMVETS honoring the flag, a steel guitar number, and Mandan's Top Ten by Phil Parker, who will also M.C. the show.

Kaleidoscope
7:30 p.m., June 28 & 29
Mandan High Auditorium
Admission $8.00

Rift - All Ages Show

Happy Birthday, Irene

I wish I had a better copy of this shot of Irene. It's gorgeous, but you wouldn't know it from this scan of a performance program from 1997. Click the link to see a current pic, which appears to be a self-portrait at work.

Anyway, I'm sure you're celebrating with liquor, chocolate, and a camera somewhere in Manhattan tonight, and I'm thinking of you.

Happy Father's Day, Dad

Happy Birthday, Rod

Today is Rod's birthday. He's Brad's oldest brother and still a bachelor, although I heard a rumor that he might be dating someone. Maybe he'll be hopping up to Washburn to see Rift play their streetdance tonight.

Happy 44th, Rod!

Happy Birthday, Rachel

Happy Birthday, my friend!

As promised, here is a better picture of you. This was at the Woodhouse for your 19th birthday in 1989. That's Greer Evans sitting next to you. Adorable.

Here's another one, this time from 1994.


And here's one of the two of us from 2004.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Rachel! Thanks for 20 years of being a great friend. I'm thinking of you today.

Happy Birthday, Shari

Happy Flag Day - er, I mean, Birthday - Shari! Here's a human flag for you. This was the 2005 North Dakota All State Dance Team at their performance in Grand Forks last November.

Let us know how you celebrate.

File Under C*U*T*E

"Ok, hands up!" said Connor.

This supersoaker is almost as big as he is. Even though he's pint-sized, his expression has a menacing look about it. Maybe it's the shades.
Or maybe the wide stance. Whatever it is, I think he's got the look and the attitude down.

Happy Birthday, Little Bro

To celebrate Curt's birthday, I found some old pictures of him. Here is my favorite shot of the "young" Curt from 1989.

Here is a shot of him and his future wife, Alicia, at his Junior Prom from the same year. Note the mullet and the Chevy El Camino in the background.

And here's one of them and their daughter, Kassy, at Christmas this year.

Curt is spending his birthday shingling his roof. Happy 34th, Curt!

One Person's Trash...

...is another person's treasure.


So I've been away from the blog for a bit taking care of a major project: a huge rummage sale. It was a few years in the making, so we had tons of stuff to get rid of. There were housewares, furniture, baby & toddler stuff, and a lot of clothes (kids' clothes, maternity clothes, and my entire wardrobe from 25 pounds ago). I worked about a week pricing everything; then it took a whole day's work to set everything up.

In the end, it was worth it because we made $900 in two days. Whooo-who! Most of that will go toward a new bedroom set we ordered. We saved out $20 for each of the boys to buy a new toy because it was hard for them to see some things go. At one point, Dylan said he wanted to "buy back" a toy, one that he had outgrown a couple of years ago.

One thinks one has pretty good stuff, and it's a little weird to peddle it off to other people who rifle through one's things, judging each item's quality and value. Most of those things will never have as much value to anyone else. One of the things I was not expecting was that so much of our stuff got redistributed right into our own neighborhood. Our neighbors bought a lot.

Many people asked if I saved any baby things. I didn't allow myself to do that because if I went down that road, there would be so many things that I could find a good reason to keep. Also, I figured it was better for it to be put to use instead of saved away in a box somewhere. I guess there was one thing: I kept a quilt that was hand-made for us by a friend when Dylan was born.

There was also plenty of cleanup in the days following the sale. Even though we sold tons of stuff, there was still enough left to fill 14 boxes, which I had to pack up and take downtown to donate. Then we had to return all the tables we had borrowed, and yesterday we broke down a mountain of boxes to take to recycling. It really feels good to PURGE the house of all that STUFF.

Then there was the best post-sale chore of all: making the deposit at the bank.