skinthecolorofplywood

It's Been Awhile My Friends...

I've been busy. Moving the laundry room, installing a new "on demand" water heater like those fancy Europeans and replacing all the bulbs in the house with CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). I was going to show you my plumbing work (I moved the gas line, too--and nothing blew up!) but hell that's just plain dull.



So instead here's a photo of a large group of people who came to our house and cooked three geese. We had met a few of them before at food-related events--but we suddenly found ourselves hosting this dinner because the original venue fell through.
It was truly fun to have some fantastic chefs come to our house and cook in it--and then clean up. I could do this every week. My only job was to be social (and take some photos). Bonnie helped the crew find the utensils they needed and educate them in the unpredictable ways of our crappy-ass stove, and make a tasty salad.
The instigators of this food fest were Shuna of Eggbeater (http://eggbeater.typepad.com/) and Mr. Biggles of Meat Henge (http://www.meathenge.com/) who was unfortunately sidelined by a cold, but brought the geese and extra ovens to get the party started.
If you like food, and reading about food and peoples' relationship with food you could click your way to the Ethicurean.com where many of these fine people are linked to. Take a gander.













No more goosestepping for this footless fowl

Happy New Year

Oakland homicide rate hits 148 for the year—a 57% increase over last year—go team!


This is the front yard of a small church down the street from us, where they put up a cross for every Oakland homicide over the course of the year. It's good to have graphic reminders of death, for visually oriented people, like me.

vrolijke kerstfeest moeder!

And I mean it.

ERIKA AND RYDER

My favorite cousin and her husband—daughter and son-in-law of the below-mentioned favorite aunt and uncle.


What a small world.

Hairy Submarine

When I was sixtenn I hitched-hiked to Seattle with my buddy John Lloyd to visit my auntie. She took us to see Hair and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead--my introduction to culture.
Uncle Ron who was just dating her then (they're married lo these many years) took us to Roy Rogers for roast beef sandwiches and then to the submarine he was ensigned to. Free food and claustrophobia--I still have them both.
But I lack culture.

Point is, I love my aunt and uncle and it was great to see them at my mom's 80th. I hope to see you guys soon,

Bartje

The Flying Ridges of Coos Bay

The Ridge/Azab family came to visit again, leaving in their wake dents in our stainless steel and destruction of walls and our cats' sanity. But we love them just the same.

Look at them fly.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

My mom is celebrating her eightieth birthday on November 28th, friends and family converged for an open house yesterday to toast our coolest octogenarian.
I took photos of nearly everyone in the carport with a simple white paper backdrop. Here's mom and granddaughter Rachael presented to you.