Picture Sunday

It was a very very short weekend. I don't think it actually lasted two days. Nah, it can't have.

Oktoberfest Friday, all was fun - but cold - and I drank when I shouldn't have (I had to drive back to Mr M's).

Saturday was interesting. During the afternoon the Community Band gathered at the studios of the NPR station in R'noke for a live gig during their pledge drive. Yeah, go ahead and make that joke you're thinking of. Believe me, we all have too. Anyway, we got there, over 40 of us, crammed into their tiny studio, did some warming up, then started on our set of around 8 songs. After three, they told us, "Thank you." They said we were too loud for their mics and they were getting distorton.

Now, a few things spring to mind. First of all, they put all of us in that room, trumpets and trombones and drums, and didn't think we might be a tad loud? And if we were in fact too loud, wouldn't they have noticed it during our warm up? Of course, they would have. Also, a couple of people who had nearest and dearest listening at home said there didn't seem to be any distortion.

So the inevitable rumor started to float that the local personality who was the announcer for our part of the pledge drive didn't really cotton to us too well, and we got the cane. Have no idea whether or not it was true, but I can't say it would surprise me if it were. In a way, I'd kind of feel like a part of history in some weird way. I've been kicked off the air.

Then it was up the mountain one more night for the Oktoberfest, the one night of Oktoberfest feared by musicians far and wide. There's always one night where the stars align in a very screwy fashion and we have, instead of our usual four, seven trumpet players. Last night was it.

After dreading it all week, it turned out to be - well, not very bad at all. In fact, I had a pretty damn good time. I think they were working extra hard not to be as obnoxious as trumpets generally are, and the crowd was great (it was packed). Last night's festivities bring us our first picture for Picture Sunday. It's called "I'm Doing My Impersonation Of A Box Of Chicken In A Biskit Crackers."



And before you even ask, yes I was. Very. OK?

Our second picture comes from later that evening when I decided to model my new gray hat. It's called "I Want YOU To Join Me In This New Gray Hat."



And before you ask, yes I was. Even moreso than when I was in the chicken hat.

(By the way, I have realized they aren't going to run out of liquor before I get my fill, and next week will be going completely sober for an entire weekend.)

And now to a little nature. I've been waiting for the trees to explode with color all along the roads from here to B'burg. As of yet, not much exploding. Seems all the best color is right here in my little neighborhood. So I snapped this picture a mere 100 yards or so from the Poderosa. Pretty, no? It's called "No. 1: The Larch. The Larch."



Actually I couldn't tell you what kind of a tree this is. I just like saying "The Larch."

And now it's time for this week's recipe du jour. And it is with great pride and pleasure and more than a little confusion that I present to you - A Bowl of Stuff!



Sadly enough, the "With Helpful Guides" cards don't tell you anything about the foods they've pictured. They just give you, well, helpful guides. Like measurements. So here's a perfectly generic picture of a bowl of stuff. Could be cabbage, carrots, onions, meat. And a salad with what appears to be wallpaper paste on top, and a lovely bowl of yellow stuff I've yet to decipher. And may I just say, some damn fine canned biscuits there in the corner.

It's very odd. I actually want to taste that bowl of stuff. Just to see.

Betland's Olympic Update:
*May I take this opportunity to just say that cancer still sucks and we still need to kick its ass? I came home tonight only to read that Stennie's beloved kitty Rimsey passed away on Friday from this shitheel of a disease. Cancer likes to take our friends and family away, and now he's horning in on our pets. Let's kick his ass, OK? And everybody send a good thought Stennie's way tonight.