Picture Sunday

Hello, you lovely Sunday Nighters, and welcome to an absolutely chockfull of stuff edition of Picture Sunday.

Where to begin. Well, let's begin here.

It was an action-packed (hear me? action-packed!) weekend in Betland. Because today was the annual Spring Concert of the one and only (and I mean that, people) B'burg Community Band.

Friday was Chill Night, watched a movie ("Ran," for those of you keeping score at home), drank a martini, and basically lazed around. Practiced my clarinet into the wee hours of the morning, which I guess is the musical equivalent of cramming for an exam, and hit the bed around 3:30.

Then I set about the task Saturday of getting everything ready for the trip to B'burg. Now, you know, in the 4½ or so years I've lived at the Poderosa I've gotten used to, well, not gotten used to, more like come to accept as a fact of life, people throwing trash into my yard. Weekends are the worst. Beer cans and bottles, fast-food bags, an empty box of condoms - well, there's just no telling what I might find there.

But Lord have mercy, yesterday was the first time anyone ever threw anything into my yard that I could actually use!



Look at me, all parking in the best spaces in the lot for the rest of my life! Or till 2010, anyway, whichever comes first. OK, OK, I'm going to be a good citizen and turn it back in to the DMV, but how thrilling to find something in my yard I didn't have to pick up with gloves whilst holding my nose.

Then it was on to B'burg, where the concert took place this afternoon. All in all it went really well, as we're wont to say, no fatalities, I didn't even see paramedics lurking around the auditorium. Sherman was there in full force with his clarinet, and we pulled off what is, for my money, the most difficult program we've ever attempted. We began and ended all songs at the same time, a definite plus, and Ed, our fearless leader, seemed to be very happy with the results. And no one pelted us with rocks and garbage.

Speaking of Ed, let's have a little meet and greet with some of our band people. Yes, a bit of Meet the Band. Here is Ed, along with our band president (and manner of the souvenir table at Oktoberfest), the very lovely Leslie. Leslie's a percussionist, btw; she's holding my horn so I can take her picture.



Ed. You can just see the devil coming out of that face.

And now, here's a real treat for you all. No, not the fact that my mug is again gracing Picture Sunday, but that I have a picture for you all of Kellie, she of the oboe and acro! Smile, gals!



Yes, I'm wearing my new bag glasses, which the eye doctor said I'd be relying on more now that my contact lenses have been bumped up a prescription strength. I asked Mr M if I should wear these or my other pair, and he suggested these, they made me look "more like a musician. A harpischord player." Personally, I think I've got a little Nana Mouskouri thing going on. Anyway, Kel had a wild set of parts to play for today, hard oboe stuff, and pulled them off very well indeed, thank you.

And then, of course, there was the program. The program for the concert, which had our songs listed by title, the band members mentioned by name, and then a list of fine folks who became Patrons of the Arts by giving a donation to the band. I'm sure they're all wonderful people and you'd be happy to have any of them dine in your home, but one name stands out above the rest.



Such a generous fellow, Mr Peabody. He didn't divulge his amount, but I'm sure it was plenty, let me tell you.

And speaking of Mr Peabody, it's time for another recipe du jour. And Mr Peabody himself can't wait to partake of this one. It's from the "Quick Lunches" file in Recipeland, and it is the very savory Sherman Sandwich.



This one's oh-so speedy, and simple to make. Just take your favorite red-headed boy, slap him on the bread of your choice (he's gracing wheat for this picture), add your favorite sandwich fixins, and have at it. Potato chips, pickles (just day-to-day pickles), an apple, and some Pepsi round out this meal of delight. And of course we made it fancy by garnishing our Sherman Sandwich with some olives. Because nothing says "fancy" like olives atop a sandwich. Enjoy!

Happy Week.

Betland's Olympic Update:
* Quote of the weekend, on the topic of eggs.
Mr M: I don't see how you couldn't like egg whites.
Me: What's to like? They're slimy and have no taste.
Mr M: Well, I like 'em.
Me: Yes, but you're slimy and have no taste.
We crack ourselves up.