Picture Monday

Hello, loves. Blame it on the Grammys. I turned them on last night and fell fast asleep. Sure, I woke up and came here, but my brain was too fuzzy to put together a coherent Picture Sunday. And so a Picture Monday we shall have.

I guess the big news of last week is, well.... I've said it many times. I've said over and over how the Poderosa is just too full of cartoon characters, and though I love them all, I just can't afford to board any more. And then I cave.

Everyone knows Che, right? That would be this fellow -




















Che Guellama. Mr M ordered a handmade Rossi clarinet from Chile, and Che delivered it. He came to visit, and didn't want to go home. Sure, he knew no English, and his late-night flamenco dancing in the kitchen both kept me awake and ruined my floor, but he was so sweet and all the other characters loved him. And so Che became one of the Poderosa gang.

I should have known it was going to happen, you know. Mr M ordered a second Rossi clarinet, and was keeping track of its delivery, its delivery by Roy. That would be Roy Vamanos, llama #64. Seems Roy wanted to visit Che after the delivery, and I said OK, but there would be no staying with me!

He arrived last Wednesday, and came to stay till the weekend. He's still here. Yeah, I invited him to stay. He also speaks no English, but Che translates (his is coming along well), and Sherman and Lily are just crazy about him. He's no trouble, really. He's a good llama.
























When he arrived, he honed right in on the hat my nephew bought me for Christmas, and he curls up in it every night to sleep.

And so it goes. I guess it really is "the more the merrier."

The problem with Roy coming to live with me is that Mr M got a little lonely and wistful, and decided he also wanted a llama. I offered him Roy, but Roy didn't want to leave. So by gum, he went out and got himself a llama of his own. His name is Big Roy, and Sherman is crazy about him. Because, well - llama rides!




















So, feeling lonely? Need a friend? I suggest a llama.

Now to more recent happenings.

I went to see the Hackensaw Boys on Friday!

Yep, they've been off the road for months, they're recording, and they chose my very own B'burg for their first show back.

During the work week from hell last week, Friday was the shining light that kept me going. Except for one thing. Yes, the big snowstorm that was headed my way, due to arrive Friday afternoon. The first flake arrived late, at 4:40pm, and at 4:40 I, as de-facto boss, called work and said, "Let's get the hell out of here." By the time I arrived the one mile home, the air was white with snow.

It was a bit of a comedy of errors. I already had everything packed and in one spot, but the snow just threw me off. I was lurching around trying to grab things, and for some reason, whispering. "Milo! Let's get this harness on you, we have to get out of here!" It was like I was escaping from my own house.

But we got on the road, and it was really neat because I actually outran the storm. It was on me for about seven miles, then it tapered off and was clear the rest of the way.

I got to B'burg, called the nephew and made plans to meet, and before I knew it, there we all were. He had friends in tow, three of them, all such nice and fun boys, all but one I'd met before. We met up with Ward, Cousin Spits Hackensaw, and he was kind enough to drink a toast with us for Taylor's recently-passed 21st birthday. We ate a little, drank a little more, and headed to the stage, where we discovered the opening band, who were excellent. They were called Pert Near Sandstone, and played real old-time music.

Then it was time for the Hackensaws, five instead of six, as Salvage Hackensaw wasn't along for this gig. But they did new stuff, old stuff, were in fine form, and, well, I don't have to tell you, I've told you a million times already. If you ever have the chance, you have to see the Hackensaws live. There's nothing like it.

Pictures? Of course I have pictures. The pictures I'm including are here have a universal theme - fun. Just fun for everyone.

How about Shawn giving a personal banjo solo for some happy fans?




















Exuberance from Ferd and Baby J.




















More exuberance from Ferd and Shawn!




















And of course, we have to get one of the whole gang plying their trade.

















Wanna see some happy fans? Look no further than me and the boys.



















Speaking of Sherman, who's had his share of Hackensaw experiences, Friday was a new high. When the boys came to the edge of the stage for a number, I was looking for the neverending photo op, and was trying to place Sherman somewhere around Baby J's bass. All of a sudden, Baby J picked him up and stuck him - in his bass.

























And now, a close-up!




















He stayed there for a song at the stage front, then for a trip out into the crowd for a few songs. I mean, really - how sweet is that? I love those guys.

We went outside a few times during the night, and the snow finally hit B'burg at about 10pm. And it came down fast. Driving home was beautiful though, the little road to Mr M's hadn't been touched, it was like a Winter Wonderland.

Then I got snowbound.

Couldn't get home on Saturday as planned, but hey, Mr M's is a fine place to be stuck, we watched movies and had nachos, and he took Milo out for a romp in the snow in his back yard, unleashed. Milo had a ball running and barking at the cows next door.

Then it was home Sunday on clear roads, all the normal Sunday things, the Grammys, falling asleep, and that's where we are now.

Happy week.

Betland's Olympic Update:
* Help! I've become addicted to "Family Guy!"