Last weekend we took the Nieces to visit with the better-half’s aunt and walk to the top of Crabtree Falls.
You’re the top:
You’re the smile on Mona Lisa:
You’re the Louvre Museum:
You’re the time of the Derby Winner:
OK, the Cole Porter lyrics are letting me down. We played a version of Bocce on Sunday morning. I’m pretty sure we were only doing it partially right, but it was quite fun and I’d play again.
We went to see Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox last Friday night and this photo is from their rendition of Sweet Child of Mine:
The woman to the far right was tap dancing. Tap dancing. The best way to hear that song, ever.
We were given these:
which was our entry into a speakeasy. The space was great, the band was hot and the drinks were outstanding. A completely unexpected thing to do after a show and so much fun.
Last night, we went to see the Psychedelic Furs. We stood behind these guys:
Do you recognize them? Me, not the particulars, but had I seen the Psychedelic Furs back in the day, I would have stood behind these guys. Same age group, same level of enthusiasm and it was nice to see. I could imagine these guys standing around, dressed the same way in 1989, buying each other beers and cracking each other up.
Because we are on vacation and the weather is outstanding, we indulged in some cheese:
The strawberries and the pumpernickel rye on the plate were purchased this morning from the Farmers’ Market. The place was back in full swing this morning.
Last year we did the Komen walk with someone who was in the beginning stages of cancer treatment. This year the someone was wearing a pink survivor shirt. View from one of the bridges:
The youngest niece and I ran through the In Color station and, lordy, even after a shower, I still have orange powder on my back. My clothes are clean, thankfully.
It was a fun day and it’s a much better feeling knowing the someone is in a pink shirt this year.
The better-half gave me this for my birthday:
Now we just need to hook it up.
We made short ribs last weekend and to finish them off, the better-half made gravy. Open-faced goodness:
For something that looks like it was a brown lump on a plate, it was delicious.
We bought tulips, but I am thinking we need to plant some this fall:
The wisteria is nuts in the wild part of our yard:
In other random news, I walked downstairs yesterday morning and found a chicken in the front yard. Not something that happens every day. She wandered off and I presume jumped the fence back to her own yard.
We went to a show the other night that was simply amazing. We saw The Bad Plus in a venue new to us. Because we were at the early show, there were only about 30 people in the audience. I hope Richmond showed them some love at the late show. If not, we are collectively fools.
Check ‘em out:
Yesterday, the better-half’s sister (still weird typing that) brought her kids over to hang out. His aunt and grandmother visited as well. They brought a cake that the sister’s mother would bust out for special occasions. It was a nice touch and delicious:
The nieces dig their new uncle because this is what happened in our backyard:
That is a crazy obstacle course like American Ninja Warrior.
Today we are smoking bacon and taking care of a few yard chores, but mostly sitting around.
Even though this house was gutted and rebuilt, there’s always something that’s not quite right, isn’t there? An utter moron installed the lights in our downstairs bathroom:
See those arrows? They are pointing you in the right direction to see this:
Oh hey, it’s totally OK to install lights without covering the electrical box, right? We’re pretty sure whatever sconces were there before the sellers left the house were not the ugly things we inherited. They don’t go with the rest of the fixtures in the bathroom and a hack installed them.
The story gets better. The boxes weren’t even the right kind of box–rectangular boxes aren’t for light fixtures (think switches or sockets):
Two trips to the hardware store later and the new boxes and lights were installed:
Did you happen to notice in the fourth picture that weirdo paint job? Who doesn’t take the mirror down when painting the rest of the room? The mirror just hangs off two hangers. Easily slid on or off the hangers so you don’t have to painstakingly go around a mirror with a paint brush.
Last night we made dinner and decided to go fancy pants. We made a dish from a Jaime Oliver cookbook the MIL gave me years ago.
Scallops, pancetta, asparagus served over lentils and topped with a lemon Crème fraîche:
We ended dinner with a slice of coconut cream pie:
Know how you sometimes have a hankering? Lately it’s been about that pie…weird
This weekend we drove west to hang out in Blacksburg. Though it looked like we would not be able to get there and back again, we did do just that.
Friday night we had a nice dinner at 622 North. Neither of us had ever been there. Part of the building is a bar with pool tables and the other side is where your parents go while you shoot pool and drink shots. We sat on the parent side. We both had an excellent cocktail before dinner and enjoyed our meals.
Saturday we took a very long walk in the snow and worked up an appetite for a late lunch at The Cellar.
Saturday evening we sat in the hotel bar for a drink:
The snow storm started up again and the hotel sent people home early:
Because of the storm, the hotel restaurant was serving a short menu which didn’t appeal to us and so this is what happens when you eat a late lunch and a storm won’t quit:
(Junk: it’s what’s for dinner)
Aside from the misstep of not planning on snacks and a bottle of wine for the room, we had a great time.
Scenes from campus:
The Drillfield is still wicked cold:
The war memorial chapel is still majestic:
