Friday « Kenny Smith | A remarkable thing happens …

Friday

Friday / Samford / video — Comments Off
29
Oct 10

Kitteh tennis

She does this in front of us; who knows what she does when we’re gone.Today was a writing day. I wrote on an archival project I’d like to do. I dreamed up notes for a book I hope to write after my dissertation. I wrote some work stuff. I wrote emails.

I enjoyed this video:

The Yankee and I wrote a book chapter that was released this year where we touched on that subject. And, no, that book isn’t expensive at all.

Out for pizza tonight, but the place was too crowded. And the first waitress we saw was dressed as Gene Simmons in Kiss regalia. So we walked down the street to the burger shop where the waitress was dressed as apathy. Wrapped up the night sitting on the sofa, watching football and trying to figure out this new tennis game Allie plays.

Have you ever seen that? What does it mean?

Auburn / Friday / Pie Day / video — Comments Off
22
Oct 10

A little news

The best part of the day was a wildfire. So we’ll just start and end there. I “committed journalism” via cell phone.

The video made it on the front page of al.com and on their new Montgomery section’s front page. I’m told it beat local television, which was useful considering the seven or eight miles of traffic that backed up behind the smoke and emergency trucks. Remember what we say: we’re all reporters now. Links are here and here.

If I knew they’d want the video I would have narrated the scene. (Note to self …) Anyway, it seems, though, that a truck hauling a trailer threw some sparks into the crisp and tender grass (we’re in a significant drought) and started a couple of blazes. It took more than three hours to get it all under control, which appeared to be just happening as we passed through.

The Yankee and I are going to a home run derby tonight. Present and former Auburn baseball stars are swinging for the fences for charity. We’ll hear the wonderful ping of college ball and then come home for dinner and pie at home. That will be a delightful evening.

I hope your weekend is just as grand. But without the fire.

errands / Friday / friends / photo — Comments Off
15
Oct 10

Quickly, quickly

It was time for a haircut, so I visited a hair cutting place. I frequent the cheap places where you never see the same person more than once. I think they are fronts for the witness protection program, but that isn’t why I go. They used to be cheaper (lately I’m thinking of buying shears and counting my pennies) and they are fast. I’d prefer a barber shop, just the old fashioned place with straight razors and Hai Karate, but straight razors and Hai Karate can unsettle.

So I’m at the hair cutting place, this one uses the word “Masters” in their title, so it can’t be all that bad, right? My last trim came from this same place. Of course that lady was not there today. Just as well, as it grew out I noticed one section that I didn’t care for. (And I don’t mean the silver.)

I walk in and they ask me if I’m there for a haircut. No, but if you could prepare a new financial investment portfolio I’d be most appreciative. They ask if I have a preference for who cuts my hair. No, because none of you have been here for more than 15 days and none of you will be here in three weeks.

The three women working at the booths on the left, all cutting hair, point as one to the young woman standing at the booth on the right. She’s fresh out of school. But she’s nice and diligent. And she cut my hair three times because, after all, short is a relative term.

And it is still a bit longer than I was going for, but it works, and I’m glad for that.

Car, washed. Tires, shined. Sidewalk, swept. It was a productive evening.

Brian made it in. He’s spending the weekend for football fun. We went out for Niffer’s tonight, because he likes corn nuggets. (But who doesn’t? Good question.)

We worked on the demonic dishwasher. At one point sparks flew. Actual sparks were sitting on the floor. I found this manically funny, not realizing that Brian managed to give himself a bit of a shock in creating the pyrotechnic show. If you’re keeping count, that’s two people that have shocked themselves in the short time The Yankee and I have lived here. We are not electricians.

And then we saw something that we have never before seen, a melted wire nut. Those big plastic screw caps are insulated, but we somehow managed to melt one through. Whatever the dishwasher’s problems, this did not help. Brian, like all non-electricians, wisely concluded his examination at the point of electric shock.

We took him to see Nova. It was the least you can do for a friend to whom you’re introducing a strong electrical current.

Friday / photo / video / YouTube Cover Theater — Comments Off
8
Oct 10

Best not to question Elvis

Shouldn’t the picture be empty?

And how do we know this?

If Zombie Elvis doesn’t have you in your blue suede shoes you’re not afraid of seeing that on your doorstep come Halloween.

And you’re welcome for the costume idea.

For this week’s YouTube Cover Theater we lean on renditions of the great Wilson Pickett. If you need me, these guys will be in Soulsville, U.S.A.

The Midnight Hour, they at least recorded it at night:

I saw one cover of that song, by a guy that’s been embedded in this space before, playing it on a keyboard. That was a poor choice.

And then there was Mustang Sally, which changed music for most everybody. (My site, my story.) This gentleman plays it on a sax.

And you’re welcome for that, too.

Happy weekend!

(It would have made perfect sense to make this an Elvis Cover Theater, but that’s now coming in the pre-Halloween edition.)

adventures / Friday / photo / recipes — Comments Off
1
Oct 10

Travel day

When we look back on today, we’ll remember it as a travel evening. By the time we made it to Florida we were ready to be out of the car. That worked out well since, after that, there’s just the water.

On the way, do you know where this is?

No? Need another hint?

Fine, one more.

It is a small southern town, so there’s no shame if you don’t know it. I sent those pictures to my friend Elizabeth. She’s from that town and she didn’t know, either. (I like my geographic quizzes to be challenging.)

Anyway.

We’re at a Residence Inn, somewhere in Florida, which has the most pretentious lobby I’ve ever seen in a hotel I can afford. The sink in the bathroom off the lobby:

It has the H and C, the universal symbols for “Ouch!” and “Brrr!” The knob rotates. But that doesn’t turn on the water. Twist, pull, tug, push and you get no water. You can control the temperature of this mythical H20, but you have to — oh.

It is a hands-free faucet. There’s a sensor under the spout. But you still had to touch it. And that’s Florida.

The Yankee and I had dinner at a place called Crabby Bill’s. There was a dour faced man in the classic grimace pose on the logo, how could you go wrong? Also, there was seafood.

I discovered corn and crab chowder. Got the recipe:

4 tablespoons butter or bacon fat
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups corn, cut off cob
2 cups milk or more
1 cup cream
1/2 pound crabmeat

Melt butter or bacon fat in pan.
When hot, add onions and green pepper.
Saute 5 minutes.
Add potatoes and cover vegetables with water.
Cook 10 minutes.
Add corn and continue to cook until potatoes are tender.
Add 2 cups milk and the cream.
Stir and bring to a boil.
Add crabmeat and just heat through.
Thin with milk if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in parsley.

I might eat that all fall.

The place was full of signs, both manufactured and handmade, like this one:

We picked up The Yankee’s mother. She flew down for a quick weekend visit a bit further down the coast. We’ll do that tomorrow.