Opening Acts…….

Lynyrd Skynyrd, BruceSpringsteen, and Steely Dan are among famous musicians who were once opening acts for others. Most of course don’t go on to be mega stars, but can be quite successful in their own right. Thursday, we attended the Seminole Theatre performance of Asleep at the Wheel as part of the Showcase Season. Neither of us had heard of Brennen Leigh and Hubby now has one of her CDs. Songwriter, guitar player, mandolin player, and singer, she is a two-time Texas Music Awards Best Female Vocalist and 2018 Ameripolitan Music Honky Tonk Award winner. She pairs with different people and last night was Melissa Carper who was on bass; not something you often see women play. She performs primarily with the Buffalo Gals Band and their debut album, “Brand New Old Time Songs”, came in at Number 2 on the European Americana charts in 2018. Both women have toured nationally and internationally and began their music careers fairly young. As the opening act, they provided a thoroughly entertainment stretch of music and I suspect we weren’t the only ones who purchased a CD.

Although the main show, Asleep at the Wheel, is not the kind of music for everyone, they have been around since 1970. Ray Benson, the only original member still with the band, was in fine form and the drummer, David Sanger, has thirty-five years with them. Western Swing is a combination of elements of American blues, swing and traditional fiddling even though I don’t have enough of a music background to identify how much of each element is involved. On the other hand, I don’t need to know. I’m sure that of almost 250 people in the audience, some could explain it in detail. For the rest of us, it was just a fun, lively show.

We don’t usually attend two performances in the same month, but we have been told Derina Harvey and her Celtic rock group are quite good, so we shall see about that one.

Small Town Quilting Treasures is Ready….

After a much longer lapse than I intended, the final book in the series has gone live. I don’t have the first chapter posted to my website yet, but will take care of that later this week. Since this does close out the series, I included some chapters/scenes to help resolve different situations with some of the recurring characters. The two main plot lines are a mix of pure fiction for the one introduced in Chapter 3 and the second one is much later in Chapter 19. That’s the one that has a kernel of family history (mine) very much wrapped in fiction. I’ll be happy to explain that later if anyone wants to know the “true story” after reading it. There is a slight pang with saying good-bye to Helen, her friends, and family and I do hope everyone enjoys the way in which I chose to end things.

I used a different publisher this time (still self-published) so I should have my copies by the end of the week. As you can see, they did an excellent job with the cover and they were quite professional to work with. The only drawback is more of a requirement than before for me (which means my husband) to actually upload the final files. There was only one issue which we will (that means me) use as a “lesson learned” in case I go with them for the next Chris Green novel. The advantage was I am able to keep the paperback retail at $12 on Amazon; something I couldn’t initially do when I published Shades of Deception through the publisher I used for that. There are multiple considerations for selecting a publisher and I really wished the one I used for my previous four novels had still been available. But, it’s a tough business and there are frequent changes in the industry.

Oh, don’t try to read the text on the back; I couldn’t crop it for this image.

Much More Complicated Than Anticipated…..

We are continuing to check off certain improvements to the house. The whole house water filtration system is working nicely. The next part was replacing the front door and the outside lights. For those who don’t live in Miami-Dade County, replacing a front door is quite a process. This is due to code reference being hurricane resistant. The cost is of course far greater than an ordinary door and thanks to the architecture of the house, these are custom which also increases the cost. This was not a personal choice as all the houses were designed this way by the builder. While they do look nice, it’s not something we would have included.

Anyway, I had no idea the installation was as complicated as it has turned out to be. It has to do with re-drilling the holes for all the hinges and apparently the bottom plate where the door closes has to be fixed into mortar. This, also unknown to me, involves tearing out all the existing wood and rebuilding it. I suppose I should have gotten a hint when the first thing they did this morning was drape plastics over all the furniture. My idea they would be finished and gone by around noon is obviously not remotely accurate, although they do seem to be working as quickly as they can. The other good thing is once this is done it ought to last a very long time. It’s somewhat like getting the new fence. If you pay the extra for the higher grade, it should not require replacement for the foreseeable future. Granted, this does also assume the whole issue of a hurricane doesn’t alter everything. As a reminder, the county did face up to reality after the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in that building codes were out of date and not properly enforced. This is why our county and Monroe (covers the Florida Keys) now have the most restrictive wind-storm codes in the country.

Girl Scout Cookies…..

Ah yes, each January – and this is the part I find puzzling – we have the Girl Scout tradition of massive cookie sales taking place in the exact same month where there are leftover sweets from the holidays and many people are at least trying to cut back on calories. Now, in all fairness, some people don’t need to cut back and if one has lots of kids/teens to provide snacks for, this takes care of that and supports a worthy cause. We, of course, are in a position where it’s simply one more charitable contribution as I actually take possession of usually only two boxes. The rest is, “No, I don’t need more cookies, but here’s the $5.” I suppose I have now answered my own question as to why sales continue to be strong. It is indeed a tradition people still appreciate.

I do admit I was startled to see the upcoming (or maybe it aired and we missed it) Girl Scout Cookie Baking Competition. I am always amazed at the culinary artistry of most of the decorative baking competitions and from the trailers I’ve seen, this will be quite creative. I’m not certain of what the rules are and if there are extra points for incorporating as many of the kinds of cookies as possible. Which leads me to the next aspect. Even though I tend toward the time-honored favorites of Thin Mints, Shortbread, and Do-Si-Dos (for Hubby), the lemon are tempting and I nearly caved at the sight of Toffee-tastic and Caramel Chocolate Chip when I was at the grocery yesterday. There are some other new ones, too, and as a former logistician, I do wonder a bit. I haven’t spoken with the dedicated parents who do this year-after-year about how they manage the increasing number of choices. Anyway, I’ll see if I hold off for another week or if at least one more box will make its way into the pantry.

About Those Frozen Iguanas….

The few and mostly infrequent “cold snaps” we get in South Florida bring some real issues and a fair amount of humor. This one, where the temperature plunged to 39 degrees before the day time high of only 63, will be over tomorrow. We have had prolonged snaps of up to two weeks with serious consequences for the tropical fruits and certain animals.

“Iguana Rain” is familiar to anyone who has lived here for a while, but is startling for newcomers. Iguanas of all shapes and sizes roam around, but many also like to be up in trees. When the temperature dips into the low 40s, they “freeze” although it is actually a temporary dormant state unless the low temperatures are extended. They do, however, fall out of the trees and appear to be dead. In cases where people toss them in a garbage can for instance and they recover before the can is emptied, it can make for quite the surprise and mess depending on the size of the iguana and sturdiness of the can.

Iguanas can be a real nuisance with tearing up yards and gardens, so there are people who dislike having them around. We have very few in this neighborhood, and most are fairly small. I did have to slam on the brakes one day to keep from running over a large one in the middle of the street and not in a hurry to finish crossing. Fortunately, there wasn’t a car behind me. The upside to a prolonged cold snap is the likelihood of killing pythons too which of course is a far greater problem here and none of us mind that.

We are a bit concerned for the hummingbird, but he should be okay since we’re only talking about a short time. Hubby did bring the orchids inside though as a precaution.

Carefully Embracing Something New…..

I grew up with a pressure cooker in the house as did many of our generation. My mother was not a particularly accomplished cook, but she did like using the pressure cooker for several dishes and there weren’t too many of the “explosions” common to its use. I never bought one as an adult though. Fast forward to a few years ago when “Instapot” came onto the scene and was met with praise by quite a few people. Hubby mentioned a while back he was intrigued with the idea and this is how we wound up with one under the Christmas tree.

In essence, it is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and warmer with a sear function. It can do all this through electronics and “smart technology”, which also means it ha all sorts of read-outs and steps in preparing a dish. As Hubby read the instructions (and multiple warnings), I knew I had no intention of using this thing until I watched him a few times. So, black eye peas from the dried state New Year’s Day was the initial trial. Rather than having to soak the peas for hours, it required only a quick rinse. In this case, the pressure cooking option was the way to go. Everything is electronically sensed so you set the cooking time and there is a digital “countdown” as it goes from preheating to cooking, then venting. While you don’t have the old worry about carefully controlling the temp to avoid the infamous “explosions”, the warning is very clear about keeping hands away as it vents after finishing the cooking time. We didn’t need to, but if we had not been home, it would have automatically gone into warming mode for a period of time. Our next try (maybe this week) will be to attempt the sear the meat and then switch to slow cook so you really do need only the single pot. Naturally, things can also be programmed ahead, but we will be taking this one step at a time.

 

All the Star Wars…..

This is actually a two-item post. In early November, the ShowBiz Entertainment Complex opened in Homestead. We did several articles about it for the paper and it is impressive. The company has quite a few movie theaters in multiple states, but only five of these complexes, and ours is the first one in Florida. When you enter the complex, there are thirteen bowling lanes to the right, an electronic arcade to the left and a full bar in between. In addition to the standard concessions, there’s also an ice cream and coffee bar and a cafe that serves a nice menu. Beyond all this are ten movie theaters; one of which is equipped with a very high tech system, SDX. All the theaters have Dolby sound and big screens though so any of them present quite the experience. I was going to go with Hubby a couple of weeks ago to actually watch a movie, but some kind of last minute crisis interfered. Son and daughter-in-law had “date day” while they were here and went to see Star Wars. The plan to take granddaughter New Year’s Day didn’t come about as other things took priority. Anyway, I finally went with Hubby this week to see Star Wars. The reclining leather seats are quite nice and the fact I could take in my glass of wine was even better. Each seat has not only a cup holder, but also a tray to comfortably hold items.

Now onto the movie. Since we are of an age to have seen the original Star Wars, that puts us in a different category than the kids. I will acknowledge still being somewhat confused with prequels and sequels that make up what I think are now nine movies total. It’s been interesting watching the original stars age as they have and of course the unexpected death of Carrie Fisher three years ago was especially poignant in seeing her on the screen. It’s difficult to know how many young girls have been influenced by her role as Princess Leia. The movie, Rise of Skywalker, was true to the format and the special effects were amazing as always. I really do think it can come to a close now, but Hollywood may well have other ideas.

There was a big crowd for the ShowBiz ribbon cutting.

Loving Sports…..

I think I have mentioned before I watch more football now because other than racing, that’s the sport Hubby really loves. He unfortunately has had a terrible football year since his alma mater had to “rebuild” – something that occurs when you lose a large number of seniors. On top of that, the Atlanta Falcons played terribly the first two-thirds of the season. He always has the Saints as a back-up and they’re gone from the play-offs now. As it happens, we like three of the four still vying and will see which way that goes.

The above is an intro though because my first husband’s mother (the one who inspired me to write Your Room at the End) was a true sports enthusiast. She subscribed to and avidly read Sports Illustrated; not something you would think in looking at her or reading her background. She loved baseball, football, hockey, and most of all golf. Her son and my first husband, a New Englander through-and-through, started in Pewee Hockey and played all the way through college. He said it always startled him when his mother would yell at the referees because she just didn’t give that appearance as a first impression. Anyway, back to her enjoying golf. For her, it was a “gentleman’s game”, and one played with skill and style. (She did not golf herself, but then again, New England isn’t exactly a place where one has long seasons for such.)  In view of making it almost to her 89th birthday, she could well remember some of the “greats” I know only vaguely by name. Golf was also the professional sport she felt was less impacted by money although the purses have of course greatly increased.

I can’t recall if she followed tennis much, but she probably did. She also wasn’t into soccer, but that was also a function of time – it simply wasn’t a sport popular in the United States in her formative years.

Another Memory Stirred…..

During dinner the other night, a point about my military career jogged another memory of a series of events. I’ve explained before that my “inadvertent pioneer” status was largely an issue of timing although also my response to opportunities presented. The initial odd one was being trained in maintenance as I have also covered. When I arrived in Germany  as the first ever female officer of the organization, the decision to place me in a captain’s position even though I was a junior 2d lieutenant was because there was still the reluctance to put me into position I was allegedly trained for. It so happens two other female officers were assigned within months of me and they did have to go into lieutenant positions because there was no way around it. So, in the position I held, there were times when I was at cross purposes with one of the captains; the one I would have by rights gone to work for. I tried to get along with everyone, but there were certain procedures which I had to enforce as is common in the military.

After a year, I was due to rotate positions as was also common, but it was fairly well-known the captain was basically waiting for me to be assigned to him as was appropriate considering the ordinary way things worked. At a minimum, he intended to make things difficult for me and could have quite frankly easily ruined my career. Unknown to me, the senior officers I worked with went to the decision maker and essentially said it would be unfair to place me in that position since I had demonstrated the ability to work above the rank I held. He agreed with the assessment of, “Yes, she makes mistakes, but never the same one twice.” (Hey, that’s a technique for learning.) I was subsequently provided the opportunity to command the Headquarters Detachment as a first lieutenant and also the first female to do so in the history of the unit. In other words, in the space of one year, I racked up three “firsts”.

Close to Swimming Success…..

I’ve mentioned being in the pool is top of our granddaughter’s “visit” list and the weather doesn’t always cooperate. This year was marginal; decent enough temperature to be at least tolerable. I had hoped she would have swimming lessons over the summer, but as it turned out, she resisted the idea. She hates to have water up her nose and hasn’t figured out yet how to prevent that if her face is in the water. I guess they did get her some kind of mask. We got a mask, snorkel, and fins, not certain if they would suit her. She had also outgrown her swim vest and since that is very much a seasonal item in Virginia, there were none available to buy before the kids came down. Despite being assured we, the grown-ups, would make sure she was okay, not having the vest meant she couldn’t be independent. I had to go run some errands the first afternoon and “Grandpa” was going to be in the pool with her and teach her to use the mask, snorkel and fins. I promised I would find a vest for her the following day. When I returned later, however, I was told there was no need for a vest as she had swum on her own. Huh?

Apparently, she took to the fins and as Grandpa held her up, she at some point pulled away from him and made it several feet unassisted. With that boost of confidence, she wanted to do more. She keeps her head above water and hasn’t quite figured out how to do anything with her hands except dog paddle, but it works. She was all excited and the next day when I was in the pool with her, it was more of the same. Our set-up is the hot tub is elevated a bit above the pool with the “waterfall” into the pool. She’s tall enough to stand up in the hot tub and also at the bottom of the steps into shallow part of the pool. She refers to the hot tub as the “little pool” and likes to move back and forth between them. She very quickly understood how to “shuffle” in the fins and carefully step into each pool. It was fascinating to watch her and hopefully by next summer, she’ll be ready for real lessons.