Friend Then, Friend Now

Although it did not work out last Saturday, my friend Gary was able to come up on Wednesday evening for a visit.  It was great to see him, it had been a long time!  Probably more than 10 years.  It was kind of last minute, yet expected.  I called him from work that morning and he stopped by shortly after I got home from work.  I introduced him to sour beer, we went up to the MaltHouse for another, came back and ordered food,  and just visited.  He's had a hell of time this past year and more - I had mentioned that he lost his lovely wife - but he seems like he is doing well.  We didn't run out of things to talk about but I did notice us get quiet once when the TV was on so we moved to the computer and played with music files.  He stayed the night so we had filled the old air mattress for him, and he left the next morning when I had to go to work.  It seemed to go by so fast, but I will see him again tonight at the class reunion before he goes back to Texas on Monday.

Mike, Me and Gary

Since Wednesday I've dug out some old pictures, trying to find old pictures of me and him, and I also dug out my old yearbooks to remind myself who the heck was in my class.  I went through the yearbook for a while this morning.  Wow.  Before looking I may have been able to bring about a third of the classmates to mind even if I couldn't remember the name.  Looking at the yearbook reminded me of people that I have not ever thought about in 30 years.  I guess I'll find out how many will be there tonight.  I foresee many, many re-introductions.

1993, Gary's Wedding.  His brother Greg on right.

In the old pictures here (and I can't believe I'm actually posting them) there is a third, our good friend Mike.  Mike is in Michigan now.  The three of us did lots together, especially the last year of high school, and kept in touch for a long time after high school.  For the most part we have always been in touch, but it has been tough the last 10 years.  They've been married, raising kids, and making a living and our paths have led in different directions a bit.  We're still in touch now, that's what matters.

Very early 90's at the Black Bear Lounge.  Figured out who the ham was yet?

Old Friends And Classmates

This has been one of those Summer weekends that I'll wish I had back come October or November.  It is hot and sunny and I have been pretty lazy yesterday and today.  I did get a couple small projects done, then headed straight back in to the air conditioning.  When I'm running out of time outside before the snowfall this Winter I'll wish I had this time back, but rest and relaxation is important, too!

An old high school friend, Gary, came back to the area from several states away this week.  He has a family reunion, some business and personal matters to attend to and then our class reunion is next weekend.  We originally planned for him to come by yesterday afternoon and spend the night last night but plans changed, and understandably so.  I've seen him only a couple times in the last 20 years and am looking forward to seeing him again.  Unfortunately, he lost his lovely wife of over 20 years late last year so he has some things to take care of while he's in Wisconsin.   I know I will see him at the reunion but hopefully we can get together some evening this week. I think it would be nice to spend some personal time together catching up before dealing with old high school classmates.

We also have a classmate/old friend, Lane, that lives right here in Madison that I am not normally in touch with.  Actually, we may have bumped into each other once or twice but other than that he's never returned my calls or emails whenever I happened  to reach out to him.  I called him from work one day last week to once again let him know that Gary would be in town and to try to get the three of us together.  Gary was better friends with him than I in high school and was hoping to see him, too, so I had been trying to facilitate and had called and emailed Lane with no response.  When I left a message this time I ended by saying that "you never respond when I try to contact you so I'm not calling again."  Then I deleted his number and email from my phone.  Guess who called later that night?  Oh, it was good to talk to him finally, and I will try to get us all together this week, but I'm pretty much done with him for good after this.  No response - especially repeatedly - is disrespect, in my book.

So next weekend is the 30th class reunion.  As I've mentioned, I have never been to a reunion of my class.  Most all of those I graduated with I have not seen since - and haven't missed.  So, why am I going?  Well, I already paid the fifty bucks.  And it has been 30 years now.  I did not grow up with these people, having moved to town for the seventh grade, and I've always felt like an outsider with them.  I expect I will feel much the same at the reunion, but I don't have anything more than that 50 bucks and my time next weekend invested in this.  I will go, smile a lot (hopefully genuinely), shake a lot of hands and make it back home long before I turn into a pumpkin.  So, besides wanting to see Gary, I guess I am going for the novelty of the occasion.  My expectations are purposely low so I shall not be disappointed.

AtwoodFest 2015!

My wife and I made the 15 minute walk down to AtwoodFest this afternoon for some food, music and festivities.  We didn't stay as long as we did last year, but it was a nice walk on a hot Summer day to a festive atmosphere.  Sure, our feet hurt when we got back, so of course we resolved to walk more, especially to this neighborhood of quality local businesses.  There are several nice restaurants, bar and grills, chocolate shops, art galleries and other eclectic offerings in this area.  Oh, and can't forget the ice cream shop!

Craft Brew Dinner #4

Last night was Dexter's Pub's Heritage Series Craft Brew Dinner number 6, #2 was canceled and #3 we skipped.  This month's craft brewery was the local Capital Brewery, from nearby Middleton, Wisconsin.  Six courses of good beer and food!  Surprisingly, less seats were sold for this dinner - sixteen - than the usual 20 spots available.  That may be because the brewery was very local and people are already familiar, or just because it is Summer and there are other things to do.  No matter, we had a good time.  Once again we were joined by my friend Ted, a craft beer connoisseur - especially compared to me.

The first beer I was very familiar with because it was the quarter barrel we got for our party a month or two ago, Capital Amber.  Ambers are good for a middle-of-the-road type beer.  There was also an IPA for one course.  I've said it before but I just don't like the perfume-y smell and taste of IPAs and unfortunately they are the popular thing now, I blame the hipsters.  At least the hipsters that have graduated from - gag - Pabst Blue Ribbon.  Pabst was a cheap beer that my dad drank when I was a kid, and it's still cheap but somehow super popular again.  And then there was also what seems to be a mandatory coffee flavored beer.  Again, I'm not a fan, but I was in the minority.  I've never been a coffee drinker because I hate the taste and putting it in beer does not change that for me.  There were no sour beers presented last night, I don't think Capital even makes one.  My wife and I have been paying attention and seeking them out recently.  Who knew we'd like the sour beers, but we do.  No, whiskey, I have not forgotten about you...

The food was a good six courses, four of which I could have considered a dessert.  First the popcorn with infused garlic scape butter was the welcome course.  The next course was a spinach salad with feta, candied pecans, strawberries and a sweet lemon cilantro vinaigrette made with the accompanying beer, a golden lager.  This salad was maybe my favorite part of the meal, I wish they would have it on the regular menu.  The fourth course was a chilled cherry soup with creme fraiche and slivered almonds.  Again, very sweet, almost too much so for a 'soup.'  And finally the actual dessert, raspberry cream puffs.  So four of the six courses appealed to my sweet tooth nicely.  The other courses, pepperjack cheese curds and the main course were very good, too.  The main course was bourbon and bbq glazed slow-roasted ribs with Wisconsin street corn and corn muffins with honey butter.  It makes me hungry again just thinking about the meal!

All in all, we had a very good time.  The representative for Capital Brewery was actually one of the local female brewmasters that had been featured last month during Madison's Craft Beer Week.  She discussed some history of the brewery as well as it's expansion, ideas for new beers and how she came up with some of the names. We'd probably rank it as the second best of the four we attended.  We still like the first time best, but maybe because it was the first time - and my wife's birthday.  Again it was a lot of food and we were stuffed when we left.  Not a complaint, mind you.  In fact, there's still some leftover ribs and a corn muffin in the refrigerator that will not see tomorrow!

What's Your Total?

What's your total of this, well, what looks like a stupid-decision-of-your-youth and other random question poll.  It made me laugh as I found my total over at Bits & Pieces, thanks Jonco!

Here's my answers:
1.)  10
2.)  10
3.)  0, but I'd like half points.
4.)  10
5.)  20
6.)  20
7.)  0
8.)  20
9.)  10 - Ring doorbell and run, I had to look it up!
10.)  10
11.)  30
12.)  0
13.)  0
14.)  10
15.)  20
16.)  0
17.)  0
18.)  0
19.)  10
20.)  30

I scored 210/350, no real meaning in that, though.  Still, it's late and this has entertained me enough to type all this out.  So?  What's your number?

July This and Thats

Happy July!  I hope everyone enjoyed their 3 day weekend, here in the states anyway.  I've been feeling like I should post lately but there is nothing big to write about.  So this is another one of those start-typing-and-see-what-comes-out posts.

• We had no plans for this holiday weekend other that some projects around the house.  Things did come up, like my sister in law wanting to see her dad so she calls my wife to fetch him for her for a visit.  We see him a lot, if she wants to see him she should go get him herself, I think.  Also, Kate helped her friend, Terry, clean up her boat - not go out on the lake, just clean it up while it is docked at the marina.  It has got to be a sin to own a nice pontoon boat, pay to store it on the water, and rarely, if ever, use it.  Sigh.
• My plans for this holiday weekend were to cross things off my list, and I did pretty good.  I got the garage power-washed, also cleaned some foundation which we got painted yesterday morning.  It looks a whole lot better and the fresh black matches the windows better.  Now only 3 more sides of the house to go!  I also got some sidewalk edging done, put gutter covers on the porch (free after rebate!), mowed, removed more irises, and later today I want to fertilize the lawn since rain is expected tomorrow evening.  Aside from fertilizing, I am now done for the weekend.  My feet hurt.  A lot.
• I've talked about getting bicycles, but we have not yet.  I still want to because I feel we would use them more often to get out to local places that we like to visit.  But in actuality that would probably be once a week in the summer time.  It would be nice but not the highest priority when we think about it.  Meanwhile, I have started getting on the exercise bike downstairs 3 times a week to start trying to get into better shape.  There's a great ice cream shop that opened last year that is less than a ten minute bike ride away, only 15-20 minutes away walking but we just never seem to do.
• Not just bikes, everything costs money and it seems like we have been hemorrhaging money lately.  Not even counting having the tree removed and buying a new vehicle.  Just purchases for house projects, cds and dvds, concert tickets, and the like.  On the bright side my wife received a long overdue promotion at work that will help.  Congrats, Kate, you've deserved this for a long time!
• Speaking of concert tickets, we recently got tickets for Garbage's upcoming tour.  It is the 20th anniversary of their debut, self-titled album and they will be playing it in its entirety on this tour.  Garbage started here in Madison and we do like to claim them as our own, though none live here anymore.  Also, Nightwish has announced their 2016 American tour and it includes a stop at the Rave in Milwaukee.  I may never get the chance again, I have to go.  The Garbage show is not until October and the Nightwish show is not until next year February.  They are both quite a ways off but I didn't care, I will be there and wanted my tickets now.  
• I broke one of my commenting rules recently when I commented on Delcatto's blog about his weather.  My personal rule is that if I only discuss me in my comment not to post it, but I did.  He wrote about the heat there and my comment was how we had not turned on the air conditioning here yet despite it being July already.  It has been very nice to have the windows open for this long.  We've been tempted to run the A/C a few times, but have not.  I was even tempted earlier today, but if I look at the next few days it cools off and we would want the windows open again.  I will not start it for one hot day, but if I see a stretch coming I won't hesitate.
• The 30th reunion of the people I went to high school with happens this year, and soon.  I have to decide in the next, like, day if we will be going.  I have not been to any of my previous class reunions.  I did not grow up with them, moving to town for 7th grade.  I had few friends and got picked on a lot.  I was the first in my class to get my ear pierced, I got picked on a lot for that my junior year.  When I came back for my senior year most of those that picked on me had their own ear pierced.  I hated them for that.  I know I was an awkward, stupid teenager and so were they as the jocks, cheerleaders, and geeks that they were.  There are exactly 2 friends that I would absolutely love to see, out of about 100-150 classmates (I forget).  I am certain there would be some others I would enjoy seeing, as well as others that I wouldn't.  But it's been 30 years now.  Do I care?  Do I go?

That's enough for now, more than I thought I had to say so I'm glad I did another This And Thats post.  There's something to be said for just sitting and typing and seeing what happens.  I'm not even a writer, I just pretend to be one on the internet.  PTFO

Latest Listening Pleasure 19... Lindemann

Lindemann is a new supergroup of only two people.  Till Lindemann, lead singer of the German band Rammstein and Swedish multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer Peter Tagtgren, known for his bands Hypocrisy and - my favorite - Pain.

So, last year Peter was working with his band Hypocrisy while I was biding my time until he would finish that up and start on a new Pain album.  I've listened to Hypocrisy but, as much as I like Peter, that music just doesn't appeal to me.  While I have grown more accustomed to the cookie monster* stuff, I really do not care for that kind of vocal.  I sometimes like it better as an accent to the music and regular vocals, like in Amaranthe, my previous LLP post.   Turns out that the timing was right for friends Peter and Till to work on an album together, instead.  Skills In Pills was released this past Tuesday.  I had it pre-ordered so it was here when I got home from work that day.

This album is different than anything I have heard in a while.  For Till, this is the first time he sings an entire album in English.  And Peter, well, he does everything else.  He played all the instruments, wrote all the music, engineered and produced the album.  Just another day at the office for him.  He is the driving force in Hypocrisy, though there are two other full members, and Pain is all Peter Tagtgren until it's time to play live.  This music here is actually very near to what I would have expected from another Pain album, Till's vocals and lyrics are what make this album unusual.  I must say that even I was taken aback a little bit the first time I saw the video for Praise Abort, below.  Other song titles include the title track Skills In Pills, Ladyboy, Fish On, Golden Shower and Fat.  It's hard to say if he is really disturbed or just trying to shock people.  Doesn't matter, really.  Other than worrying what bad words the neighbors may hear, the album sounds great and it has a good flow to it.  Like I said before, the music is not far off from what I would expect from Pain, and I really love that project.

Below is the first video from the album, for the song Praise Abort.  NOT safe for work!


I've had the album for less than a week, but it has fast become my latest listening pleasure.  Check out all my other LLP posts below!

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann


*You know the sound.  Or just do your impression of Sesame Street's Cookie Monster, right now, out loud.  Okay, now sing in that voice.  That's the kind of vocals I'm talking about.  I tend not to listen to bands that do that.

Mother F**kers Day 2015

We began MF's Day (also known as Father's Day) weekend with my in-laws.   Saturday evening all of my wife's family - 8 of us adults and 3 older boys - came over for a meal and perhaps a fire, if the weather would allow.  The weather did not allow and we had to host all inside.  And by the time it did there were only 5 of us, it was past 7, and I thought it was too late to commit to a fire when the rest would leave in an hour or so.  We do want to have a firepit for my father-in-law, but we will have to start it earlier, and right when he arrives, for maximum enjoyment for all.  My wife cooked up a spread of grilled tenderloin roast, babyback ribs, grilled shrimp, and for dessert a mixed berry crisp.  The food was absolutely amazing, I'm not sure her family realizes the time and expense she puts into these spreads - especially with beef prices these days.  She does take too much upon herself, I think.  I'm always there willing to help but she seems to want it done 'right' or something....

Yesterday, Sunday, we met my Dad and his wife Pat out for a late lunch at a nearby restaurant.  Also out for the occasion were my brother and his family and his wife's parents, they're close.  My father has had a rough time lately with his health and it seems to have aged him quite a bit.  He has had several emergency room visits recently leading to having a pacemaker installed.  I am glad he is feeling better, but he is no longer the robust man I rebelled against as a teenager.  In fact, he reminded me of his mother who we lost earlier this year.  His speech and mannerisms had slowed.  I realized more than ever that my father is actually an old man.  There is history here, my father and I have not been anywhere near 'close' for a long time now.  Well, they let me know they were in town this time, at least.  Pat tried to make it a surprise but he saw my email reply.  I'm glad I got to see them, thank you, Pat.

Craft Brew Dinner #3

Once again we enjoyed one of  Dexter's Pub's Heritage Series dinner events, their 5th overall - the second one was canceled and we skipped the third one (Goose Island Brewery) because we didn't care much for the menu.  It happened this past Monday evening, I just totally forgot to write about it all week.  We were once again joined by my friend Ted, and we ran into a co-worker of his and his wife/girlfriend.  They were a very nice couple, fun and talkative, easy to like.  The brewery featured this month was Alaskan Brewing Co. so the food kind of followed an Alaskan theme with salmon pate and bear sausage among the dishes.  Overall  a good 6 courses, we were satisfied and full by the end.  I wasn't even able to finish the chocolate pound cake that was for dessert!  Ted's friends had a good idea, they brought to-go containers to take some of the food home.  Of course, Dexter's Pub has to-go containers anyway but I've never thought to use them at one of these dinners.

The beers we tried were good but nothing exceptional.  There were two IPAs, one a double IPA that I just couldn't get down.  My wife and I are not hops fans normally and I found the double IPA to be very perfume-y for my taste.  There were no sour beers at this dinner (but we had a couple last night at Malt House, including an 18 dollar, 750 ml bottle of local New Glarus Brewing's Serendipity.)  I guess I'm really starting to like the sour beers.

The Alaskan Brewing Company's representative was a young woman, Megan, who had her two kids there to 'help' and her parents showed up late as the dinner was beginning.  It actually wasn't terribly annoying, but in my opinion I would have liked a bit more professionalism.  We were spending 45 bucks a head for dinner, after all.  I enjoy when they give you more history of the brewery and the beers they serve you.  One brewery even had a slide show of the brewery and such playing on a nearby TV and the rep would point out certain things as he discussed them.  There was no free pint glass for us like the other dinners, but she did do some trivia and gave away some brewery swag and Dexter's gift certificates.  Overall another very nice dinner.  Probably ranks third of the three we have been to, but still a very good time.

Vinca and Mrs Scoakat Blogs!

My wife had this past week off for vacation and - among lots of other things - she has weeded the hell out of the stump area.  You see the hostas around the stump, and all the other green stuff in the picture, left, is a ground cover called Vinca.  She has been trying to get the stuff to cover the area for a year or two now.  In fact, there are nine more plants out on the porch right now waiting to be planted.  The soil has been a bit wet recently, but they will be in the ground very soon.

I'm also quite proud to announce that she has begun posting recently on our garden website.  I am the Sco, and she is the Kat, after all.  My posting over the years there has mainly been to keep a record of the happenings of the garden.  Sometimes diary-like, and not very exciting.  She brings a refreshing view and personality to the site that I didn't.  She's off to a great start and I can't wait to read more.
Visit the Scoakat's Garden website and check out her posts!