The Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life

My Very First Hockey Fight

Bifocals for Peter, and my other pair, too...

Whatcha think?

 

Wonder What It's Like Taking Me on a Vacation?

Erin and I recently spent a week together in Rhode Island at the Block Island Poetry Project meeting Mary Oliver and Coleman Barks and eating lots of steamers and chowdah.  I am up to my eyeballs in getting the new site ready for you so I haven't had time to tell you about the trip. In fact, I may be sporadic here while I get the new stuff prepped. In the meantime, Erin has posted what I have to say is the funniest picture of me on a vacation that I have ever seen (and probably one of the most accurate). You can click to enlarge. 

Enjoy!

One More Reason to Say Yes to Wisconsin...

Sure there is Taliesen . (Which should definitely be seen after, NOT before, House on the Rock. But there is also...

Going to The Mustard Museum!!!

This baby boasts about 4600 different kinds of mustard.

One word: Awesome.

Some cool ones we brought home:

Wasabi Lime Mustard
Lavendar White Wine Mustard
Madras Curry Mustard
Red Bell Pepper Mustard
and, of course, a few traditional polish and chinese and german varieties.

And as if that wasn't enough....

You would think that was reason enough to take a sidetrip to Mount Horeb, WI (Yes, we took this side trip just for this purpose, because, how could we not? It was only later we found out it is also famous for its trolls.) But then we found a chocolate shop next door that has nearly 200 kinds of chocolate, including fabulous things like:

Lemon Pepper White Chocolate
Hibiscus Rosemary White Chocolate
Orange Cardamom Dark Chocolate
Dark Chocolate with Chilis
Dark Chocolate with Lavendar and Blueberries
and all the dark rich fabulous treasure without the frills that you could hope for.

Wisconsin: It's not just for blue eye shadow and power ballads anymore. 

Curious about Madison?

It Kicks Wall Drug's Ass!

Yeah, I've been to Wall Drug.

That's cornball style, my friend.

If you really want to see something, what you need to do is get over to House on the Rock.

Trust me on this. If you'd like to see a little Tim Burton and Tom Waits mixed with Austin Powers, Stephen King and maybe a little Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka, you will love this. Oh yeah, the Four Horsemen flying at the towering carousel filled with baby dolls was a very cool touch.

On Buying Art and Travelling in New Mexico

They say there are tourists and there are travellers. This is certainly true.
Likewise, there are vendors and there are merchants.
There are those who wait on you and those who care for you.

In all my years of travel, nowhere have these distinctions been made more clear than on our trip to New Mexico some time ago. Scott and I had never been so taken care of by so many people. I mean really taken care of, spontaneously, and with great enthusiasm.

Our first stop after settling in Albuquerque was Ambrozia Cafe for what we thought would be a quick snack before we headed off to explore.  However, when faced with a dazzling array of wines and delectables we knew we simply had to turn ourselves over to the careful direction of our waiter, Caspar.

Okay, Maybe There Are Reasons...

So I'm going through some photographs and then it dawns on me, even though Monique's boyfriend was wrong about us "totally getting high every day" I think I have to admit that we may not appear completely, well, normal, either. Sometimes I forget what impression our yard might give to the uninitiated...

It's Jamon! It's Jamon! Dear God, It's Jamon!

If you were a fly on my wall this morning, that is all you would hear coming out of my mouth as I twirl around and around and around, clasping today's Good Eating section of the Chicago Tribune close to my heart.

It's Jamon, people. Jamon has come to Chicago.

THE Jamon.

Jamon Iberico.

(Excuse me while I bust a move....uh huh, uh huh, watch me get down, watch me get down...)

Um, Quick Question...

If you realize you can read your computer screen better through your martini glass does that mean you might need reading glasses?

Words of Wisdom for All Women Everywhere

Oh, I am in HEAVEN.  After six years a Springbrook Market has moved into an empty building walking distance from my home and it is fabulous!  Fresh cannoli, wonderful crusty Italian bread that looks fresh from the hearth, excellent tortilla chips (which they spell "ships") made daily along with equally fresh guacamole that is out of this world. A million olive oils, crazy veggies I don't have the slightest idea what to do with...oh it's just stunning!

AND...

AND...

They were playing Hey Little Woman, by Bobby Sherman when I went there tonight. The last time I heard this I was in grade school. I can't tell you how many summer afternoons I spent singing this over and over at the top of my lungs with my neighbor in her garage, when we were not saving our imaginary boyfriends, the very same Bobby Sherman and the equally dreamy Davy Jones, from one perilous situation after another. Some of you youngsters may not have heard of this tune that had such influence on me during critical years in my development and I feel it is my responsibility to further your education.

Ladies, listen, learn and live happily ever after...