Eat the Food!

This is a scene from our dinner table every night with Coltrane :)

 Every.  Night.

Mona Lisa Jumping!



Chelsea from Paris jumps for the super famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre. Can't see the painting, you say? Doesn't matter. You can't see it at the actual museum either :) Thanks Chelsea!!

The Dentist

Today Kingston had his first official teeth cleaning.  At their dentist office, they have what are called "happy visits" where the dentist counts their teeth, flosses and brushes them with just normal toothpaste.  It's an attempt to ease the kids into going to the dentist and having someone mess around with their teeth.  Here they are on their first happy visits this past summer.

They have a play area outside that the boys enjoy and at each visit they get a plethora of toys.  So they basically love it there.  When I told them they were going back this morning they got sooooo excited.  Which is so bizarre to me, that there are people out there excited to go to the dentist and let alone be my own offspring.  They both even drew pictures for the dentist (who was very excited bc I think she had never received a picture from one of her patients-understandable right?)

The boys literally were squealing on the drive over.

Our dentist shares the same building with a therapist and when we pulled up there was an ambulance outside.  We had to wait by the door as the paramedics wheeled a lady out  and as they glided past us, Kingston asked the woman, "What happened to you?" and she replied, "I'm a very sick lady" and Kingston said, "Well you don't look sick." and she smiled.  So, not your typical beginning of a trip to the dentist.  Anyway, after we waited and it was our time to head back, Kingston hopped into the chair and was all set and then they turned on the light above his head to shine on his teeth.  It was like out of a movie when a spotlight is shone on someone being questioned by the authorities for a crime. He instantaneously froze up and kept his eyes closed throughout the whole process.  I was able to get him to open his eyes to take this quick picture.

And then it was little bitty's turn.  He was being very reluctant and they let him fill up a cup with water and then suck it back out with their creepy dentist tools.

Couldn't catch a picture of Coltrane getting his teeth counted and having his special tooth checked out (he has a double tooth, just like Kyle did) oh because he was sitting in my lap and pulling out half of my hair on the left side.  Yes, there was a pile of my hair on the floor at the end.  No pictures of that don't worry :)

***

And then we got home.  And Coltrane still miffed about his happy visit, threw a little table at me.

Happy Monday y'all.

iPhone Friday


Sunshine Daydreams

Julia Roberts said it best in My Best Friend's Wedding, "I've come to the end of my rapidly fraying rope."  Signing Day can't come soon enough, I need my husband tag team parter back in my corner.  Just for the record these are not my everyday feelings, just some days and today is indeed one of those days.  Thank you Pinterest for the following laughs.

This is actually my photo..it's a matchbook I saw in Naples :)







Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken Thighs



The scent of a roasting chicken is one of those smells that can make me sigh out loud.  There is something familiar and comforting about it.  The other day I wasn't able to find an organic whole chicken so I bought some chicken thighs instead.  I took a couple things out from my usual roast chicken recipe and added wine, glorious white wine. Please excuse the picture quality because I've been having to use my cell phone since my big camera is on the mend.

Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS

6 chicken thighs
3 or 4 small red potatoes (cut into bitesize pieces)
1 lemon (cut in wedges)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (chopped)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves (cut in half)
salt and pepper (to taste)
3/4 cup white wine (finish the rest of the bottle while everything bakes ;)

DIRECTIONS

  • preheat the oven to 400
  • in a baking dish add the potatoes, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss
  • bake for 15 minutes
  • remove dish from oven and add the chicken thighs, lemon wedges, rosemary, remaining oil, salt and pepper and garlic cloves and wine
  • place dish back in oven and cook for about 40-45 more minutes
  • we served with a side of roasted green beans :)



I Love My Bike - Book Review

Picked this book up from the library last weekend.  First glance, "Hey something to flip through at home", thinking one cruise through would be enough. According to plan, once home, flip through I did.  More then once as a matter of fact.  This is a great little book.

Simple formula of taking pictures of people with their bikes from various cities around the U.S.  It all works and I found myself studying the photos in detail, checking out the people and bikes, but more importantly - the cool backgrounds.  Well done portraits of people and their two wheel rides. If you ever have the need to photograph people and bikes, one awesome little reference book.

Another reason this book works is due to the majority of fixie hipsters contained within.  Fixie hipster I'm not, so that subculture of bikes and uniform was a cool change of pace, over the usual carbon race rig and wanna be racer look.  A look I've seen plenty of and guilty of myself, so nice change of vibe to see people in normal street clothes mixed with bikes.  Fixed gears, tattoos, urban transport, hipster scene.  It's all good and makes for some great pictures.

Book by Matthew Finkle and Brittain Sullivan.  Based out of Boston.  Nice job.

Wordless Wednesday




Fernand Lèger Jumping!


Katie from Saginaw, Michigan jumps for "The Divers" by Fernand Lèger at the MoMA in NYC. Thanks, Katie!

If You Don't Know, Now You Know

This is a pictureless post.  Which you will need no explanation for once you've read the post :)

I never knew what a muffintop was.  You know, you'd hear on TV,  "great foods for your muffin top" "top 10 exercises for your muffintop" etc etc.

Today as I was getting ready, I pulled on a pair of jeans and buttoned the last button with just a slight struggle.  I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth, I took off my jammy shirt and walked into the closet to grab a shirt which upon further investigation, realized needed to be ironed.  I then waltzed past the mirror and caught a glimpse of myself.

That. Is. All.

Class of '04

Today, me along with 7 other friends were tagged in the photo below that was in an old facebook album.

This picture was taken at our College Homecoming the Fall after we had graduated.  Nostalgia hit hard as we commented back and forth about people's posture, expressions, my awesome see through aviators and the quality of the photo.  At first I was like, oh that old picture, that was just taken a couple years ago--wait. a. minute.  That picture was taken 8 years ago.  8 years ago people, just when I was starting to settle into the notion of being 30 I had to go and realize that I did not in fact graduate 4 years ago though it always feels that way.  As I was getting the notifications of people posting, I was sitting in Panera with my boys.  Ironic really, as the girls and I used to frequent Panera at Elon.  Especially since it was next to the tanning bed (barf) and senior year we could use our Phoenix card.  Yes, I still have this gem, just expired 2 years ago :)

A lot has happened in those 8 years since graduation:  Got my first job, moved halfway across the country, got married, had two babies and officially retired - and not necessarily in that order ;)

Our group is separated by miles and time zones.  So many times we all have said that we wished that we all would have moved to the same city right after graduation, but we all know whichever city it would have been couldn't have handled us :)  1700 miles ain't no thang--marriages, promotions, babies, heartbreaks and birthdays; we're still always there for each other.  As we each enter new phases in our lives, we will continue to be present in those moments, if not physically; emotionally.  A phone call, skyping, an email, a handwritten letter and a text definitely can't replace a hug and a side by side belly laugh, but they sure can shorten the distance between us all.




Just a Couple Things...

That this sweet boy has said that made me smile.

Upon giving me a picture that he had drawn.
"Do you know which one is you?  You're the one with the chubby belly and the boobs."

He said this under his breath after I told him no to eating lunch at McDonalds three times.
"Then why did God even make McDonalds?!"

As he was stepping into the bathtub he asked...
"Why don't girls have penises?" and then, "How do you even pee?"

While I was reading him his nightnight book he interrupted me (half-asleep mind you) 
"Mommy, let me teach you a lesson.  When there is a bee around you don't do this (swatting the air) you just need to remain calm, okay Mommy." 

Love my Shoobiedoobie BooshieMan!

Damien Hirst Jumping!



Who is this Damien Hirst guy anyway? I heard he paints spots or something? (;

Vintage Bike Show - Hammer & Tongs




I had the opportunity to experience some vintage motorcycle gawkin' and picture snapin' over the weekend, courtesy of the Hammer &Tongs show on Saturday.  I hit this show last year and dug it, so penciled in for 2012.  Family schedule allowed some rare solo time, so armed with camera, off I went on a rainy and snowy afternoon to the festivities.

Show held at Downtown Harley Davidson in Renton.  That be Washington for all you non Pacific Northwest types.  Downtown Harley located next door to Renton Motorcycles, mega dealership that closed over the last year.  Welcome to the new economy.  Apparently when paychecks are running low, two wheeled tomfoolery is pretty easy to cut.  Bummer for all involved.

On a happier note, decent sized crowd and Pile-O-Bikes on hand for the vintage show, though not as many specimens as last year.  Still plenty of stuff to look over, bring back memories, and maybe even create new ones.  I recognized a few bikes from the previous show, but fresh vintage iron also mixed in.

Let's get started with assorted rambling and pictures...



Trick little restored Honda XR75, complete with Jeff Ward Racing goodies included.  This would have made some Racer Boy or Girl extremely happy back in '76.  Now probably making some old dude happy by restoring and staring at it.  Nothing wrong with that.  Cool little bike.


On the small bike note, Honda CR60 modified by BBR.  Look at that trick pipe - sweet!



Well used Bultaco Pursang 250 in that cool Bultaco shade of blue, circa 1978.  I always wanted one of these back in the day.  Plenty of two wheeled history associated with this famed Spanish marque.



1971 DKW enduro bike.  Yes kids, back in the stone age before iPhones, dirt bikes really looked like this.  Note the leading link fork, groovy exhaust system, and Johnny Space Commander headlight.  DKW stands for Dampf-Kraft-Wagen.  Dude, would that be a killer band name or what? 






The iconic Yamaha DT.  Many dirt bike careers launched via these bikes during the early to mid '70s.  A few of these buzzed around my childhood era neighborhood, much to the lust of motorcycle-less me.  A friend occasionally let me ride his 100cc model around the backyard, heady stuff for a 12 year old.  Thanks Ray Westcott, wherever you now may be.  I still remember roosting through the "puddle" in your yard, that turned out to be a leaky septic tank.  The stuff dreams are made of.








Nicely done Hodaka 125 set up for vintage racing, complete with modern up pipe.  A cottage industry has sprung up to supply the vintage scene with parts and upgrades.  Valuable resource for the vintage collector and racer.  Welding up expansion chambers for bikes 30+ years out of their heyday to race one again - almost brings tears to my eyes.  Vintage eyes that now require reading glasses.  Ironically, Hodaka displayed in front of faded, flared jeans, that were in style when this bike was new.  What comes around, goes around.  I'm just waiting for feathered hair and tube socks to return. The circle will then be complete.






Super sano Husqvarna looking vintage, yet plenty capable.  The black rims add a modern touch to this Swedish thing of moto beauty.  That's right.  Swedish thing of moto beauty.  Yeah, I'm weird.



Super trick Kawasaki KX modified for vintage racing via aluminum swingarm and modern shocks. Again, black rims really sets this off.  Very nice bike.  The unpainted cylinder/head combo, combined with the handmade down pipe - yes please.






Early Suzuki TM250 appears to have just rolled off the dealer floor, circa '72 or '73.  Totally restored and spotless.  Not recommended, but you could probably eat off those rims.






Can-Am MX 175 straight out of 1978 for your viewing pleasure.  I wanted one of these back in the day.  Didn't happen.  A boy can dream, can't he?  Fast forward 33 years.  A man can dream, can't he?  Not going to happen.






To keep the Can-Am roll alive, later model 250 looking very orange.  Circa '79 or '80 if my failing memory serves me correct.  Superbly restored example of Canadian motocross technology from the era of Scott boots, cheap gas, and natural motocross tracks.






Motocross bikes ruled the show, but a few other vintage pieces sprinkled throughout, including this Honda CB160 set up for road racing. Specific class that allows racing on the cheap.  Cool set up.  Dig that ventilated drum brake, exposed air filters, and chin spoiler.



Maico 400 graces the floor amid a blur of activity.  Well, something like that anyway.  Fantastic looking bike, reminding me of similar Maico models my pals rode in the past.






Trick Bikes-O-Plenty at the show, this vintage race modified YZ included.






1980 Suzuki RM250 looking race ready.  I owned and raced a '79 Suzuki RM125 back in the day, so familiar with this era of RM.  By this point in motocross history, long travel suspension was the norm, though air cooling and drum brakes remained. Don't worry kids, you can still go plenty fast on something like this.  This was the coolest era of motocross bikes in my view, but hey, I'm a little biased.






Very red, very modified Honda XR.  Looks great and I'm sure fun to ride.






A few bikes for sale at the show, fueling the idea to race AHMRA events.  Someday, when time allows and the wallet is fatter, I'd dig doing just that.  For now, I'll dabble outside the tent, peering in with a camera.






Maico sits at table alone, hoping the cute girl with red hair notices.






The Maico parade continues.



Yamaha YZ 465 looking ready to roost.  Call me Mr. Cranky, but when motocross lost the open class two strokes, the sport lost something special.  In the right hands, very talented hands required, these bikes were the top of the motocross food chain.  Sorta like Tyrannosaurus Rex with knobby tires and loud expansion chamber.  Big boy pants required while piloting.



My favorite bike of the show.  And I'm a two stroke fan.  Custom framed, much modified and hand built, Jawa motocross work of art.  Powered by a '60s era Jawa speedway motor.  A very interesting bike that draws your eye to details of the construction...



Apparently, right side shifting converted to left side.  Amazing fabrication of brake pedal now in its place.  Modern carb fuels ancient Jawa motor.  Handmade frame cradles everything...



Stainless steel exhaust routes through the middle, complete with damped mount.  Notice the aluminum plate motor mounts and hand welding on engine case.  I totally dig the ancient looking Jawa motor, combined with the (relatively) modern looking bits and pieces...



Another view to ponder and soak up details...



Very cool bike.  Would I'd like to own, build, or maintain something like this?  Hell, no.  But I do appreciate the build, how different it is, and the work that went into it.  I talked to the owner and he mentioned it's also ridden hard and raced.  That's coolest part of all - it gets used.








Table full of awards ready to congratulate class winners of the Hammer &Tongs race series.  Fantastic looking awards, complete with photo of winning rider.  Very well done and more personal then the typical Awards 'R' Us plastic trophy.






Lined up memories awaiting inspection.



Hodaka fitted for modern vintage battle.  In high school, during the '70s, I remember stopping in Walt's Hodaka with a friend and his dad.  Small, well kept shop in a suburban New Jersey backyard.  Yes, a part-time backyard shop.

A few years later, we'd frequent another backyard shop near Hackettstown, New Jersey.  Place sold Puch parts, new Hercules motorcycles, and dirt riding accessories.  Shop opened by knocking on the house front door, then walking out back to the barn.  The tail end of a different motorcycle era.  A vast cry from the neon lit, modern motorcycle shop.  Was it better?  In a way, yes.  A lemonade stand compared to modern retailing, especially considering online sales.  But a pretty damn cool lemonade stand, run by folks who really knew their lemonade.


Please exit from memory lane.  Back to the show...








Spectacular looking CZ rests comfortably on plush carpet.  These bikes were a bit before my dirt bike involvement days, though I've always wanted one.  Festering in the back of my defective brain, the plan to race AHMRA lives, complete with a CZ in the picture.  Perhaps one day.



With a little elbow grease, this could be your next ride.  Then again, maybe not.  A very battered '78 Honda CR125 for your consideration.  I owned a '76 CR125 back in '78, but mine looked, ah, a little cleaner.  This one appears to have been stored under water.



On the other end of the scale, super clean '75 Honda CR125.






Museum quality 1978 Harley Davidson MX 250 leaning nonchalant to the left.  The motor was actually constructed from half a Sportster v-twin, then converted to two-stroke operation. Go ahead, don't believe me.


Actually, it came from Amarachi, an Italian company AMF owned at the time, along with Harley Davidson.  Yes, AMF, the bowling company. Bowling, motocross, and Harley Davidson.  Can't understand why that didn't work out.  Go figure.






Race modified and battle scarred Yamaha TT500 guards the entrance.  Restored Husky provides back up and On Any Sunday memories.  Tail end of Yamaha IT175 provides a little blue to the picture.





Harley XR 750 flat track bike.  An example where Harleys actually work in the dirt, and quite well.  I've never been to a flat track race, should add that to the agenda....







Another insanely well prepped bike?  Sure, why not?  Add this YZ 250 to the pile. 






Artsy slide show of additional pics, since I've temporarily run out of rambling comments. Bask in awe of my alleged photography skills and/or waste more time at work.  Go ahead, all your coworkers are busy with Facebook anyway...









Well, there you have it.  Time to wrap this thing up in a blur of pre-mix and knobby tires.  Fun afternoon of checking out old bikes - many given a new life - and talking with the folks involved.  Cool little sub culture that revolves around the vintage scene.  I hope you enjoyed the pictures and words reflecting the day.  I certainly got a kick out of putting it all together.


Thanks for reading.