I'm Dancing and Other Random Notes

1.  I'm dancing with delight because I convinced Ernie to go down to Nashville tonight to see Kane Welch Kaplin at the Bluebird Cafe where they're recording a live album.  We were listening to them and talking about how great it was to see them in Columbus and I said, "you know Ernie, you could go down there and see them this week....why not?  We're not getting middle of the night phone calls anymore and it would do you good."  Of course that went nowhere....Ernie is not one to treat himself.  I tried various entreaties for the next day or so and finally came up with, "well, what if I got BOB to go with you?"  (note: not our cat Bob)  He gave me half smile and kind of said, "oh WELL...."  He thought he was safe because I would never be able to get Bob to go.  HA HA HA HA! 

I admit that I thought it was a quite the long shot as well.  Bob has a 24/7 kind of job and pushes himself very hard and I know Wednesdays are busy....but I thought what the hell and called my friend Ann.  I told her my plan and she said the best chance was if she put him on the phone and I did the full court press....  I gave it my all....and he wavered.....and then I worked a little harder....and he wavered some more....and then...he was IN.  I hung up and made reservations and got a hotel room before he could change his mind.

My baby's going to Nashville and I'm as excited as if I were going with him!

Ernie NEVER does things for himself and he does SO much for everyone else.  The boys even seemed excited.  Oddly enough they seem to think they get away with more when he's not around.  Hmmmm.  What does this say about my parenting abilities?

Anyway....my baby's going to Nashville to see Kane Welch Kaplin and he gonna have FUN!

2.  Spent a couple of hours working on booking hotels for the drive to and from Maine this July.  I drove myself crazy looking at hotwire and priceline and expedia and comparing and thissing and thatting.  I finally got everything done and looked at all my little confirmation emails only to find I'd booked us a night in  New Hampshire in APRIL.  No WONDER I got such a good rate.  Geesh.

3.  My dear brother in law Dennis has offered to buy a tree or plant in memory of my mother just as he did with Judi and my father (oh and wait til I post pictures of their dogwoods---they look absolutely gorgeous).  I'm pondering and pondering.  I have a spot near the corner of the front yard and alleyway (near the street) where I think you could have a nice small tree.  I'm just having a hard time deciding.  I am thinking about a Japanese maple because my mother loved red and some of those turn beautiful reds in the fall.  Anybody have any ideas?

4.  There have been garter snake sightings by others in the family but not by me.  Owen gave me a long presentation on how scared the snake is and that I should really feel bad for it and not scared.  "I know, I know," I said.  God I love that boy.

5.  This is particularly random today.....well, that's the state of my mind these days.  We'll see if I can get my taxes done tonight.  Every year I tell Ernie this is the LAST year we're going to do them ourselves.  DEFINITELY true this year...this is getting beyond my abilities Turbotax or no Turbotax....