Saturday Morning Coffee Ponderings....

Another Saturday and another week down.  Can you believe that we are almost at the end of February.  Who knew how fast this Winter would fly.  I am still waiting for those March blizzards that Iowa always gets during Girl's and Boy's Basketball tourneys, but the great thing is that it melts so much faster now.  A couple of posts ago, we were getting slammed with snow --- now it is all melted and brown soggy grass is every where.  Another sign of Spring is the new patio furniture out at the stores.  I am shopping for some and am hoping to find a used set that has a large table and 6 chairs.  We will see what I can find on Craig's List and/or Ebay.

This morning, I am up and going before my house guests get up.  Now that isn't really a BIG feat since Chris and Kara (son and future daughter-in-law) have what I like to call "gamer" schedules.  She usually has to force him to get up by 12:30 pm when they are here.  It has been great to spend some time with them in spite of my "puke-iness" yesterday.  The young kids had never seen "Hot Tub Time Machine".  So we exposed them to one of the funniest movies.  If you haven't seen it I recommend it....especially if you survived the 80's.  It is along the lines of Hangover (but shhh.....I think it is better) and Curtis and I have seen it 100 times.  I still laugh and get grossed out every time I watch it.  RENT it!  Or better yet STREAM it on NetFlix!  Kara and I are going to hit some wedding boutiques today to see what they have for wedding attire.  The BIG day will be here before they know it.  I can see a bit of the "overwhelmed" look on both of their faces - but it will come together.

Tonight we are headed to friends Kristin and Eugene's house for "Gumbo Night".  I can't wait.  I hope my stomach survives.  Maybe that is what I need -- something to BURN IT OUT -- what ever IT is!  I am taking Salsa and Cheese cornbread......yum.  More details next week on this.

What happened this week?  As always it is the same old story......work, school, sleep, "rinse and repeat".  Is pretty uneventful.  I have realized that I (like my daughter) am going to maybe take a different path than I previously set out.  My original plan was to go to DMACC and be done after this Fall's semester and then transfer to the U of I.  That was before my social work class.  Now, I have been "doing" social work for the past 13 years in my jobs - at CAASA and elsewhere.  Of my four classes that I am taking, it is my least favorite.  Not a good sign since I will be focusing on that subject for the next TWO at U of I.  I can't stand all the theory and conjecture of the class.  When doing the work, it is so much different.  I compare it to living in a house for an extended period of time before you buy it.  It doesn't feel right.  And if you all know me my "gut" rules many of my decisions and when it doesn't, then I usually make the wrong one.  My gut is telling me to get a GENERAL ED degree and then move on for my MPA.  SO........Curtis found a catalog for a general studies degree at USD just hanging out at work -- KARMA ENERGY? maybe -- and I can get a degree from USD online and it is cheaper than U of I.  Since we are cash flowing this whole thing......I think that is what I am going to do.  I have to do some more investigating, but it feels better to do that than my original plan.  Stay tuned.....gotta get thru this semester first!!!!!  Whose idea was it to take 12 credit hours off the bat?  Kicking my butt.......but I CAN DO THIS!!!!!

Last weekend was a complete blast.  We ventured to Spencer and then to Sioux City.  Stopped in to SCT to see Chad Elliott's commissioned art work for the new addition of the theater.  It is beautiful.  Chad is such an amazing talent.  I know, I have talked about him beforeon this blog but not only is he an amazing musician and songwriter, but he is an amazing artist as well.  There are two pieces that were unveiled -- Opening Night and Closing Night.  They are amazing.  Connie at SCT told us that they are going to sell them as prints. WE ARE IN and decided right then and there was going to be the center point of our basement family room decor.  So.....can't wait to get that project started!  I will post before and after pictures.  Decorating girl friends are coming to town the first weekend in March to help me get started, drink some wine and just have some fun!


We then moved on to Sioux City. Why "sewer city" you ask?  Mat D and the Profane Saints!  First time we have seen them in almost a year.

First of all, we decided to head to Sioux City early....Curtis' idea - I believe he said "let's go shopping".  Okay!  You suggested it....let's go.  We arrived there about 5 hours before the show was to start.......hit some stores - Gordman's, and then the mall.  Keetah and Curtis like to try to embarrass Jack and I - think mayo bowling in HyVee with Wheat Thins.  We now expect it so not really a surprise any more - you are going to have to come up with something else kids.....the old jaded fuddie duds are on to you.  Most of the time, we just keep walking and ignore them.  :)  They both slide into the mall photo booth and proceed to sit in there for a while......at one point teenagers came up to the booth to form a line to be "next" and got tired of waiting.

I took this picture right before the booth cameras were getting ready to snap pictures.

After shopping, we headed downtown.  We wanted to find a place to eat supper and decided to go to Rebo's.  It was a Caribbean - Mexican infusion type restaurant (best way I know to describe it).  It was packed and we waited about 30 minutes.  The food was really good and we once again annoyed a server.  Seems to be our theme.  I particularly enjoyed the sign (really a plastic plate) that informed me that this was the Women's restroom.  BAD ASS NAKED FEMALE BULL FIGHTER -- I think this needs to be a movie.  I cast Selma Hayek as the bull fighter.  This has prompted me to do some research to see if female bullfighters actually did their business NAKED!  Hmmmm......another blog post perhaps?

Here we are enjoying our drinks and food at the restaurant.  Keetah rocking her new hat and I just noticed that Curtis and I dressed to coordinate -- he in his green vest and me in my (okay really Keetah's) green scarf.






Okay -- Back to Mat D!  They were playing at the Chesterfield. Which was about a block from the restaurant.  So.....we headed there to begin our musical evening.  Now some of you may accuse me of an obsession.  What?  Me?  Seriously......I am!  And I wouldn't blame Mat and the boys if they decided to get a restraining order.......I can't help myself.







Any whooooo......their opening band was ShowBaby out of Sioux Falls.  WOW!  Mat told us that they were good, but who knew.  All original songs, no covers, and they ROCKED IT!!!!  http://www.showbabymusic.com/ is their website.  I am one of those girls that could easily be a groupie (20 years ago that would have been cool -- now just creepy!) and this band was "groupie worthy".  We (Keetah and I) particularly enjoyed the drummer.  His energy and style were amazing and he was a cutie patootie to boot!

Show Baby played for about 45 minutes and then it was SAINTS TIME!  From the first song to the last.....the energy was fantastic and they were in "testify" mode!  (Lots of ! points in this post!)  Dancing, screaming, etc, etc.  All in all an amazing night of music and fun......shots (too many to remember) and dragon tattoos (almost the same as Lisbeth Salander's) later, I woke up with a sore throat, ringing/humming ear drums, and sore ankles and thigh muscles......Yep!  THAT is a great night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check out their new music video on the website.  http://www.matdandtheprofanesaints.com/

The band is working on a new CD Holyoke and I will be making a road trip to their CD release party.  So ride along if you want to come with!  I will let you all know when it is going to happen in future posts.

So as you can imagine I needed to recover a bit this week so things were calm and healing.  I did discover another tattoo design after the concert.  The very talented Saints guitar player Kurt has the mudflap mamma logo on his guitar.  I am going to steal a version of this and include a couple other details for my design.  I can't wait to be the 90 year old grandma with this tattoo on her leg!  Yes, kids, grandma is CRAZY!!

CHEERS!!!!!

So until next week........Cheers to live music, screaming lyrics at a concert, dancing until your legs tingle, and friends and family!!!!!!