Stephanie says

How about homemade bratwurst, courtesy of my office mate John who spent the weekend grinding meat and making sausage.  Fired up the bbq (a blackened romaine leaf still on the grill from last autumn's near fiasco) Loaded on the kraut and beer-boiled onions on a toasted kaiser roll with a whole lot of mustard Burp Thank you John!

Double click for a close-up image. Thriving in door plant lobby Giant Spathiphyllum Rhododendron Western Oregon is ablaze in Rhododendron blooms.

Laird Hamilton is a big wave kind of guy who surfs monster waves and invents incredible water sports equipment. He is blessed with good looks and a muscular build that just shouts "surfer"; he tosses sun-streaked blond tresses across perfectly tanned skin to great effect.  This guy is fabulous at 50 - which, in his case, truly is the new 30. He talks about coming to the realization of human limitations to the size of rideable waves, (and if you've seen footage of some of the bad boys he's ridden, you know this already.)   This segues into a  desire to design equipment to surpass what's possible now into catching that next level uber-monster wave, (Gotta have the right equipment.  Flash to worm-rings and navigating a giant worm across the vast deserts of Dune, oh thank you, Frank Herbert.)  But back to the water.  I watched Bill Hamilton's, (his father,) surfing movies during the 70s at the Aikahi Theatre, (followed by drinks at Pinky's Palace - whose t...

Four photos.  Double click for larger image.

You may recall me blah, blah-ing along trying to justify buying essentially an updated pedometer.  I did it - and just got it this week!  I chose the Garmin Vivofit fitness band, one of the simpler models; it's main function is tracking steps.  I tested whether it would track steps while mowing grass but it didn't.  It must need the arm swing motion and I'm gripping the handlebar firmly with both hands while maneuvering the mower about.  So no, it doesn't track mowing.  That's quite alright. I like this band.  It's got a one-year battery so I don't have to mess around with keeping it charged.  It's water resistant so I don't have to remove it to shower - or put it back on after a shower.  Hey, I can barely remember to wear earrings...  After one hour of sedentary behavior (read that as tunnel vision while perched before the throne of my computer) it displays a red warning bar that systematically elongates across the display as non-acti...

Full disclosure:   I’m a (recent) fan of Will Forte.   The first time I saw him was an interview on Sam Jones.   They talked about “Nebraska” which had just finished filming.   I’d heard some buzz on that and I’ve always like Bruce Dern – so that stuck in my brain.   There was a reference to another project but it didn’t click.   Will Forte was so likeable, although seemingly unremarkable.   I was way wrong in that impression.   “Nebraska” (which I’ve seen twice to-date and somehow have not blogged about-soon to be remedied,) is a late-life family drama, skillfully acted by a talented cast who achieved the ultimate portrayal in this genre:   believability.   Wonderful movie.   See it if you can. I happened across the secondly mentioned project, a post apocalyptic tale set in Tucson, Az.   Our hero, Phil Miller, somehow survived a pandemic that eradicated the human race, leaving him the “Last Man on Earth.”   ...

I've been pondering having my hair cut.  A determining factor in style of the cut is recognition that I don't have any talent fixing hair. It must be carefree as I'm inept in the styling department. The result of which is that I've worn it long, long, and longer for much of my life; a sleek ponytail or a sophisticated up-do, (I am laughing at this description, as much as I'd like to believe it.)  On occasion though I've had it hacked off - usually after a bout of flipping through the photo albums (that's just a term, like "album".  I'm a computer savvy woman with a vast digital collection of photos,) and noticing that I always look the same in my photo albums, (aside from older...) Appointment booked so now necessary to find some basic style that I can achieve.  This photo fit the criteria.  I like the dress too.  And those over-sized sun glasses.  In the modern tradition, I pinned the photo to my phone.  My hair person shot a photo on ...