Band

Note to self: if ever raising kids again, remember that by definition, drummers host more band rehearsals than any other instrument. The effort and logistics required to pack up a drum kit and various boom stands, cymbals, pedals, etc. usually results in band practice being at the drummer's house - which in this case is OUR house.

We're on the third hosting THIS WEEK. We've fed the entire band dinner twice this week - resulting in me going through an entire week's food budget for two meals. They are here again today, arriving just at lunch time (how convenient) and I resisted the urge to feed them a meal AGAIN. They were in luck, though, because I'm making a 3 course dinner to take to a work friend who's recovering from surgery (we all take turns and she has had dinner delivered to her house for the past three weeks and will for as long as she needs the help) and I had a 'failure' dessert cake - it actually tasted great but it didn't release from the bundt pan well so it was a 'reject'. Added some sliced strawberries and whip cream and the kids devoured that for 'lunch'. It was already in the house and paid for.

Can't really complain about the hosting - they are all very nice kids and a pleasure to have around. They have their first official 'paid' gig a week from tonight - tickets printed with their band name on it and everything - so they will practice every spare minute this week....I see more dinners in our future this week. The hardest part of the rehearsal is the damn dog. She barks NON STOP with the sharpest, shrillest bark you can imagine. She makes me CRAZY. Absolutely CRAZY. Her shrill bark comes out of nowhere and it startles me EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I have mountains of work-work to do and am also cooking for tonight. Dinner is Pasta Carbonara, salad, garlic bread and dessert. Will make the identical dishes for us for dinner as well. I have made this dish before with great success so I'm confident I can throw it together. Will be in the kitchen momentarily chopping onions, crushing garlic and chopping fresh parsley. It's a process....I keep reminding myself that every time I think of just ordering pizza for her family and mine. It will be fine...

J. and I are taking off Weds-Friday this week to celebrate our anniversary. We plan to head to Placerville and check out a new casino that just opened - and see the daffodils in bloom on the drive there, hopefully. Thursday, J. has to go in to the city for a 'big' meeting but we will be home on Friday, hopefully working in the garden, if weather permits. We want to see the new Julia Roberts movie Duplicity - I want to see it and J. will humor me and go with me. It will be a nice break from work - even nicer because I'm off from the 10th through the 17th of April as well for Spring Break. No plans other than hanging around the house. Looked into going to Disneyland but decided to not spend the money. We still have to pay for the rest of the Mexico condo expense.....and we're trying to save up for that vs. using savings. So no Disneyland trip for us.

Things around the War of the Roses seem to have subsided a bit - thank goodness. Their report cards arrived yesterday and were far from stellar. B.'s in particular. The kid admitted to J. that he just stopped trying in a bunch of classes 'cuz he figured it didn't matter anymore - guess he figured 'why bother' because he's 'only going to a two year college'? WTF? J. reminded him there's something called 'pride in your work' and your GPA - and it will be on your high school transcripts FOREVER - so it's best to do the best you can instead of just giving up. What a crock. The kid pisses me off.....

His Selective Service registration confirmation arrived in the mail along with the abysmal report card....I didn't know they still made 18 year old boys register, but they do. I'm starting to think a career (or at least a few years) in the armed forces might do him a world of good. He needs someone to knock some sense into his thick head and perhaps boot camp, etc. would accomplish that. We'll see. I remain mute at this point - stunned into silence and unable to think of a single, positive thing to say these days.