Intergalactic House of Paisley

I see I forgot to post about my date with NPulsifer and Gisele Wednesday night. We went to the Trouser Mouse, a bar in Blue Springs, to see The Clumsy Lovers, a Celtic/bluegrass/rock band from Vancouver. This was another smoking venue, albeit a well-ventilated one, and the smallish crowd wasn't lighting off each other's butts (not a euphemism), so the atmosphere was close to Earth-like. They played a typically eclectic set, with highlights that included a semi-reggae version of "Folsom Prison Blues" segueing into (with no change in the music) "Pinball Wizard," and a virtuoso performance by Jason Homey, who switched from banjo(1) to guitar to violin to bass in the course of a single song. Amazing stuff. If you get a chance to see them, you definitely owe it to yourselves to do so.

Friday was another thrilling day at work, cutting 1/2" gator board with a large device that involved dragging a blade across the board repeatedly until it was cut through. My arms and shoulders were not happy. After I got home, I was deputized to order and pick up pizza from the best pizza place in the entire fucking universe(2), Waldo Pizza. Given that pick-up orders were taking an hour, it was a wise choice to forego the delivery. While I waited for our order, enjoying a glass of O'Dell's 5 Barrel Pale Ale, the guy next to me ordered Hamm's for himself and his friend. Either I gave him an involuntary odd look, or he picked up my "WTF?" vibe, but he looked at me and said, "It's cheap! And there is worse." I did have to concede that point. but check out their beer offerings. Absolutely amazing. I mean, Cooper's Vintage at a pizza joint?

Once I acquired our dinner, I raced home and we all chowed down while waiting for the KU game to start. The game played out pretty much as I expected. Aldrich and Collins did everything they could, but in the end the lack of experience overall led to mistakes and misfires, and they lost, 67-62. At least Missouri lost today.

Despite the cold and rain, we all got up at a reasonable hour and headed out to the Eat Local Exhibition of Farmers. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet area farmers and ranchers and pick up locally raised meats and locally grown produce, plus cheeses, preserves and more. While we were there, the rain began to change to sleet. We headed over to Penzeys to pick up herbs and spices, then went around the corner to a nice little Wicca/new age type store called Crescent Springs, there to await the arrival of our friends in Queen's Gambit, who came up from Oklahoma (at least some of them) to hold a CD debut party. Well over a dozen people turned out to see them, and they responded with a couple of sets of fine music, and lots of fun. For any Oklahomans in the audience, they'll be doing another release party in Tulsa tomorrow. Check their website for details.

And now we're home, and the snow continues to fall. It's really quite pretty out, and the driving wasn't bad at all. And tomorrow it's supposed to get up to 42˚ with sunshine. But for tonight, hunkering down with family and food and drink.

Everyone stay warm and safe out there.


(1) And not just any banjo, a solid-body electric banjo, with everything except a whammy bar.

(2) Yeah, yeah, New York and Chicago, if I want grease-soaked manhole covers or dough-wrapped casseroles, I know where to find them. This is Piiiiiiiizzzzzzaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!! [/300]

So the sirens are going off all over the place, and I looked out Rohanna's window and exclaimed, "Margaret Hamilton just went by!"

Ro replied, "Was she on a bicycle?"

I said "No, a Vespa. This is the 21st century. And she's blogging about it on her iPhone."

And the actual potential funnels are well to the south and east of us.