Rita's rite of Spring

OYSTAHFEST!!!

I really don't need to say more. Those who have followed my post for awhile know that March/April each year I give a hearty welcome to Oysterfest at the Washington Platform Restaurant.

Yeah....I like oysters fried, on the half-shell, broiled and in a shooter. It really does not matter to me. It's all good.

On Friday, I will join my friends at Oysterfest and have a "gay" old time! It really is my favorite rite of Spring!

Plant and Krauss

I picked up the Robert Plant and Allison Krauss collaboration CD last week. It had received so much acclaim on the AMA's and the Grammy's that I thought it was likely a safe purchase. I looked at it the same way I look at the Oscar nominated films.......you likely cannot go wrong if you choose to see one in the theater.

I was not disappointed. Now it's not my normal everyday music (I don't own a RP or a AK cd), but you know sometimes you want to listen to something slightly quirky and irregular. Something off the beat and path. Something that blends well with a small group of people sipping martinis late on a Friday afternoon. Raising Sand would be the CD for those times. Its not rock-n-roll nor is it bluegrass. Its a blend that can only be described as "alternatively unique".

I added a little eight minute documentary in my video slot on the right side of this blog for those of you who want to sample some of the music while hearing from the musicians themselves.

TA TA!

March Madness. *giggle*

Morale at my workplace is so bad no one had the gumption to start a b-ball pool this month. Sad, eh?

So Rita hooked me up and let me enter her company's madness. Mine is one of 128 brackets in the pool. As of this moment, I'm ranked #9. Last night I was #3, but then OSU screwed up.

Rita is #59.

And it's making her crazy.

With good reason. I pretty much picked my teams using my usual random approach. For example, when asked why in the world I picked Villanova to advance to the elite 8, my response was likely something along the lines of 'I like to say their name'. Rpi? Nah. And Syracuse -- honestly, I like the orange. The color.

Somewhere there's probably a committee assembled to begin the process of taking back my toaster oven. I had to get a waiver to claim it to begin with, being one of the only lesbians I know to have never played a team sport outside of kickball in second grade.

To make up for my momentary dominance I cooked dinner tonight, and we're watching the madness (and Celebrity Apprentice) with a nice Cabernet.

Viva Las Vegas

The title of this blog is highly appropriate after our mini-vacation this past weekend in Sin City. If there is an economic crisis it ain't happening in Vegas. In fact, if you want to escape the depressing news.........go to Vegas! I had not been there in six years and I was amazed at the building explosion that has taken place! Clearly it was a very fun time for Lyn and I. I would not say it was relaxing - I think we walked 10 miles a day - but it was very fun!

My thanks to the "Jello-shot Wench" for taking care of the cats while we were away. They seemed to be in fairly good spirits when I came home - in fact they seemed disappointed that I was home. hmmmmmmm.......

Did I mention that I had a Governor Richardson sighting? Yeah....Lyn didn't think it was him, but being only 10 feet away - close enough to smell his cigar smoke - I was pretty sure it was him. You are always good for at least one celebrity sighting while you are there - political or otherwise.

We stayed at the Bellagio. I highly recommend this hotel! We got a fabulous price through Travelocity that made it irresistible. I would certainly stay there again if only for the Long Islands! The room was very comfortable and I had several good nights of slumber.

The one thing that really stuck out for me was how loose the slot machines were in most hotels. Living in the Midwest for most of my life and not seeing a real casino (most of the boats are lame) for six years, I didn't realize how tight the local casinos really were in regards to payouts. I didn't come home with lots of extra money but we sure did play longer on very little. Amazing.......

So that's my story about our Vegas trip. In honor of it, I have placed a special video on the right side of this blog. Enjoy!!

Aging parents

This week I have had to take my father to the hospital for an angiogram and ultimately an angioplasty. He spent an overnight in the hospital - much to the chagrin of the nursing staff who had to deal with his wanderlust all night long. He didn't sleep. So he walked the halls and I am sure he kept things lively for them in the early morning hours.


When he got home, he found himself in front of a "new fangled" pill box with assorted pill colors in each respective day. Ok yes....I bought the box for him, but that is how I handle situations. I try to organize things based on the given situation. This situation screamed the need for organization and structure!


The morning after his first night home he called to ask me if he should take the Thursday pills now. I said....."No....Dad its Wednesday". To which he replied...."Oh hell, I already took all of those (Weds) last night". YIKES! A remedial class on the pill box layout and functionality quickly ensued that afternoon and I believe that now he is on the path to righteousness instead of a medical emergency. He simply is not used to taking medications of any kind and now......he is in uncharted territory.


I guess we all think about what it will be like when our parents age and become dependant upon us. Both of my parents are independent, strong willed individuals who live a solitary lifestyle. This week was a real eye opener in regards to where my father is in the aging process. It is a concern to me since I am now their first line of support - two separate households and only one of me.


Anyone caring for two parents who live in separate households? I am not in full caregiver mode at this point - as I said both parents are mobile and fend for themselves right now. I am interested in hearing how other people may handle this unique situation.

Convictions

There aren't many of my friends who don't have strong personal or political beliefs. I am happy to say that it is this diversity that makes life interesting. I respect those folks who stand firmly behind what they believe and will defend it even when it all "goes to hell in a hand basket".

The one thing I do not respect are those folks who waffle between their political beliefs or run like hell when things are darkest. One day they are an elephant - the next day they are the donkey or worse.....something in between to escape the party that burned them.

I have been called a closeted Republican by a few (those are remaining nameless!) even though I voted the Democratic ticket. I do have some conservative viewpoints, yes, but I guess I consider myself a moderate/conservative Democrat. Either way....I voted the way my heart pointed me to vote based on my political beliefs.

I guess the main point of this post tonight is to simply say how much I respect those individuals who show "strength of conviction". Whether we disagree politically or otherwise , I think it speaks volumes to the character of such individuals. It is good to see those who can plant a stake firmly in the ground and say....."This is where I stand".

Politics aside.....no one likes wishy-washy anything. If the world were made up of chameleons, we would never have experienced any decisive moments in history. We would all look like "Stepford" lesbians with our little Stepford lives in our Stepford neighborhoods. (that is a frightening thought in itself!) Who wants to be around people who mold to other peoples convictions?

I say.....stand up, kick the mold to the side and breathe freely! If you feel like you can't, then maybe the person you have become is simply not you at all.

Royalty

I can now say that I know someone who is royalty. In fact.....I sleep with her often. While it is fair enough to say that Lyn does get herself into some precarious situations with work and her outside interests, I never imagined that she would become a Colonel.

That's right. My girlfriend is an official Kentucky Colonel. No really! Read this.

While it carries no special duties or special powers, it is a huge thing in this part of the country. Remember Colonel Sanders of KFC? Yep......he was a Ky Colonel too.

So while we may receive a special invitation to the Kentucky Derby (yes....there is a Kentucky Colonels Derby party), I can never hope to gain even a free chicken leg at the nearest KFC. (sigh)

Congratulations Lyn!

Bailout

Now that we have the Senate majority voting in the new stimulus package, the real work begins hammering out the final product with the H of R. Yes I know......we didn't have a full agreement due to the unending bickering about the pork products in the bill.

Uh hello.......how do you think Dubya was able to push through any bill that he pleased during his eight year term? There was enough pork in those bills to feed the world ten times over. Piss and moan all you want......there is not a president alive who doesn't have a bill chucked with piggy products. The big difference with this one is the fact that with this bill and all future bills we will all know exactly what is being signed into law. Every swimming pool, new bridge, park, war memorial and salmon farm request will now be up for public display.

Unless we have a president who is willing to sign into law the "line item veto", the pork will continue my friends. It is inevitable. We aren't sending representatives to Congress to just sit around. Everybody needs something and everyone wants their bread buttered.

I read this afternoon that the economy is so bad in Alaska that people can't afford to turn on their electric items and milk costs $10 a gallon. I wonder how long before Sarah Palin starts pinging her Senators for a little spending money? Don't think she will? Ha.....she either asks for the money or sits idly by and watches the Alaskan economy sink into oblivion. If that happens she will not have another term at governor and her sinking track record will be fair game should she decide to do something really dumb like run for a Congressional seat or worse.....president.

The new stimulus package will be a done deal shortly. Hopefully it will stimulate enough to get our economy back on track. It's not just the Democrats economy......it impacts ALL OF US!

Post Birthday Musings

Ahhh yessss....another birthday has bit the dust and we are off and running with the new year! I had a very nice weekend of margaritas, Italian food and bling........life is good.

It has been quite a challenge for me to blog lately. I am trying to get back in the saddle but it has been a slow go of it for me. Lots of interesting topics have been floating through my head lately so I may be able to make a better effort soon.

A quick note on the vacation decision.......as you recall Lyn and I have been looking for a place to take a little break. After several good ideas....we have decided to take a nice long weekend and spend it in Las Vegas! Lyn has never been to LV and as everyone knows......you have to go there at least one time in your life. We have a fabulous room at the Bellagio and there is no doubt in my mind that we will be lucky enough to have a warm day in March to sit lazily by the pool. May not be a tropical beach resort......but LV has enough resort style comforts that we should feel quite relaxed while we are there.

Can someone tell me why we have to endure endless television appearances by the idiot governor of Illinois? Impeach him already!

Ahhhhh.....our new President and the First Lady........they just ooze love and respect for one another. The other past Presidents looked almost afraid to touch their wives. What a refreshing change! Someone who can lead by example in the "family man" department! Good stuff!

So when is the next federal holiday? Oh yeah......Memorial Day. (sigh)

I would be remiss if I failed to mention that the 23rd Annual Oyster Festival on March 27th in Cincinnati at the Washington Platform. Yep......Shuck 'em, Suck 'em, & Eat 'em Raw! Are there any other oyster lovers out there?

Thanks for the birthday greetings one and all. It was a good one!

TA TA!

You Say It's Your Birthday!

Well almost.

Friday is Rita's.

This public service announcement brought to you by her lame girl friend who has dinner under control... but no gift. Though of course there is an explanation...

Got a second? Wish her a happy one.

Please.

Restaurant Review

While I normally leave such things to the experts, such as Wine Me, Dine Me in Cincinnati, I couldn't help taking a shot at it this morning after our massive meat feast last evening at Boi Na Braza.

Boi Na Braza is a Brazilian Steakhouse where "Gauchos" continuously serve you five different types of meats - chicken, pork, beef, lamb and sausage prepared 10 different ways. ($47.50 per person) It is brought to you on a sword-like device and sliced right on to your plate. Remarkably, with all of the walking around with the meat in hand, I was never served a piece of meat that was anything but hot.

The Gauchos continue to come to your table as long as you have the red and green "meat place card" displayed as green. Turn the place card to red and the Gauchos will leave you alone.

I manage to try four of the meats prepared in several different ways. However, in the whole circus of parading meat, I was disappointed that I did not receive any of the pork entrees. Somehow this was not brought around for our entire meal. I found all of the cuts of meat to be juicy and well-seasoned. I also managed to receive several cuts that were medium-well despite the fact that much of the beef and lamb were cooked to their desired state of medium rare to medium.

I guess by now you are asking......"Were their any vegetables in this meat extravaganza?" Ahhh yes......Boi Na Braza has a large salad bar which contains a very nice selection of cheeses, salad vegetables, prosciutto, smoked salmon as well as hot side items like mashed potatoes, seasoned rice, etc. I must say that it was a little smaller that I had imagined based on previous reviews I had read but the quality of the food was very good! Any vegetarian could have had a very nice meal at the salad bar alone. ($29.99)

I must also mention that Boi Na Braza also has a very fine wine list and assortment of speciality drinks. My friends and I had just started with our wine when we spotted this interesting woman preparing fruit-infused cocktails from a little cart. The drinks were called a Caipirinha. ($14.99)

The Caipirinha's were a fruit-muddled concoction made with sugar, fruit, Brazilian rum and another Brazilian liquor. There was a lime (mojito style) version and the tropical version served with oranges, pineapple and strawberries. We tried both - multiple times. Tasty is an understatement for these cocktails.

In regard to disappointments, I was disappointed in the Brazilian Cheese Bread that is brought to your table. After hearing so much about it in reviews, I expected something cheesy and buttery. I guess what I was hoping for was something that rivaled those fabulous cheddar biscuits you get at Red Lobster. No comparison and they ended up being small dinner rolls infused with cheese but you never really saw it. It was not the taste explosion I was preparing for after the reading reviews.

Overall, it was a great meal. I found the service to be fabulous and attentive but not overly bothersome. Be prepared to throw down at least $150 for two people. This is definitely not your everyday restaurant and nor should it be. It is a great place for a special occasion and you will not be disappointed.

Sunday morning blahs

"Morning".

Those are the only two words I think Lyn and I have uttered to each other this morning in our brief periods of "alertness".

It is a very blah type of day here in the Ohio Valley. After a night filled with rain storms and loud outbursts of thunder, the end result is one dreary Sunday morning.

I sit here at the laptop going through emails, drinking coffee (which may be a little bit on the weak side) and listening to snores coming from the living room couch. I know it isn't the muttlet who is quietly perched on top of the couch - as if she were faithfully protecting her owner - who is sound asleep there.

I have gone through every bit of the morning paper. I tend to skim through it looking for the articles that have exciting headlines or keywords that are noteworthy to me. They have shortened our paper beginning with this issue to save money so it really takes me even less time to read the damn thing.

So after all that I decided to hit the Internet and search for acceptable vacation spots for 2009. Last year we had a grand time in California and it will be hard to match, but I have been given some guidelines to go by in order to find the ideal vacation spot for a week.

1. It has to be some place warm.
2. Located on a beach
3. Not located in California, North or South Carolina and preferably not Florida but there is some wiggle room there if the place proves to be spectacular enough.

I have my work cut out for me methinks. It has been a while since I have taken a vacation that was purely "beach-side". I think I was 12 and it was a family vacation in St. Petersburg, Florida, but that was also mixed with a trip to Disney and I have already been warned that Disney is not an option. (sigh)

I'm doomed.

I am open to suggestions on this rainy Sunday morning. I hear planes flying overhead on their approach to the CVG airport and just that sound alone makes me want to board a plane to anywhere.

The snores have subsided. Time for some more coffee........

MILK

All I can say is go out and see this movie this holiday weekend! Borrow a car....take the subway....hail a cab....walk or run....to your local theater!

It will inspire you.

It is easy for some to take for granted the struggles that we face as gays or lesbians. We know that there are people out there who hold much hate and disgust for us but as long as we live in a our cute little cul de sac where everyone loves us......we are not impacted by that "noise". Some of us continue to go on without reeeeaallly knowing what some chosen individuals did in defense of our lives today. They dared to step out there and say......"We will not be treated as second class citizens or as the dirt underneath your shoe. We DO matter and watch how we - together - can change life as we know it!"

Lyn and I left the theater last night ready to pick up a protest sign and march somewhere....anywhere.....in the rain. Harvey Milk came and conquered.....again.

This movie will recruit and revitalize you.

So this is Christmas.....

Wow....what a day.

After an early morning rise, I started my day with my Dad and breakfast. I chose to cook again this year because this was a new tradition that my brother and I decided would be a good idea last year. So I was determined to keep up the new tradition and kept the menu to a minimum since I was the chief cook and bottle washer.

Then....on to Mom's for more food. This meal was more filling than the first and I was glad to see this "last meal" coming to tell the truth. The last 24 hours - including Christmas Eve - has been one big food fest leaving me in a sizable food coma. I have summoned just enough energy to blog this evening. Actually....I was hoping that a little more activity would allow me to work off a few calories.

Lyn headed home with her family today and methinks that she is in a food coma now herself because my text messages since 6:30 have garnished no response. I think Fried Chicken was on her menu today. I have seen many o' women fall into a deep food coma after several helpings of Fried Chicken and all the fixins. If I get no response soon, I may have to go out in the backyard and send up a few signal flares so she can find her way home. I realize that drinking and driving is not a good combination, but a food coma is not something to take lightly!

Tomorrow will be a day of taking it easy and unwinding a bit. Cocktails and a movie sound like a really good plan. I have a feeling that it will also include a few trips to a local mall or favorite department store just to check out the bargains. Just typing that last sentence made the "non-shopper" in me scream out in angst......(sigh)

Enjoy the food coma while it lasts. Tomorrow is another thing entirely.......

Christmas gifts

As I sit here this evening and catch up on my blog reading, I am reminded of some of my "Christmas gifts past". Some of them I have conveniently forgotten.....I suppose it is better to just blame my old lesbian memory, but there are some Christmas' that I just simply can't remember what I received from my significant other at the time. I am sure that they were all fabulous - the correct size, color, shape and blinked, beeped and buzzed. I'm sure that I was thrilled with each and every one of them.

I think.

I don't recall getting a "bad" gift per say. I mean....nothing sticks out in my mind as something that was just so wrong I will not only remember it in this lifetime but in the next three lifetimes. And, I am just as hopeful that in all of my years of bestowing gifts......I made sound decisions. Again....no recollections of gifts being hurled back in my direction or loud wailing cries from significant others.

I have always thought I was more of a receiver than a giver, but after recollecting on "Christmas gifts past", I am not so sure. I love buying for other people and seeing the joyous expressions on their faces when they receive something fabulous! That makes me feel wonderful!

This season is about giving, but in order to give.....someone has to receive. This leads me to my question this evening. What makes you more happy - giving or receiving?

Are you serious?

Ok....before I get to the "meat" of this posting this evening......read the following news story and meet me back here.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/Underwear-Researcher-Pleads-Guilty-To-Abusing/9rywkkBBckOZoIRjZW3O8A.cspx

Yeah. I only have one thing to say about this.....Do the parents of these children NOT share some of the blame here? I mean seriously......they allowed their children to be take to a separate room while this strange guy took pictures of them in their underwear!

How many times do we have to watch this stuff on the news and read it in the paper before we allow ourselves to be suspicious of these type of circumstances? Could these folks be so greedy - "Oh my child could be the next big time model or the next Hannah Montana" - that they would want to take this kind of risk?

It is this type of stupidity that just leaves my mouth open in amazement.........

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes today is the day!

As some of you may know, Thanksgiving Day has always been a huge cooking day for me. This was my big day to prepare a feast for my family! This year I came to the decision that with my recent loss of my brother Paul that I just could not bring myself to prepare "the feast" with the same fervor as past years. So where does that leave me?

It leaves me assisting Lyn with her turkey day preparations of course! She is heading north as we speak to eat with her family with turkey in the trunk and a fabulous container of Cranberry Pomegranate sauce! The cranberry sauce was my contribution. I must tell you that I was sorely tempted to add a little vodka to the mixture since the sauce sounded more like a martini. What a surprise that would have been to a Baptist family! It turned out remarkably well despite the big mess it left in Lyn's kitchen. I will likely make it again when I cook for my friends on 12/14 and then.......it will be a spiked sauce!

Tonight I am heading out to the outlet mall at midnight to get a little Christmas shopping done. Yes....it opens at midnight and it is packed with people! It is very fun and if an outlet store is open near you at midnight tonight I highly recommend that you go. What else are you doing tonight besides nursing a food coma?

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today. This day probably has more meaning for me than any other for I am profoundly thankful for all of my friends and family that have been hovering close by for the last 6 weeks. If I could name them all here I would but then I would miss most of this day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I think I killed Rudolph

Yeah.....I am hoping that I am wrong. The night of the election I was on my way to Lyn's house when a deer ran into my path. I am usually vigilant for them since I live in an area where the deer abound and frequent my backyard on a daily basis. And yes.....I have been known to feed them from time to time as they bring their young into the yard. Ok....I am softie.

End result of the little collision.......$1616.00.

My only consolation is that there is now a deer in Northern Kentucky who can truly light up the night's sky because he has a headlight permanently attached to his head.......

No V-Necks Need Apply

Rita's favorite season is fast approaching. This weekend she's gone headfirst into her HSN/QVC browsing mode. Sunday Morning on CBS? Hmmmmph. I'm blogging to the sounds of some bubble-head doing her best to sell Rita a pressure cooker.

Seriously. It's like crack to her. And what's even odder -- SHE HATES TO SHOP.

I, of course, adore shopping. Just not via the tube.

I particularly like to gift those I love (and seek to dress in a style of my choosing) with warm, fuzzy, stylish sweaters.

Lands End and Eddie Bauer holiday catalogs send me over the edge.

A snazzy argyle. A fine cashmere. A thick, chunky, handknit import from the British Isles.

One of my favorite post-Holiday shopping activities is to peruse clearance tables piled high with men's sweaters. I have several lovely steals from the local Gap outlet that I wear as a coat until 'real' winter arrives.

So you can imagine my reaction the first time I presented Rita with one of my bargain finds for herself -- a lovely V-Neck shetland in a fabulous soft gray green.

She didn't shriek or run away -- but it was a decidedly mommie dearest decree -- no v-necks. Ever.

That almost ended the relationship before it began.

But I don't give up.

Rita will be the first to tell you I'm a strong believer in assimilation.

Each and every Fall when the catalogs start arriving I try again.

"Isn't it lovely? It's a shallow v, not really noticeable."

"Well, with a turtleneck under it it's not really a v-neck."

*sigh*

One last shot over the political bow!

Wow....how time flies! Here we are.... the night before the biggest and most sought after Presidential election any of us will ever remember! The two candidates have been chosen and we have heard the rhetoric from both sides for the last four months. I am tired of hearing the commercials, the bickering and Sarah Palin. I think that is the correct order for all three of my pain points.

My goal is to vote for Barack Obama tomorrow. There is not an argument out there that can now convince me that I should vote for the old Maverick and his pup. A maverick is defined as follows:

1. an unbranded calf, cow, or steer, esp. an unbranded calf that is separated from its mother.
2. a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates.
3. (initial capital letter) an electro-optically guided U.S. air-to-ground tactical missile for destroying tanks and other hardened targets at ranges up to 15 mi. (24 km).

Feel free to choose any one of those definitions that appeal to you most.

I am of the opinion that I don't want a lone dissenter who has the temperament of a guided missile in the White House. We have not had the good fortune to see him "blow up" on the campaign trail, but we have all heard of his reputation. We do not need someone who is more volatile than Dubya. We do not need someone who takes the lone road because he wants to make the lone decision because he is feeling "mavericky". If he is elected, do you not think he IS going to take things into his own hands? He will because he has been telling us for the last year that he is exactly that type of guy. He goes it alone if he has to and bucks the established practice.

Wow.....great way to reestablish those NATO allie connections that have been incinerated by Dubya for the last eight years. We are a country that needs its allies and those connections need to be reconstructed by someone who has the ability to reach across the table and work with others. Not someone who is a lone dissenter.

Around the world, third world countries not only have our jobs (I have seen what outsourcing can do) but also hold our IOU slips because we've had to borrow money from them. It is time that we hold major corporations responsible for sending those jobs overseas and leaving us without good jobs. I am not talking just about manufacturing jobs here, but IT jobs as well.

It is time for us to take back the "America" brand and image. It is time for all of us to unite together and move forward as a united front and not a divided country. Do you not think that the rest of the world knows that most of the American citizens can't stand their President or what he stands for?

Tomorrow I am voting for Barack Obama because he represents real change and a fresh perspective on what it takes to bring us to the table as a united front to the world. He represents my views and my philosophies in my personal life. It is not about one issue - "the Gay issue" - its about several issues. It is about my confidence in the person and his abilities to lead this country.

I cannot take the chance on John McCain. His choice of VP should have been clear to all of us that his judgement is in serious question. If I have to question his judgement on his VP selection, I have to worry about what other decision this "maverick" will make as he picks up the phone at 3am. I don't want him making a off-the-cuff decision at 3am that could cost me my life and my pursuit of happiness.

No thanks John McCain. You are just not worth the risk.