Happy Birthday to Beck! and me!

It’s my birthday. With whom do I share this day? Creator of Coca Cola Dr. Pemberton, Angelica Huston, Kevin Bacon, Beck (!), Jeffrey Tambor and Raffi. A pretty good crowd, I guess. I have to really question astrology, though. Can there be just twelve cookie cutters for the whole world? It seems highly unlikely.

So how will I celebrate? Well, I’m gonna work (because I’m a grown-up) then what…have dinner with my kids, then go to O’Gara’s to hear some live music. Not too shabby, especially when compared with some of the birthdays of my youth. (Hopping on your bike, pedaling to the grocery store to buy a cake with your own money then eating it with two plastic forks with your best gal pal.) (Love to Robin...)

The kids woke me up at 6, saying, “Happy Birthday! Now you stay in bed while we make you breakfast!” Okay, you convinced me. Will you bring me lunch and dinner in bed too? ‘Cuz I am tired, man. Birthday week is a little draining, Lone Reader. And sweet, too. (mom guilt kicking in -ed.)

So thanks, friends, for your love and support during the past year. The world has cracked open for me and things are more beautiful, challenging, funny and sweet than ever. This year is gonna be big, man. Lotsa good ahead. And it’s gonna be a good day. (I don’t think I’ll have to use my AK.)

Celebrate something today, groovy ghoulies!

Oh no!

Yes, Lone Reader, it is after midnight. And, after wrestling with the castle Bundt cake pan for 10 minutes, my kids' birthday cake finally came out of the pan. In pieces. And this was not just any ol' cake mix cake, no sir. It was a pound of butter and 8 eggs. It necessitated buying cake flour, zesting lemons to get 1/4 cup of zest, three giant bowls, emulsifying the butter into the eggs in batches in the food processor, sifting and all that jazz. sigh. I've made this cake in this pan before, and never had a problem. Too humid in my kitchen? Bad mojo from my dog? I dunno why it happened.

I can either attempt to bake another cake (in normal pans, believe me!) or just go on an emergency Costco run in the morning. I'll see when the kids get up what they'll tolerate. Somehow, I doubt they'll go for a birthday trifle. Oh well. At least I baked it the night before.

Wish me luck!

May the Fourth Be With You

Joey Chestnut Repeats!

So to speak. It was a killer, with the new rules of a 10 minute limit really forcing the competitors to come out of the gate at top speed. Regulation time ended in an unprecedented tie, leading to a five dog eat-off. I thought Kobayashi looked good in regulation, relaxed and focused, while Chestnut was really hurting. In the timed tie-breaker, though, it was all Chestnut. He won by a dog.

A Fourth of July poem:
Hip, hip, hooray
the mustard belt will stay!
Suck on that Kobayashi.
Go USA!

Alright, it needs some work.

Happy Independence Day, Lone Reader!

Bring It On, Takeru!

Can you feel the excitement building? It's almost time for that Fourth of July tradition, the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition. I always cheer for Crazy Legs Conti, 'cause I love an underdog and a white guy with dreads, no less. My daughter likes Sonya "the Black Widow" Thomas because she's the only female in it. Will my son favor "Eater X" because of the obvious Speed Racer reference? Will he back Takeru Kobayashi, the most awe-inspiring competitive eater in history? In 2006 we saw Patrick Bertoletti win a qualifier at the Mall of America. (Yeah, I took kids to see it, so what? It was educational...about how not to eat.)

I'll be watching at noon on ESPN. Find details online, and read more about the contestants at the International Federation of Competitive Eating. No "reversals of fortune" for you, Lone Reader!

Birthday mania begins!

Today is my daughter's birthday. The 6th is her friend party. The evening of the 6th is a family party for her and her brother. My birthday is July 8th. I'm celebrating on July 9th. My son's birthday is on the 10th. His friend party is on the 13th, which is also my mother's birthday.

Sweet Jesus - October was apparently a month to get busy in my family. It's ridiculous. (And I strongly discourage anyone from having her first child on the Fourth of July weekend -- just try to find an obstetrics nurse, my friend.)

Make a wish Lone Reader!

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