St Francis Days 2023

Through a careful promise not to force me to indulge in what others erroneously call "fun," Lisa convinced me to attend the St Francis Days festival in the suburb of the same name. 

Right off the bat she had me fulfill the one promise I had agreed on: a ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl. 

I thought it was fun . . . for the first half. And then I just tried not to puke. I managed. But the selfie below isn't a pose. Lisa was laughing at me for dripping with nervous sweat.  I was reminded of young Smiley's words after Lisa took him on the ride long ago: "Why you tryin' to kill me?" LOL

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Once I had recovered from my ordeal we bought some pull tab lottery tickets (a few winners, but not enough to bring us back to even), some corn on the cob, and a slice of pizza. 

And then I heard the opening bars of Kashmir by Led Zeppelin and immediately wandered to watch the live band, a popular local group called Almighty Vinyl.  I have to say they were dang good, very versatile, and highly entertaining. 

We sat and listened to them until well after dark, and dined on some cheap and yummy watermelon bowls. 

And on the way out  - after a much longer, and much more fun visit than anticipated - we ran into Lisa's friend Lori!

Sleepy Huckleberry

Dinner with YaYa

This evening, after a long day at work and a trip down to East Troy pick up a Facebook Marketplace item, I went over to Yaya's apartment for dinner and a movie.

The place where we were going to get food was closed for the day, so I wound up at Papa Murphy's where I picked up a pizza for us to share. The place was packed, the preparation area was a mess, and the staff frazzled. As I waited there the cashier abruptly decided that no one from that point forward  would be allowed to order pizza, which kind of defeats the purpose of a pizza restaurant. He also ran outside to confront an angry customer who stormed out, which is pretty bold considering said cashier weighed all of a hundred pounds soaking wet. 

I do grow tired of so much drama and anger as life goes on. It seems to be growing more common too. Ugh. 

Anyhow, we cooked up the pizza at YaYa's apartment and I must say, for once I got the timing just right. It was great. 

Then we fired up Netflix and put on Big George Foreman, biographical film about the two-time heavyweight champion turned preacher and product pitchman. 

The  movie went through Foreman's life in a straight chronological order, and I'll admit that it had a pretty pedestrian script. At times you could have mistaken this for a good TV  movie of the week - back when such things actually still existed. 

That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the movie. It was entertaining, even if you don't like boxing, and as I happen to love the sport I enjoyed it all the more.  Foreman's life has all the ups and downs and crazy twists you need to keep a story going, even when the folks doing the telling stumble-bumble a bit in the execution. 

I grade the film a B if you like boxing, a C+ if you don't. 

Anyway, it was a genuinely fun and relaxing evening with my oldest and I appreciate the invite. Boo to my grandkitty Atticus tho,  who acted put out by my presence lol

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience

As Led Zeppelin disbanded after John Bonham's death in 1980, when I was six, I've never had a chance to see the band in concert. My closest brush with Zeppelin? Meeting Jimmy Page in 2003. But I'd long remained aware of Bonham's son Jason, who not only went on to forge his own name in rock but filled in expertly at the sole LZ reunion show in 2007. When I saw his LZ tribute band was coming to Milwaukee, I had to get tickets. 

As my friend Tre has a leg problem we were "upgraded" to handicapped seating in the balcony. The venue quickly began to fill with a crowd my age and slightly older, with maybe a fifth of the seats by 20 and 30 something year olds. 

My view was great but as normal here in 2023 camera phone zoom sucks. But here's some pics I took: 

The pics that follow were taken by the Rave's official event photographer. 

You may note that the guitarist, while Asian, bears more than a passing resemblance to Jimmy Page. His name is Akio Sakurai, a man so famous for his dedication to Page's work that there's an entire movie about him (Mr. Jimmy). I must say his playing is *phenomenal*, far, far about whatever I had anticipated. 

That goes for the band as a whole too. I didn't doubt Bonham's ability, but I had expected him to be surrounded by a collection of B list musicians. Not so. Song after song, the band nailed it, not merely copying Led Zeppelin but playing tight, wonderfully adept versions of their catalog. I think, having heard it with my own ears, that they were A BAND of their own that just happen to be devoted to the music of another. 

My heart bled for Jason Bonham too, as he told the audience of losing his Dad at 14, and how he was ashamed that he had been so embarrassed by him during his lifetime. "Why?," he said, "because he was they guy on the news who threw a telly out hotel windows? How foolish of me. He was John Bonham, the best drummer in the world, playing in the best band in the world, and he was my Dad."

Yo, I'm the guy in the white and orange shirt circled below!

A great time, and a great show! I'd love to see them again!

Record Heat and School Cancellations

Both Tuesday and Wednesday of last week (August 22nd-23rd) featured extreme heat by Wisconsin standards; Tuesday we crossed 100 degrees F here in Milwaukee for only the 34th time since records were kept (dating back to 1871). 

In response, Milwaukee Public Schools closed both days. I know folks in Texas and the Deep South probably find this amusing, but up here most schools not only don't feature air conditioning, the windows barely budge. In fact, Junie's school just remodeled to, in part, *remove* the ability to open windows, leaving the school to be cooled only by small vents in each window. 

In 100 degree heat, ya might as well coat the kids in butter and salt and pepper and serve 'em up on a barbeque platter. 

Oh, and it was a WET heat too. Ick. 

[apologies for Junie's language in the text. Not cool, pun intended.]

The Flash

Last night I watched this summer's "The Flash" with LuLu. After grossing only $268 million worldwide, it is widely considered one of the biggest box office bombs in history. It may cost Warner up to $200 million in losses, and effectively end many of the future projects hinted at in the movie, affecting the course of many a career. 

It has also , from what I've personally seen online, been universally derided by fans and dismissed as a lousy film.

Well. Humans being humans, they quickly fall into lockstep.  I doubt most of those people ever even saw the film, because you know what?

It ain't half bad.  I liked it.

I'll admit it started poorly, with a ham fisted comedic opening. Haha, the fastest man alive is always late for work. What a witty idea! And the CGI in the hospital scene was downright embarrassing.  15 minutes in I thought the critics were right and I was in for another Black Adam.

Then it turned right around. In the end I think this ranks up there with the first Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Snyder Cut Justice League.

Keaton's Batman was the supposed to be the fan favorite draw of the film, but I didn't think it contributed anything all that great to the film, and I actually think the character was one upped by Sasha Calle's Supergirl. That's a shame, because I think you could have done a lot with him. Instead, we got bitter old Luke Skywalker, alone in retirement. Yawn.

On the other hand Ezra Miller, he of the constant legal and moral trouble, is probably to blame for the public reaction at the box office. But he's a helluva Flash, and the most annoying part of the characterization (the bumbling social idiot routine) finally ended once he had to play mentor to his younger/ alternate self. He does a grand job of carrying the film. By the end I think he put DC into a heck of a jam, because I can't picture another actor playing the role as well. 

Anyway, you've probably read or seen all the spoilers as the whole world seemed to abandon all customary F's when it came to this movie lol, but I'm going to honor custom and end the review here, before I give too much away.

Long story short, it's an enjoyable film.  I grade it a B.

Dan and Lisa's Low Key Day of Fun

Yesterday I took a day off to have a Dan and Lisa's Low Key Day of Fun with my lady. First stop, DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) out on 115th and Burleigh, in the Mayfair Collection outdoor mall. We spent an hour there finding sandals for Lisa's upcoming NKOTB cruise, then Lisa treated me to lunch at the Corner Bakery.  

I had turkey, bacon, and avocado on wheat with a side of Caesar's Salad, and Lisa had a lovely chicken sub with a side of fruit. 

Afterwards we made a brief stop at Aldi for protein drinks, a gas station for fuel, stopped at Maadc to look at the kitties (alas, they had a health outbreak and all but two cats were quarantined). Then we stopped at the bike shop to pick up her bicycle, the library to look at yesterday's paper (alas, it turns out my column was online only, and not included in the razor thin print edition), and then a nap. 

In the evening we headed out again, this to time to get dinner at Hot Dish Pantry , a new  restaurant on Howell near the airport. It's counter-service, which is an annoying but popular trend, and features both indoor and patio dining. We chose the latter. 

The entrees were very good. I had a simple smashed burger, plain, while Lisa had a take on Minnesota's Juicy Lucy's. 

I don't think the sides were as good a value, in taste or price. There was a crab rangoon pierogi, which is further ethnically confused by the inclusion of a corn garnish. It was very good, but there wasn't much to distinguish it from your standard order of rangoon at a Chinese restaurant.

A potato croquette failed to impress either of us, beyond a nice presentation. 

I'm not a desert guy, but Lisa said the chocolate tasted a little off  - vegan perhaps? The desserts rotate very frequently, so any review must be treated as unique to that visit anyway. 

Now up to this point I'd grade the experience at Hot Dish Pantry very positively. A little hit and miss, a little pricey, but a good time and overall very good food. 

Then a drunk appeared, knocked a full recycling bin into the street, and wandered up to the guests on the patio and unleashed a screed, lasting several minutes, about how we were all going to burn in hell  "you n-words." Disgusting, and equally odd as everyone on the patio was Caucasian. 

Most of this was addressed at a woman sitting with her male companion and a friend, none of whom said anything. I told the guy to move on, but he didn't, and Lisa got up to tell the employees. That put her very close to the guy, which was a boiling point - had he touched her I'd have had to retaliate and I wasn't looking to escalate the situation. Instead he took her threat of police seriously and started down the road. 

To our shock, the employees/owner? claimed the man was "harmless," often wandered by drunk but "never did that before" and not only didn't want to call the police but didn't have the police non-emergency number on hand. 

Man, I don't run to the police for every interaction, even of this kind, but if I was running a business again I would take the comfort and safety of my guests a little more seriously. You didn't hear the bottles spilling into the street? The constant shouted "n-word" for a good few minutes wasn't overheard? A diner shouldn't have to tell a drunk to move on; his wife shouldn't be the one to ask the police to get involved. And once the situation WAS identified, you didn't think to come out and offer at least an apology to your guests? That poor woman took the brunt of his venom for a good two minutes.

I didn't pay close to $70 to listen to a  drunk racist you know and let skate.  

(and nevermind what I think of the diner's boyfriend/husband, who sat there and let her be insulted and berated and let another guy speak up for her) 

Not cool. 

Anyway, later, before she went to bed, Lisa and I used up the last of the zucchini making bread together. 

A fun if low key day together :)

    

Bob Barker

If you grew up in America from 1972 to 2007, and this man's face wasn't synonymous with your television viewing on a sick or snow day from school, then you were flat out raised wrong. 

Bob Barker, the host of The Price is Right, has died at 99.

RIP sir 

Milverine's Jersey

On August 22 Milwaukee legend, Bay View's own Milverine, aka John Frank Hamann, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Brewers game.

  This is the jersey they gave him.

If the Brewers haven't thought about producing replicas of this, they should.  Make one in my size and I'd proudly wear it!

Today's Drive

My ride into work at 6:30ish A.M

And my ride home at around 4pm - given that this two lane road is itself the detour route (putting me an extra 4 miles out each way) I inched along the edge of the drainage ditch, through some of the branches, to get through. 

Fresh Zucchini Bread

Yesterday after work I made zucchini bread for the first time, largely because Lisa was growing upset that we were wasting the veggies in the fridge. I think it turned out pretty darn good, even if I was the only person in the house that will eat it (I did deliver some to my appreciate Mother-in-law). 

It was easy to make, and the cooking time is long enough that I cut the grass in the time it was baking. 

There is nothing earth shattering or unique about this recipe, I'm merely bookmarking it for the future. Feel free to ignore this post.   

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2  teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons  ground cinnamon

• 2  large eggs

• 1/2  cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups grated zucchini, peel and all. Do NOT remove the moisture

1. Toss together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl

2. Combine the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and zucchini in another bowl.

3. Add the wet mix to the dry ingredients and stir only until combined. 

4. Spoon the batter into a loaf pan

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for around an hour or until done

Junie's 16th Birthday pt 2

After breakfast on Day 2,  everyone on the trip went down to the pool to swim . Unfortunately , the handicapped lift aiding Grandma in getting out of the pool broke,  leaving her stranded in the water . After both staff and the boys failed to get her out , Hotel staff called 911 . 

She was okay and gave all the firefighters hugs and a kiss.

Then the group checked out and went to explore the Mall of America. Lisa and her mom went one way, the kids the other. Junie and the Core Four went to the amusement park inside the mall, to Popeye's for dinner, to Barnes and Noble and countless other stores, and to a mirror maze. 

They were there until 9:00 p.m.

At Build-A-Bear, Lauren and the Core Four chipped in together to buy a sloth, each of them adding a heart to the animal and then naming it with a combination of their own names.

Then it was on to our house, where they arrived around 3:30 in the morning. The last of the guests left in mid-afternoon. By all accounts it was a great birthday. To quote a very happy Junie, "I didn't cry!"  (a first for her birthdays!)