As you all know, Turbo has been over here in England since the new year. He has a pretty easy life - his day's are mostly filled with ball-chasing, walks, and naps. Bringing him over here was pretty expensive though (we try not to add up the total cost, for fear of inducing a heart attack), so we've been talking to him about finding a job. The problem is that his skill set is pretty limited, and finding a job in this economy has proved to be tough. He's tried a few jobs, but has not really been very successful:
Driving a limo seemed out of the question.
He tried being a bartender but just drank all of the product.
His typing skills left something to be desired.
He's not much of a lifeguard.
However, after much thought and evaluation, we think we have found a new profession for him: Turbo's Computer Screen Cleaning Service. He charges reasonable rates, and his work is guaranteed! For a sample of his work, CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Thursday, 13 December 2007
JOY JOY JOY: for Meg
(Is it just me, or does this feel like it's becoming my blog? Meg, we'd love to hear your take on this all...)
Anyway. Last night I arrived safely from Switzerland and went straight to The Borderline to see Jenny Owen Youngs. The photos on her page don't do her justice, so I'll put one of my own here and more on Flickr, but in person she looks like what would happen if our lovely and fun friend Lindsay Mac had babies with the uber-talented Kaki King:
Since Meg couldn't come with me, I promised her a setlist, complete with jokes. Unfortunately Miss JOY was a bit sick, so the set was a little shortened, and there's a bit of rambling, but she's an amazingly talented singer. There weren't a ton of people there, so I got to be up front, and weirdly a lot of them had only heard one song of hers (more on that in a bit).
1. Coyote
Jenny asks everyone to set their ring tones to g-sharp, the key of the next song.
2. Lightning Rod
Someone's phone rings, but in the wrong key. A new verse for the song is written - "I thought we talked about the ring tones."
3. A new song, I think, which I'm calling Dissolve
4. Drinking Song
Here, the English cold medicines begin to take effect on Jenny. She finishes the second chorus, then can't remember whether or not she's played the second verse. Since hardly anyone in the audience knows the music, no one can say for sure. She begins again with the second verse. Someone shouts "We've heard that bit." The third verse begins.
Dave House is in the house. He joins Jenny on stage. They play "the one with the cursing":
5. F**k was I
Jenny asks if we've brought our feeleings. Someone in the audience says, "We're English, we don't do feelings." Jenny says, oh right, you live in this country that's cold, rainy, and full of ennui.
6. Porchrail
Dave leaves before the song is even over.
7. P.S.
8. Woodcut
Now, we find out that Jenny loves the English "beans on toast," which makes their poor excuse for coffee almost tolerable.
9. From Here
Dave returns.
10. Keys Out Lights On
Jenny promises she'll put on an evening gown later, since that's what we've all come for: "If I were a crack dealer, these songs would be my pancake store. Do you have pancakes here?" An American in the audience laments the lack of Aunt Jemima to go with pancakes. We also learn that Jenny ordered flapjacks once, and got a "horrible excuse for a granola bar," and warns us all not to go to America and order flapjacks and expect that.
11. Voice on Tape
Dave leaves again. He hasn't said a single word all night.
12. A song I'm calling Avalanche, by someone who I think is called Garinne Hawk
13. A new song I'm calling The English Language
14. Another new song I'm calling I Couldn't Want You
15. Her cover of Hot in Here, which turns out to be why everone came to the show. For the first time all night, they're singing along! Too bad the show is over now.
Anyway. Last night I arrived safely from Switzerland and went straight to The Borderline to see Jenny Owen Youngs. The photos on her page don't do her justice, so I'll put one of my own here and more on Flickr, but in person she looks like what would happen if our lovely and fun friend Lindsay Mac had babies with the uber-talented Kaki King:
Since Meg couldn't come with me, I promised her a setlist, complete with jokes. Unfortunately Miss JOY was a bit sick, so the set was a little shortened, and there's a bit of rambling, but she's an amazingly talented singer. There weren't a ton of people there, so I got to be up front, and weirdly a lot of them had only heard one song of hers (more on that in a bit).1. Coyote
Jenny asks everyone to set their ring tones to g-sharp, the key of the next song.
2. Lightning Rod
Someone's phone rings, but in the wrong key. A new verse for the song is written - "I thought we talked about the ring tones."
3. A new song, I think, which I'm calling Dissolve
4. Drinking Song
Here, the English cold medicines begin to take effect on Jenny. She finishes the second chorus, then can't remember whether or not she's played the second verse. Since hardly anyone in the audience knows the music, no one can say for sure. She begins again with the second verse. Someone shouts "We've heard that bit." The third verse begins.
Dave House is in the house. He joins Jenny on stage. They play "the one with the cursing":
5. F**k was I
Jenny asks if we've brought our feeleings. Someone in the audience says, "We're English, we don't do feelings." Jenny says, oh right, you live in this country that's cold, rainy, and full of ennui.
6. Porchrail
Dave leaves before the song is even over.
7. P.S.
8. Woodcut
Now, we find out that Jenny loves the English "beans on toast," which makes their poor excuse for coffee almost tolerable.
9. From Here
Dave returns.
10. Keys Out Lights On
Jenny promises she'll put on an evening gown later, since that's what we've all come for: "If I were a crack dealer, these songs would be my pancake store. Do you have pancakes here?" An American in the audience laments the lack of Aunt Jemima to go with pancakes. We also learn that Jenny ordered flapjacks once, and got a "horrible excuse for a granola bar," and warns us all not to go to America and order flapjacks and expect that.
11. Voice on Tape
Dave leaves again. He hasn't said a single word all night.
12. A song I'm calling Avalanche, by someone who I think is called Garinne Hawk
13. A new song I'm calling The English Language
14. Another new song I'm calling I Couldn't Want You
15. Her cover of Hot in Here, which turns out to be why everone came to the show. For the first time all night, they're singing along! Too bad the show is over now.
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Where we've been
We've had so much fun traveling and having visitors in November that we haven't written about it (or even put up pictures):
First, my parents came. We went to Cornwall with them for a long weekend.
Then, they left and went to France.
My sister came. She met me for lunch, then went to Cambridge to see her James. Then off to Spain with her.
Meanwhile, Meg's mom came. Then we went to Barcelona together, where we met my parents and sister and James for Thanksgiving. It was really fun, though of course without all the American media hoopla it didn't feel much like Thanksgiving. In fact, it felt so little like Thanksgiving that we didn't even all have dinner together. Still, family is (at least to me) the most important part of a holiday, so it was still good.
Next, Meg, her mom, and my parents came back to London. Meg's mom left after one day (had to go back to work) and we had a few more days with my parents.
After they left, my sister came back to London. We had so much fun hanging out. We went for a run and went to a party at a co-worker's house, but really nothing too intense. Then James came down from Cambridge, and we all had kebabs and hung out for a while longer. On Saturday we went to Borough Market and then to one of our favourite pubs - they have an awesome beer selection and an outdoor patio with heat. Monday Lindsay and I did a little (very little!) Christmas shopping in Oxford Circus. While we were out James texted me and said he'd finished his work early and wanted to come back down and surprise Lindsay. She and I went home and made this AWESOME butternut squash lasagne. I heard James put his key in the doorway and talked so Lindsay wouldn't hear it. She was washing dishes and talking to me, and he came up and stood behind her until she turned around. She was very surprised!
So that's what we've been up to...what about you? Hope to see you soon!
First, my parents came. We went to Cornwall with them for a long weekend.
Then, they left and went to France.
My sister came. She met me for lunch, then went to Cambridge to see her James. Then off to Spain with her.
Meanwhile, Meg's mom came. Then we went to Barcelona together, where we met my parents and sister and James for Thanksgiving. It was really fun, though of course without all the American media hoopla it didn't feel much like Thanksgiving. In fact, it felt so little like Thanksgiving that we didn't even all have dinner together. Still, family is (at least to me) the most important part of a holiday, so it was still good.
Next, Meg, her mom, and my parents came back to London. Meg's mom left after one day (had to go back to work) and we had a few more days with my parents.
After they left, my sister came back to London. We had so much fun hanging out. We went for a run and went to a party at a co-worker's house, but really nothing too intense. Then James came down from Cambridge, and we all had kebabs and hung out for a while longer. On Saturday we went to Borough Market and then to one of our favourite pubs - they have an awesome beer selection and an outdoor patio with heat. Monday Lindsay and I did a little (very little!) Christmas shopping in Oxford Circus. While we were out James texted me and said he'd finished his work early and wanted to come back down and surprise Lindsay. She and I went home and made this AWESOME butternut squash lasagne. I heard James put his key in the doorway and talked so Lindsay wouldn't hear it. She was washing dishes and talking to me, and he came up and stood behind her until she turned around. She was very surprised!
So that's what we've been up to...what about you? Hope to see you soon!
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Running from thirty
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Uncivil liberties
We received the letter below in the mail (er, post) yesterday. The places I blacked out are where they gave the exact address of the residence in question.
There was a copy of this letter for each apartment (er, flat) in our building. Nothing like a little public shame to discourage drug use (just one activity in the list of Anti-Social Behaviours, which places the need to shut down crack houses only slightly above the requirement to cut down your high hedges).
There was a copy of this letter for each apartment (er, flat) in our building. Nothing like a little public shame to discourage drug use (just one activity in the list of Anti-Social Behaviours, which places the need to shut down crack houses only slightly above the requirement to cut down your high hedges).
Friday, 16 November 2007
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
The sounds of home
Our friend Jo came to visit us this weekend, and it felt like being in NY again. We sat on the people tree, ordered takeout, drank wine, and watched the NFL on TV. (Jo, you'll make the blog in more detail as soon as we have pictures!)
Then last night, we saw Uncle Earl, a string/blue-grass/new-grass/old-time band who brought us lots of old Americana plus a few of their own new songs. Here's the ticket to the gig. Note that it says "Plus special guests"; this will be important later.
Let's check out some photos:
That's Kristin Andreassen on the left and KC Groves on the right.
Here's fiddler Rayna Gellert:
I didn't get any good pictures of the woman playing bass for them, Laura something-or-other, because it was really dark and crowded. She was completely amazing, though.
Let's check in with the banjo player, the amazing Abigail Washburn:
Wait - who's that guy in the background? Playing the mandolin? Isn't that? No, it can't be, yes it is. Ladies and gentlemen: John Paul Jones. He produced their latest album and played the better part of the set with them. Surprise guests? No, surprise rock god is more like it.
Then last night, we saw Uncle Earl, a string/blue-grass/new-grass/old-time band who brought us lots of old Americana plus a few of their own new songs. Here's the ticket to the gig. Note that it says "Plus special guests"; this will be important later.
Let's check out some photos:Here's fiddler Rayna Gellert:
I didn't get any good pictures of the woman playing bass for them, Laura something-or-other, because it was really dark and crowded. She was completely amazing, though.
Let's check in with the banjo player, the amazing Abigail Washburn:
Wait - who's that guy in the background? Playing the mandolin? Isn't that? No, it can't be, yes it is. Ladies and gentlemen: John Paul Jones. He produced their latest album and played the better part of the set with them. Surprise guests? No, surprise rock god is more like it.
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