Baby Girl Matrix on the Scene!

today at 0830

BABY GIRL MATRIX has arrived!

she's 7lbs. 7oz.

we'll see her in an hour or so, but we wanted all y'all to know!

there will be pictures later today!!!


xoxoxoxo from all of us to all of you!

who's the guy wearin' the panama?

what's the news across the nation?

i'm still in LA.


baby boy chaos is even more adorable in person.


the kid is a wonderful big sister to him.


the mega baby shower extravaganza was FANTASTIC.


all the members of the coconut krewe are doing well.



and the MITM will be here on monday!


that's it. all the news from here...














oh wait, i forgot.








one more thing...













BGM* has not arrived yet. keep checking back.





*baby girl matrix

mr. moose and the wonderful doughnut day

for the first time in a very long time, i was able to celebrate donut day with one of the krewe on their birthday! no donuts were consumed, but a short stack of heavenly du-par's pancakes made up for their absence. it was fun to be back in a place where we had so much fun when the krewe were all still little and we were still young. being back here with them makes me want to come back, but i know it's nostalgia for the past and the people no longer with us. 

so, today i'm celebrating life as it is and my beautiful boy 




who gave the MITM the chance to hum the theme song from my three sons!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. MOOSE!!!

p.s. mr. moose posted today! check him out when you have a moment.

nothing yet...

driving in la is like riding a bike, you never forget your shortcuts. what you do forget is the traffic! also, you forget just how hotdamnwtfisthisplace far everything is from where you are. on the other hand, super nana, mr. matrix and BGM (baby girl matrix) are around the corner and down the street from the la county art museum, the fairfax district and a ton o'shops i absolutely adore browsing in! (check this blog out: L.A. is my beat) not much of that has been happening because 1. super nana tires too easily (she.is.huge.) 2. it's too hot (for her, not me.) and 3. mr. matrix had been working on a project that kept him away from home long hours (no one wanted to leave her alone just in case.). after the shower extravaganza we all just coasted for a few days and only did one major thing outside a day. i DID practice driving her vw stick shift and even captain choas said i wasn't too rusty. i really don't think i have the patience anymore for stop and go traffic, but i certainly reverted back in true form to my la mad max method of driving quickly. (don't ask, it involved talking to other cars that refused to behave properly...) 


anyway,


at some point i hope to see a couple of old friends here in town, but everyone knows we're on standby/wait mode, so all plans are flexible. it's just been fun seeing the town again with new eyes and remembering good times. i don't think i'll be trading the plantation for a city house any time soon, m'darlings, but it is fun to visit!


on another note (can i get any more cliched in one post?), i've been doing a lot of reading, but not always commenting because at 0300h or in thedamndarkmorning, i'm not always clear thinking enough to compose my thoughts. (remind me to tell you about my time zone theory later) 


have you read: Paper and Salt? fun blog and good recipes.


babyboy chaos aka hellboy aka j-dawg is absolutely adorable! i'll post pictures soon, i promise.




OK, here's one:

xoxoxxo

Harris: You're on time. Sara: Actually I'm late. Harris: You're exactly on time. Sara: But I had planned to be early.

i'm in los angeles.

i arrived on wednesday and since then we've been in party mode getting ready for yesterday's all day double barreled baby shower extravaganza! the first shower was ladies only for the family grande dames and work pals of super nana's. the evening party was the co-ed blow out for friends, family, kids, dogs and anyone who didn't make it to the morning brunch.

(there are pictures, but y'all have to wait until they get sent to me. i was too busy having fun to take pics!)

both parties were catered, so we didn't have a LOT to do which is a good thing because i was so tired from the pre-party preparation, i couldn't have done one more thing! i had forgotten how much easier it is to live in a BIG city in terms of resources, etc. that i could have gotten lost in just hunting down the perfect flowers, favors, name it and la has it items for the parties, but that's another story. now, given that la is an auto-centric town, i still haven't had to fight traffic because i haven't been allowed driven a stick shift in years or driven in la traffic almost as long and people are concerned about my abilities, so, today (sunday) i'm supposed to practice driving super nana's vw and get back in the game of street traffic/controlled road rage. (i know you're thinking, so rent an automatic, right? and the answer is NO because i'm going to be here until 22 aug and that is a ton of money for a rental) super nana has been trying to help, but bless her heart she is HUGE and can hardly stand up, much less do anything besides practice breathing and relaxation techniques! i think BGM is going to come sooner than august 7th and when she does finally arrive, she has a fantastic wardrobe and accommodations ready for her!

there'll be more later, but everyone is starting to wake up around here and i need some coffee!

Blues Ain't Nothin But a Good Man Feelin Bad - MITM Post

I woke up this morning thinking about the relationships between old men and young men, about the men that guided me, about my sons, about the women in my life and being a grandpa.  I thought about hittin the road again, about longing, belonging and love.

An old movie clip came to mind and a poem I wrote so long ago.....

I dreamed of women draped in wet linen

Breast, nipples, caught in gossamer nets

Dancing to rhythms from deep in the sea

The object of desire set aflame by circumstances

You called from a distant past

Jazz was your name

I answered with love/lust & pathos

Now my insanity is a blue note hung-up on a flatted fifth

Objects of desire  are closer than they appear in the mirror

brought to you by the letters, H and M!

i imagine right now you're feeling like alice tumbling down the rabbit hole

gentility
brutishness/informality
and when did it all go to hell in a handbasket?

this internal conversation started years ago and just yesterday.

let me backup for a moment to put this in some sort of order.

i'm a member of an alumnae association on facebook.  one of the women posted a photo from her graduation in 1966. lovely pic, of course, her smiling face, her proud daddy next to her, but what started my internal dialogue (it was really vocal once she got started. MITM) was the fact that every man and boy in the background had either a suit or a sports coat and slacks on! everyone was dressed up. no jeans, no casual clothes, no flip flops or fanny packs in sight and this was southern california in june! appropriate dress befitting the occasion was the norm.

ok, now, let's look at the past weekend. as part of the father's day festivities around here, the weekend was spent following the u.s. open and all things related to golf. we knew the place where the open was being held because we used to live in san francisco. of course, we never set foot inside because we weren't members, didn't know any members and at the time, didn't even play golf but even then, we knew what appropriate behavior on a golf course was. it used to be a joke when the krewe  were younger that doing the right thing in public merited a soft golf clap on the sly. what happened during the course of the open was anything but that. it was boorish and rowdy, hooting and hollering after a swing, as if, i was watching a computer game of golf! seriously, what sort of a bumpkin yells out "in the hole" after a tee shot on a par 5, 670 yd hole?

now, before all y'all start talkin' about what sort of elitist hole i've fallen into or what stuck-up bug crawled up mah butt, i want to be be really clear about what i'm talking about. it isn't the externals, like suits v. jeans or golf claps v. hootin' & hollerin at a golf match. i'm talking about the decline of civility. the decline of the concept that "just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean you should.

(minor, but a real case in point digression, just saw a tv personality visiting an embassy in washington, d.c. and what was he wearing? tennis shoes with his suit. now, pardon me for being a stick in the mud, but i'm sure someone advised him on proper attire, because his normal dress is casual and perfect for the sort of show he hosts, but sweet mary sunshine, dude, your sarcastic wit and delivery would have been even more ironic if you'd been properly attired.)

i think i should interject something right now about clothing. i'm talking about wearing clothes that are appropriate to the occasion here, not even remotely suggesting a return to high necks, full length skirts or three piece suits (on men) for every day wear. let us be perfectly clear, we live in the 21st century and clothes have been developed for every possible situation and locale, i'm talking about not wearing your half of nothin' sundress to the city council meeting or sister hazel's funeral. (and young men, please, please, PLEASE wear a belt!) 

what happened to standards, ladies and gentleman? when i was in school part of the reason for wearing a uniform was for "equality." what i took from it was discipline and focus on purpose. the regard for our uniform was a mark of respect for our school, but more importantly, for ourselves. i was there to learn, not to style. now, big leap forward because i'm afraid i'm starting to sound really priggish, but that is so not my intent. (ok, i wore a tie to school every day for 4 years and that tie had to be a certain length -3rd button of my blouse-no fancy knots, half windsor was just fine, thank you very much and seeing the current crop of girls wearing loose, messy ties made me faint so, there is a bit of residual pique.) anyway, back to the topic, i see this erosion of gentility as emblematic of a general decline in behavior on all levels.

we applaud stupidity.

mediocrity is not only accepted, but expected.

boorishness is tolerated and encouraged! witness the use of "shut up" as an expression of incredulity! yes, it is generally used by young people, but it came from an adult comedian, is part of his on-going act and i'm hearing it said by more and more people who really should know better. (i know, right? i am sounding more and more like my mama every day.)

what is it?
is it me?

am i just so out of step with humanity these days that i'm looking for something that no longer exists in the general population?why do we no longer practice good manners? what's happened to propriety? when did we become comfortable with crudeness, coarseness and commonness?

i am at a loss, sugarpies. what do all y'all think?

sunday, june 17th

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

that's it, the direct approach for all the dads out there. thanks for doing what you do, every day, all day, even when you're tired and still managing to smile. i look at the MITM and  remember the joy in his face when he'd come home from a long trip and saw the coconut krewe for the first time or after a hard day dealing with (redacted for national security reasons) and sitting down at the dinner table just listening to how their day was. they have their own stories about their daddy, but i know this to be true, they still call and say "thanks, dad!"

xoxoxo

we miss frank zappa

who knew, right?

OK, the coconut krewe grew up with this stuff, so they aren't surprised, but it might be new to some of you. or at least, what all y'all know about us.

that's right, the MITM and i have been stuck inside because it's been raining like the end is near and we're gonna float away out into the atlantic via the intra-coastal waterways. anyway, it all started with the MITM looking for a jazz cover of sally's song and as is the way with all things youtube...4 hours later, a mini blog post was developed.

by the by, watch this space because the MITM is going to do a solo jazz cover of sally's song.


(yeah, that's right, i didn't post a link! now YOU have to fall into the vortex of all things youtube looking for sally's song)

a birthday, but no party

today miss daisy would have been 90.

one of the things present in my mind today is that i said goodbye because i knew it was the end.

i had shared many other june 11ths with her just knowing they'd go on forever.

we'd danced like crazy women,
raised glasses in toasts to friends near and far, here and gone
and new friends to come because we knew they would.

even though i'd buried my own mama many years ago, it seemed then as if miss daisy would always be around...

and then september came and she was gone.

the other thing?

we don't always know when the last goodbye will be said,

so,

be thoughtful,
be just,
be kind,
and
be loving.

sonny rollins added

and be cool.

MITM - The Day After

My Bday went as planned - good food, good wine, good vibes.  And we will not eat a thing for at least a week!

Thanks to everyone for all the great birthday greetings.

Our main bday meal was an excellent stuffed turkey roll, sweet potato casserole and gravy.  This was followed by a lip-smakcing kickass dessert - Blueberry Cobbler!  Wines on hand for the day - Consentino Cab Franc (Napa), and Morgan Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands).

I'll sample the cigars when I fully recover from my hedonistic overload.  The sheer nerve of an old codger like me eating, drinking and behaving like this!  Wouldn't have it any other way.

it's his BIRTHDAY!

 it's june 5th and today is the MITM's 63rd birthday! i mention the year only because he LOVES telling his age. he always forgets his birthday, in fact, most of the time he isn't even home, but this year it was a lot easier to remember BECAUSE today also marks the transit of venus! (google it if you haven't already read all about it, bought your special glasses and bookmarked the nasa site), but enough about that we have birthday celebrating to do!

we're fixing sausage and mushroom stuffed boneless rolled turkey breast and a sweet potato casserole. for dessert, he's asked for a blueberry cobbler. i'll try and take some photos and post them later. i hope all y'all will raise a glass and celebrate his day with us!




(you know, he really is much, much, MUCH older than me!)

Happy Birthday to the Man In The Moon!

rainy days...

MITM POST - This year, Western Elk Hunt October - In the meantime some memories......

“Listen, you Balkan rug peddler, my role of the great hunter, as you put it, is my own business.  It has nothing to do with you.  It's a sacred subject.  Much like the sex life of my mother.  It's something you'll refrain from talking about or even thinking about.  It's way too difficult a subject for your small little brain to grasp.  It's a passion that's beyond you.  I'd have to explain to you the sound of the wind and the smell of the woods.  I'd have to create you all over again. And stamp out those years you spent on the dirty pavement in cramped shoes.”

John Wilson (Clint Eastwood), White Hunter, Black Heart

 

Captain Chaos - Success!  Boar Hunt, CA

“We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.”

Henry David Thoreau

"One does not hunt in order to kill. On the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted."

Jose Ortega y Gasset

"Hunting has opened the earth to me and let me sense the rhythms and hierarchies of nature."

Charles Fergus

Capn Chaos and Mr. Moose - Snake River

 

The Kid - Cali

Stretch - Cali

Idaho Thugs - Snake River Area

Pheasant Hunting - Snake River Area

Doc - Duck hunting Cali

Mr. Matrix and Capn Chaos - Cali Duck Hunt

MITM Post – “I know you don't smoke weed, I know this; but I'm gonna get you high today, 'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got shit to do.” **

It was Friday.  We actually didn’t have shit to do.  We decided to get high – minus the weed.  Living on the Plantation, surrounded by marshes and rivers, we sometime forget how close we are to the ocean.  From our marina landing by boat to the Atlantic and the outer sea islands – 12 miles.  From our doorstep to the beach at Tybee Island – 20 miles.

We had been cooped up in the house way too long.  We had begun to argue with TV newscasters.  We railed at the abundance of stupid people with stupid and uninformed ideas about our political, social, diplomatic, fill in the blank future.  We howled at the schmucks who wanted to make their agenda our agenda, their idea of morality our morality, their totally fucked view of the world our fucked up view of the world…….   You get the picture.  Two old farts in bathrobes and slippers ranting and raving and howling at the moon.  Not a pleasant sight when we looked in the mirror.  We had to get out amongst the hoi-poloi, connect with our fellow beings, get a bit of nature in.  We went to the beach.

 

Dafuskie Island and Hilton Head in the distance.

 It was good.  We got some air in our gills.  We saw some old friends.  Drank a few beers and relaxed.  It was the start of Tybee Island’s (affectionately known as the Red Necked Riviera) general foolishness BEACH BUM WEEKEND parade.  And yes, we continued to rail at the stupidity around us, but we were doing it at the beach.

NORTH BEACH GRILL

 

Gourmet Chef Mir behind the bar

LOCAL YOKEL STUFF - YOU BE THE JUDGE

Sporting the old Georgia flag with Confederate Flag intact

LAZARETTO CREEK

** Smokey in the movie FRIDAY

he's a cutie and we know it!

baby boy chaos is almost 3 months old!

hush, hush, hush

i don't ask for much, but...

i believe in the power of positive thinking.

i believe that our community of bloggers, our community of friends,

can and have marshaled wave upon wave of good vibes,


positive strength


and most of all


unconditional love when it's been needed to help a pal through difficult times.


i'm asking for that right now.


our best pal,

our BFF,

our traveling companion and all around good guy isn't well.


he needs your strength, your prayers, your positive thoughts right now,


 and so does his missus


and their children.





and so do we. 





 (the MITM comes home on sunday. i'll be back next week.)