Happy Birthday Kody!

Gordon's on TV!

The King's Academy's spring mission project, Servant Safari, was
featured on KGO TV's Friday salutes spotlight. Yes, Gordon was in the
video, but only his flip side. You can see him at 33 seconds and 46
seconds into the piece.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=abc7_salutes&id=5252552

You Can't Take It with You

That's the play, of course, The King's Academy spring play selection. You're all invited to see the production, which includes Gordon as Mr. Kirby. Yikes! It's coming up fast, May 16 through May 19, and rehearsals have just started! Put the dates on your calendar. I'll let you know when tickets are available.

From Wikipedia:

"You Can't Take It with You is a Pulitzer Prize winning comedic play in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, and was the basis for the 1938 Academy Award winning film directed by Frank Capra. The original production of the play opened at the Booth Theater on December 14, 1936 and played for 837 performances.

"At first the Sycamores seem mad, but it is not long before you realize that if they are mad, then the rest of the world is madder. In contrast to these delightful people are the unhappy Kirbys. Tony, the attractive young son of the Kirbys, falls in love with Alice Sycamore and brings his parents to dine at the Sycamore house on the wrong evening. The shock sustained by Mr. and Mrs. Kirby, who are invited to eat cheap food, shows Alice that marriage with Tony is out of the question. The Sycamores find it hard to realize Alice's view. Tony knows the Sycamores live the right way with love and care for each other, while his own family is the one that's crazy. In the end, Mr. Kirby is converted to the happy madness of the Sycamores (particularly because he happens in during a visit by the ex-Grand Duchess of Russia Olga Katrina, who is currently earning her living as a waitress)."

The college choice - and the winner is...

Gordon made his selection for college last night. Sorry, I'm not going to reveal it to you, the world, until I can tell my folks who are still in Greece. I'm sure you understand!

Live from Santa Barbara - it's Westmont College!

On the road again. I can't believe it.

Gordon and I are on the campus of Westmont College. It's a liberal arts Christian college in the hills above Santa Barbara, frequently named to US News and World Report's annual top 100 list. If you ever have the opportunity it's worth a visit just for the beauty of the campus. This is one of Gordon's three top choices and one of two to offer a hefty scholarship. It was also the only one of the three that we had not yet formally toured.

I think that Gordon has had a good impression of the school and perhaps has a more favorable view of it than he did before. Stay tuned for "the decision," which must be made by May 1.

The other two schools being considered are St. Olaf in MN and College of Wooster in OH.

A new feature: this week's menu

One of the more challenging, yet rewarding, tasks of the week is to plan menus. I thought I would share mine for your entertainment, but also for future reference for me, when I get stuck. Without further ado...

Sunday - Beef stew in the new pressure cooker. Used chuck from Costco, Guiness, thyme, oregano, bay leaf. Added carrots, celery, potatoes and pearl onions. (I think I'm the only one who eats the onions.) Should be enough leftovers for a dinner later in the week.

Monday - Catfish, pan fried in a cast iron pan, coated with rice flour in deference to Susan's wheat gluten sensitivities. Also - artichokes - four for $2.60 at Trader Joe's.

Tuesday - Spaghetti the easy way - bottled sauce from Costco, turkey meatballs from Trader Joe's. Probably wouldn't use TJ's meatballs again - too soft and unnatural! Susan had some of the leftover stew because the meatballs had wheat flour added. Veggies was fresh broccoli, microwaved.

Wednesday - Rib eye steak. Ellie will get some for her birthday the following day. Veggies will be fresh carrots.

Thurs - Gordon and I will be visiting Westmont College. Susan and Lauren may have ham steak from Costco (sense a pattern here?).

Fri - Beef stew for Susan and Lauren.

Sat - I dunno.

Home... for a while

Well, we finally got home yesterday, though a little late. First we were delayed in St. Louis because of the low cloud cover at SFO. Then, after a 45 minute delay they put us on the play but once we pushed back from the gate we were held for another hour on the ground. And then, finally, on the ground at SFO, we were delayed once again because the delays had fouled up the gate assignments. We got to our gate about 2 hours and 30 minutes after our original arrival time, most of that spent on the airplane.

Susan's dad has slowed down considerably since last year. His legs are weaker - he needs a walker and shuffles. He was having some pain in his lower back, a recent development. Those two factors combine to make him housebound. The doctors were still trying to figure it out the cause of the pain when we left, but the operative theory was fractured vertebrae. There is a metasticized lesion in the area, too, as seen in an MRI, probably spread from his prostate cancer, but the oncologist thinks it's not a problem right now. We'll keep you posted.

Looks like one more trip in the near term. I think I'll be taking Gordon down to Westmont College in Santa Barbara the latter part of this week for one final close look. Anyone know of nice, reasonable hotels down there?

Coming Home

It's almost a tradition - Cinnabon's at the airport as we're on our way home. More later...

One trip ends, another begins

Well, we were home and then we weren't.

First things first - We got home Sat. from The King's Academy East Coast Trip and arrived safe and sound, if a little tired. I think we left Boston at 4 PM and finally arrived home about 10 PM local time.

Sunday I sang with the church choir for our usual Easter services. Three services is the usual and that's what I did.

Yesterday we were on the road again, traveling for our annual Indianapolis family trip. Since we arrived a little late today, Wed, was the first chance we had of seeing Susan's dad. Sadly, the last couple of days he's had some setbacks. First some weakness in his legs so that he needs a walker to get around the house. Then a few days ago he started having some serious pain in his lower back but no other leg pain. He had an MRI yesterday so we're waiting to see what the professionals think.

Will keep you posted.

-g-

Roast Mastadon

From NYC to Boston today, and boy, was it cold! At least it was cold for these Californians. I suspect that Bostonians were enjoying the balmy spring day. Arrive in Boston about 3 PM and got the Hah Vahd tour. Was great - what an amazing campus. Hadn't realized that it covers 500 acres! But with the 40 degree weather and 15 mph breeze it was cold enough. Fortunately snow flurries or rain did not materialize.

Dinner was at Durgin Park - just adults - and what a disappointment. Four years ago it was stop for all the group, kids and adults. It was four entrees and they were all bad. I felt they were just marking time for unsophisticated kids. They served foods like pizza, dried chicken breasts, and etc. However, given their reputation I went with most of the aduts intent on experiencing the real thing. Well, I'm here to tell you the real thing is nothing to write home about. I had broiled scrod, their specialty. Hrumpf, I can do better, much better. Harried wait staff, slow to refill humongous water pitchers. I paid $16.95 for the scrod, mashed yams, and french fries. A cup of fish chowder (not bad, not notable) was $3.95. Bottom line, two stars out of five.

Oh, the mastadon. The picture doesn't do it justice. Must have been a two pound rib. As presented the bone hung over the edge of the plate at least 5 inches. Couldn't have been a cow, unless it was genetically mutated. I mean, modified.

Tomorrow - Lexington and Concord. "Listen my children..." Wonders what a press agent can do. There were actually over a hundred riders sent out that night. Longfellow was actually trying to convince civil war recruits to be all that they could be.

Home in a couple of days!

Change in posting comments

I've changed the requirements for posting comments. Anyone can comment - you won't have to deal with the pesky request to register for blogger. However you will have to enter a "capshaw" (sp?) - those floaty text strings that try to filter out spammer robots. I look forward to hearing from more of you now.

The Dobbins House

This was our Gettysburg dinner stop. The Dobbins House was a way station for the Underground Railway. There's a small exhibit showing how the fleeung slaves were hidden.

A stop on the Underground Railway

[4.15.07 - Had to fix the typo in the subject.]

Door detail

Dobbins House exterior

Random fuel stop en route to NYC

Apple Store in NYC

Californians in the Big Apple

I've lost track of the days of the tour, but here's a recap of what we've done the last couple of days. That assumes that I can remember...

Tuesday - New York City
- Viewing of Ground Zero from the Winter Garden. The rebuilding of Winter Garden is quite a story in itself. You ought to look it up.
- Shopping on Fifth Avenue. My guys and I wandered all the way from Rockefeller Center to Central Park South to 42nd Avenue in Times Square.
- Tour of Radio City Music Hall. You've seen my picture already, eh?
- Dinner at Dallas BBQ. Maybe someone can tell me if it's just a NY establishment (several branches) with an evocative name, or truly out of Dallas?
- Surmounted the Top of the Rock, the rooftop viewing from the top of Rockefeller Center, all 68 stories of it.

Deep breath...

Wednesday - New York City
In the rain, ranging from light to driving, we saw:
- Ellis Island;
- Statue of Liberty;
- Back to the hotel to get gussied up to go to -
- Dinner at Dominico's (I thought they had said Delmonico's!); and
- A Broadway show! Most of the group went to see Phantom of the Opera, but Lauren and I had arranged to peel off and see Wicked. We were so glad we did - it was positively fabulous with everything about the production being terrific. Lauren also had her first NY taxi ride.
- Arrived back at the hotel at 11:30pm.

Today we're headed out to our last city Boston. Cool weather is in the forecast (low 40s) with chances of precipitation.

Day Five - Woo-hoo!

Radio City Music Hall tour was on the agenda today. Here's some eye candy - both the picture and the subject of the picture. She's not bad, either.

Going part 2

Finally, dinner (all you can east or want to eat at Chevy's) then the Lincoln memorial and the new Air Force memorial. Are you tired yet?

But these guides are pros and there is balance. We just left Ford's Theater (but didn't get in - too long a line) and are on the road to Gettysburg, about a two hour drive. After lunch, tour and dinner we'll drive to New York. So, this is generally a day of rest.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm napping.

Going and going and going

It's day four. Whew! What a couple of days it has been. Sat we left the hotel at 7:45am and returned at 9:30pm. Yesterday we left the hotel at 9am and returned at 9:45pm.

And what a day it was yesterday. We started at the WW II memorial, walked to the Korean War memorial and then to the Vietnam War memorial. Then we boarded the buses and drove to the Air and Space Musuem for lunch (McDonald's - yum) and a couple of hours to see that museum and others in the area - our choice. At 3:30pm we walked to the Capitol where our guide gave us a historical perspective of the Capitol and nearby buildings. The group was quiet, but it was either attentiveness or sleepiness by then. Then off to the National Archives (on foot) where we waited an hour in line until admitted in to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. One lucky child was chosen to brush lemon juice on the back of the DofI to see the secret code. (Just kidding - seen "National Treasure"?)