And They're Off!

Hello Everyone! It's Derby in Louisville. It's a lot like Mardi Gras.

We will all be drunk for the next week and a half.

The best part is that I AM BEING PAID to host a bar at the Derby Festival. I get as many free drinks as I want. My job is to be fun and entertaining and witty. I might be up to the task.

Plus, this weekend I am flying to Chicago for Joe's big 30.

And, Aaron arrives in Louisville on Saturday. He is moving here which is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.

It's actually pretty amazing how Louisville just grinds to a halt because of Derby. Every job I've applied for, every contact, every group I volunteer with has said "We'll get back to you after Derby". And they mean it.

So, just remember. It's Derby in Louisville. Any phone call you get from Kentucky will be a drink-and-dial.

You have been warned.

And "Phantom Of The Paradise" Comes Up Again

Great Song. Great Movie. What more can I say?

Quote Of The Day, From A Wikipedia Article About Xena: Warrior Princess, Who Is My Role Model In LIfe

" Alti lured Xena toward greater evil with promises that she would become the Destroyer of Nations"

This works for me. I can be lured pretty much anywhere as long as I get to be the "Destroyer Of Nations". I will start with England. I have never much cared for London. And my ancestors are mostly Irish and Welsh. So we hate the Brits. I am not sure how I will Destroy England. I am assuming that I have been given some sort of super-power. Maybe fire comes out of my eyes.

Oh! No! I am going to Destroy England by making water not boil. That will mean that they will no longer be able to cook food, and they will die.

Ha!

And I will abolish crumpets. And jam.

Are You A Superchick?

At first I thought this was a hoax. Aaron sent it to me, and I thought he was tricking me. But I did some internet research and discovered that this is a real trailer for a very real movie. A movie I want to see. A movie I want to own.

This Is A Really Cool Video

Quote Of The Day: "The Only Gay In The Village"

"I come from a small valley in Wales and it just wasn’t the thing to do to be gay. It’s a bit of a cliche — but I was the only gay in the village.”

- Ian Watkins (of Steps)

Apparently I Have Weird Dreams...

...Because according to David I woke him up early this morning with the following statement:

"The helicopters go woo! woo! and the people have to hold their hats. Some of them are going to meetings and some of them are going to dinner."

So insightful. So thoughtful.

Just A Random Video

I really like Kylie Minogue. So here is a random Kylie video.....

Some More Restored Houses That Are Similar To Ours

Here are some more examples of what people have done with houses built around the same time as ours. 1920 was an awkward time. Half of the US was still firmly Victorian, and the other half was all modern. Our house is a perfect example of the era. The outside is Victorian, the bathrooms are Victorian, but the floorplan is very 1920's modern. The neighborhood is more Victorian, so I imagine someone in 1920 built this house to be the envy of all of their neighbors, what with its modern amenities and such (indoor toilet, central heat, modern floorplan), but they weren't quite so confident as to build a true bungalow, or any sort of Frank Lloyd Wrightish modern nonsense.

So they built a comfortably familiar exterior, and even though they added indoor plumbing they installed a clawfoot tub, which is still in the downstairs bathroom.

Pretty fun.

From what I have read, this architectural style died out right after 1920.

And yes, we are going to put the railing back on the porch and the steps. And shutters on the windows. Sadly, someone put un-paintable vinyl siding on parts of the house, so painting a lovely wan 1920's color is impossible. So now we need input as to white/color schemes. I like white body/black trim or white body/green trim. David leans towards plums/reds/purples for trim.

Please feel free to express an opinion!

Our New House

This is our new house. Although it was built in 1920, architecturally it is part of the late Victorian "Dutch Colonial Revival" style. Note the really great columns. We are going to try to restore the exterior to its original colors and details. I've done some research and most of these houses were painted pale yellow or green, with dark contrasting trims. They also usually had a railing around the porch between the columns. Here is an example of a restored house from the same time period:The new house is technically in Germantown, although it is only about a block away from Original Highlands. For those of you who have been to visit, we are a block or two behind Lynn's Paradise Cafe.

I'm Going To Chicago!

Joe is turning 30 at the end of this month, and Lastenia and Joe are buying me for a present. Well, not me, really. They have graciously purchased an airline ticket on Southwest for me so that I can go to Joe's 30th birthday bash.

It is a lovely and generous gift, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

Ik Hou Van Belgie

It's Official! My Dear Friend Aaron Zweigle Is Moving To....

LOUISVILLE, KY!!!! Yay! He should be here by the end of the month at the latest.

Best news I've had in months.....

This is Aaron, for those who have never met him.