I was a teenager last night. No, I was twenty-something last night. I took in a Collective Soul concert with one of my oldest friends.

We were bad asses.

Is that picture wrong?

Not only did we not sit in our $65 seats, we stood at the back of the venue by the sound guys for the entire time, whooping it up and acting like groupies. I loved it.

I drank whiskey and beer and sang out loud to all the songs (that I could remember the words).

My girlfriend couldn’t understand why they played at such a small venue, I reminded her that most of Collective Souls fans are now 30+, with a lot of us pushing our mid-40’s and older. We enjoy soft seats, carpet, washrooms nearby and a bar! It was perfect.

After the one encore, everyone left and went home to watch The National. Except for us. Of course. What ever happened to Nolton Nash?

A co-worker of mine was there with his brother, the four of us decided to have a drink at the casino bar and from there we decided to go to a local pub. My co-worker dropped us (and his brother) off. He was responsible and went home to his wife and young daughter. We proceeded to drink some more (even run and coke, disgusting), sing out loud to the music, talk to the patrons (all men, we were the only women there) and proceeded to close the place down. Holy shit, I have not been in bar when the lights have come on in years. What was I thinking? I know, groupies party all night long.

My love showed up to drag our sorry assets home, of course we made him stay and then we made him drive us to my co-workers brothers place! Once there we drank some more (straight bourbon and “dirty” cosmopolitans – yummy). I’ve no idea what time we left. But I do know we ate Mcdonalds at 2:30 or 3:00am. It was the best gourmet meal I think I have ever eaten! Why does that stuff taste so good when you have very little sense of anything?

I think I made to bed around 4:00am. Yes, on a school night too. Bad ass that I am.

This morning was difficult. This afternoon is still difficult. Was it worth it? You bet your bad hard partying whooping ass it was.

No more Poop

Poop.

No, not what my children used to finger-paint with when they were 2. Poop, the most loveable little pusser you'd ever want to know.

He was my first cat I got after I left my husband. Actually he was the second, but the first cat was a bastard and I’d rather not talk about him.

Perdue et Trouve, also known as Poopie Doo, or Poop, got sick. He hasn’t been real well for a while now, but today there was blood where there shouldn’t be blood.

We said good bye this morning. He was as lovable as he has always been, rubbing against my arm with his back arched and his beautiful white paws looking all chunky and fat.

He wasn’t well and I know we made the best decision for him.

He was the sweetest cat anyone has ever known. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Always happy, always content. I wish more people could be like he was.

Daisy (the bitch Manx) will miss him, as will Casey, (the mini-doxie), but no one shall miss him the way Emily will miss him. She is home mourning him now.

Don't get me wrong, I too will miss him, we used to share a bed! He loved potato chips and French fries, just last week we caught him with his head in a bag of potato chips.

Having a pet is difficult, having to say goodbye is even more difficult. Luckily, Emily insisted on having him cremated so everyone will be able to visit his ashes, whenever you wish!

Goodbye my Poopie Doo, I loved you very much and you’ll be missed forever.

Tandoori Chicken

What do you think of when you hear or read Tandoori Chicken? 

I think about a dog walking up a ladder.  No shit.  I know you can bridge the correlation. 

It's amazing to me how certain things bring up the oddest memories or thoughts.  Like whenever I hear someone mention Mr. Dress Up, it happens so often, I automatically go back to my parents living room, where I would sit on the carpet watching my "boyfriend" on the black and white television saying things like "Oh garu."  What does Mr. Dress Up conjure up for you?  Do you even know who he is? 

So why, you ask, does Tandoori Chicken remind me of a dog walking up (and down!) a ladder?  Well, many, many years ago - I was probably 22 or 23 - my then boyfriend (who went on to become my ex husband) and I were living in Toronto.  We were invited to have dinner at the home of one of his co-workers and his wife.  All I remember from the evening was their dog would walk up and down a 7' step ladder in the back yard and his wife (the co-worker, not the dog) made Tandoori Chicken for dinner.  I recall thinking "Ok, I know mom makes chicken for Sunday dinner and I know Mary Brown makes it and puts in a bucket, what the hell is Tandoori Chicken?" 

I'm bringing this up now because I realized yesterday, when I was making my Tandoori marinade, how much I have learned throughout the years.  Between reading, television, the internet, people I have met and places I have gone, I've accumulated so much knowledge it's amazing to me.  Sometimes I have to stop and realize that not everyone is as "spong-like" as I consider myself to be.  There have been, on numerous occasions, when I have mentioned something to whomever I was with and they didn't know what I was talking about.  Is it just me, do I absorb more or is everyone like this - just absorbing information about different things than I?  For example, the love of my life (you know who you are) asked me a question the other day about the Royal Family (Queen Elizabeth and the bunch), I looked at him and said "I cannot believe you don't know that."  But the more I thought about it the more I realized, perhaps he just doesn't care so he wouldn't have absorbed anything about the Royal Family.  Ask him (my love) about muscles and exercise and supplements - he's more knowledgable than anyone I have ever met.  It's becuase that's what he's passionate about isn't it?

I'm just getting it.  It's all making sense to me now.