Slow blogging, busy weekend and all....

So, enjoy a little TLo while I am out... 

THE TOP 15 OUTS of 2010

maybe we will do a little live blogging from the UGA game/ NYE party....

cause we are just that wild.....

Coming to the Great White Way!

Opening March 24

The Story of Mormon

by

Matt Stone and Trey Parker

( the South Park Boys )

I may have posted this before, not sure, but it's official now with dates and theaters and such! Google South Park Mormon to watch, if you have not........ Let's all watch the Romney '12 campaign loose it.

dum, de, dum, dum, dum !

On the Sixth day of Christmas.....

A beautiful plate of holiday cookies from the lovely Mrs. Randell ( Celia ) Kennedy made by her even lovelier mother, Northild. My favorite is the one at " eleven o'clock". According to Celia it is a " Betmenschen - marzipan based dough with apricot preserves and three almonds representing the sons of a nobleman for whom the baker created the cookie."

YESTERDAY! ( and then we are all caught up )

 Met our old pal Craig in town from Washington DC 

for a little lunch and a Movie date.

" eat pray eat " 

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.......

 We saw THE KINGS SPEECH, a really good movie

esp for me, who was at one time more than a little obsessed

with Wallis Simpson. Easy to see why it racked up

at the Golden Globes.

We were going to go out and disco dance and exchange phone numbers

but we are old and decided on the MUCH more fun Village Burger with Paul

Slowly but surely.....

WAFFLE HOUSE!

Got up Monday morning and came back to happening D'Woody

( and Koda! )

But, right before you get on 85 South there in Barrow Co 

was a Waffle House......Neil goes for the scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, topped, etc...

I just do extra, extra crispy...

OK, the days are getting mixed up, I knew they would with out blogging, AND, I was not taking enough pictures. So, either Monday night or Tuesday night, I made dinner for everyone, basic Kyle fare: Chicken, rice and gravy, winter squash, broccoli

Ok.... wait, I know this was Tuesday, because Susan and Paul had a date and we baby sat, when what to our wandering eyes should appear but Brenda Hollifield all the way from rainy rainy Los Angeles, by way of the Mountains of Clayton, Ga..... she had home made wine from Cindy Cluepacheck (sp...).

Meanwhile back on the blog......

 CHRISTMAS !

The first with out our Dad, so things were a little surreal, but nice.

 baby's first cracker

 Cranberry Champagne Cocktail

 ( lots of these )

The great snow of '10 starts

Mike and Laurie

Ryan, home from the Marines

Jessie and Russel

Neil all festive

The next morning one would have thought it was Mendon!

but the roads were just fine, even for North East Georgia.

large bag of green peanuts in the Ingles

see, Wegmans does not have everything....

Boxing day in Barrow County was folks coming over

gathering around the fire and talking and eating, all 

day long....

Snow, snow, snow.... ( hum a little Danny Kaye...)

December 2010 Blizzard Timelapse from Michael Black on Vimeo.

December 24 : Traditional Christmas Eve

Do they know it's Christmas time at all ??

I made cookies , with, sort of children..... they were angels sent straight from heaven, as their mother watches me type. Then the Lovell-Spencers went off for an early Methodist Christmas, and I made us a nice Christmas Eve dinner. I do believe Mary and Joseph had seared tuna and lobster tail that night in the manger....

Seared Tuna

Cold water lobster tail with a fresh never frozen Georgia Brown Shrimp pasta.

The Spencer Christmas tree was lovely this year!

the tree at the TRES Big ass money B'head church was gay-er than P-town in August.....

This may was taken the day before, when we checked to find out if we needed a ticket....

My Adventures in the Church of the Pretty. 

So, we are milling about on the 23erd, hither and yon, all over Kyle's Atlanta, pre everything Buckhead being a part of that, and drive by the Atlanta Cathedral, which is right on Peachtree for those not from Atlanta. " can anyone just go there on Christmas Eve ?", I ask. " Let's find out".....

Turns out that yes, anyone can go there.... and we did.

Ok, now in my VERY limited church going experience... Rochester NY, - It's all We are the world, Kum bah yah, feel bad cause there are poor people,  women who may ,or may not, shave there legs sort of church. You know, wicker basket, home made bread up on the stage, and the Priest's very precocious daughter threw the challis on her own pottery wheel..... this was SO not that kind of church.

 Not knowing really what  the parking situation would be, we got there really early. I knew that , way back in pre cable times this service was on tv, and when we got there , sure enough there were all the tv cameras . We had been the day before and knew half of evergreen Maine was up in the front part, so we sat kind of towards the back, and were very early...in time to see the full Christmas Eve runway event.

Very surprised there were not PETA protesters outside as full length fur after full length fur paraded by us, along with the entire third floor shoe department from Neiman Marcus. I put on the facebook for anyone wanting  to watch for us on channel 2, easy to find us - we were the woefully underdressed couple. Everyone rich and dressed to the nines, men in suits and festive holiday ties, ladies in pretty outfits, too many black dresses and a few bordering on cocktail, but NO children to speak of.... grown up pretty Church!  Where have you been all my life? I could  not figure out what the flowers were covering the front of the church, as it was just a mass of color, then realizing it was poinsettias, roses and carnations, all the EXACT same color/hue of Episcopal Christmas Eve red. Four miles of gold painted magnolia leaves, and like I said, half of Maine in evergreens. It was the place where Southern Living covers , who led a good life, go to after they die.....

After we had been sitting for just a little while, the tv lights BLAZE on, making it even more of a movie set. I wish I had written this that night as it would have been more fresh in my mind. A Choir of 100, drums, trumpets, huge organ. Beautiful music, incense, just on and on. Neil said he had been to our lady of the money bags church before, this was new to me, and I liked it! Lots and lots and lots of gay couples there too! It did run a little long, feeding the well heeled masses the body and blood of Christ, took a while, we did not get home till like 1:45.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night, on 1000 thread count sheets and Ralph Lauren duvets!

December 23erd, the day before, the day before.

Old times here are not forgotten, as Kyle has an old school day, starting with :

Moe's and Joe's

sans PBR, I was driving!

My people

Emory students don't poop, anyway.

empty at what ever time this was, it gets LOUD....

Little Confederate snow men next door....

THEN! off to Your DeKalb Farmers Market, where if you know anything about Your DeKalb Farmers Market, you KNOW you can not take any pictures!

HAPPY BOXING DAY!

Greetings from the great white South, and in this case we do  mean SNOW!

I had all but forgot the joys of the frantic tie askewed weather man, all sweaty and full of gloom and doom. "THREE INCHES"!, screamed 2, 5 and 11.... just dream of that white Christmas no more! It started switching from rain to snow around 4 or 5 o'clock, and really, is still sort of slowly, slowly coming down, by far the most snow I have ever seen at this house. I walked out to take some pics this morning and a group of kids was sledding down in the corner of my parents yard, a rare site indeed. No need for us to go anywhere, I don't think so we will just stay all snug as a bug for today.

I heard from Susan this morning that Koda had a most Merry Christmas, playing with their neighbor dogs, I am sure teaching his southern cousins all about snow romping. We had a very nice time as well, photos to follow, as I keep saying.... should be back to uploadable territory tomorrow. But really y'all have not missed anything out of the ordinary other than the weather.....

Here in big Winder today and back to bustling D'woody tomorrow.....

Place HELD....

See, I did not want to go too many days with out blogging, cause I know my loyal reader.... would think something was amiss out in the world. IT TURNS OUT, that some people LIVE their lives instead of blogging about other peoples!  Shocking I know, and so very 2006. But, that is what we were doing, getting to Atlanta, getting settled in in lovely Dunwoody, doing stuff! When its not -4 with a foot of snow, you actually feel like doing stuff!

A crazy, crazy world!

and now I can not get photos to upload... stick with me folks, we are headed into the land of No Wireless, for the next few days.... I will do what I can.... MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

wankin bankers....

not really Christmas time language, but seems to hit it right on the head...

Biggest Day Ever?

A balmy 34 degrees in beautiful downtown Washington DC, 7:15 am, and folks are already gathering outside of the Dept of Interior auditorium.. what ever the space is, for today's Presidential signing of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal bill.

( photo from Andy Towle )

The joys of xm radio we got a lot of info on the way down, Michael Signorile and msmbc, talk of the many, many ( many ) bloggers and activists that were invited to the event today........ I am just sure the k+b was next on the list. A tiny, nothing of a kerfuffle over the signing ceremony not being held at the White House, but this is wing and a prayer legislation.... the White House at Christmas is booked !

Even as the folks there in DC gather in the cold, the militant Christianists are not giving up! Like some doomed Japanese solider on some tiny atoll, 1948.... Just last night MINORITY leader ( and all around DICK of a human being ) Mitch McConnell tried to stick a poison pill amendment into the still not passed military budget that could have put the repeal on hold. New homo hero Senator Lieberman jumped in to save the day...also leader of a known hate group Tony - big loser - Perkins is all over the internets with the good news of the season: He and John McCain will get DADT put back next Congress.. Good luck with that hates... especially, if you are losing one of your mean girl ranks.....





Since we are staying with our Amish friends , the Spencers, right now, we are with out C-span, so will be watching here on line. I will update on this post through out the day. I think what I might do, later on in the day, is just do some cutting and pasting of blogs and facebook accounts of people that I follow, the real in-the-trenches advocates that have been working non stop for years for this day to happen. I'm sure most of you are not all that involved and will enjoy reading some real first hand opinions. With some bigger picture comments from me.....

ages of you

OP-ED from this mornings NYT :
THE debate leading up to the Senate vote on Saturday to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has focused primarily on developments in the 17 years since its inception under President Bill Clinton.
But in fact the exclusion of gays and lesbians from the military has been a crucial issue for the gay movement for 65 years — in part because, during the postwar decades, it served as a model for anti-homosexual discrimination throughout the government and private sector.  ( read the rest, please )

GLORIOUS SOLSTICE

My people so don't mind sharing our holiday!

( and the Bacchanal here in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, was one for the ages! )

dashing through the snow....

"Those that are able, please Neil........"

Those that care to do so , please send out the good thoughts to get us, Santa like, home for Christmas. On the road again, sporadic updates.

Last years multi hospital laden trip South just a fuzzy memory.

Strings of street lights Even stoplights Blink a bright red and green As the shoppers rush home With their treasures

SHOPPING IS A FEELING!

Neil and I out and about this afternoon, getting all Christmasy!

Seen here in front of a mountain of parking lot snow.

Very cute - VERY METICULOUS - little Gingery cub 

wrapping presents at the Barnes and Noble.

Dinner : Art Vandelay

WIll Marines die if all you did was a little touchy touchy that one time in band camp ??

Christmas in Afghanistan....

From P. Butler Day. 

Go ahead... bitch about the Mall, I dare  you......

My boyfriend is ever so dreamy.......

( even on Fox News ...)

I'll be home for Christmas....

Miami - 1954

How did David Sedaris miss this one ?

From HUFFPO we get:

WACKY CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

a highlight being:

In Spain's Catalonia region, you'll find a character called 'El Caganer' among the figures in the traditional Nativity scene. He’s literally defecating -- according to Catalan legend, his “fertilizer” will yield a good harvest for the following year.

This is the day, your life will surely change

I slept till 9:30, so I just got to the party on c-span 2. But it is  happening, right now, as we type....Live broadcasting of Brown v Board - 2010.
A little live blogging here, It will not make much sense to  you at all , if you are not watching along with me. AND YOU SHOULD BE..  pop some corn and gather the kiddies, this is history folks....

C-SPAN 2

( I will be updating this post, all day long, so check back in )

• Lindsey is in a snit... whaa... whaa.... 
• JUST picked up Senator Webb
• bottom line : Saxby Chambliss is a sack of rotten horse shit. Wait.. he just threatened the full Senate ?? You will still be in the MINORITY in the next Congress, you idiot. " and monkeys may fly out of your ass "....Seriously, someone is going to have to do some fact checking on what this ass wipe just said .... we will come back to him.
• and Joe Lieberman , I, gets the gay vote in Conn....

The Dream Act is being voted on as well today, Senator Feinstein speaking on both now... I don't think I have spoken on the Dream Act , at all, but it just seems like such a total no brainer to me. BUT, you know the same gay haters in the GOP, also hate the brown folks....

• The Mountain of Intellect that is Joh Kyl is up now, only dealing with Dream, is the repeal of DADT just a done deal in their minds ? ( and he is equating Dream with the death of a border guard this week...... ?? )
• MY SENATOR! Kirsten Gillibrand is a wonderful public servant, and we love her...and Chuck
• and now John McCain, and his depends moment. Gnashing his teeth over the fact they are doing this in lame duck  : WHEN THE GOP IMPEACHED BILL CLINTON IN A LAME DUCK SESSION..I want a new process in the US Senate, 5 or 6  computer whizes with google, and WHEN a Senator tells an out right lie a game show buzzer goes off. HOLY CRAP... yes, latte sipping Harvard grads want dead soldiers.. John McCain is NOT a good American.

We have totally drifted off into Dream Act only, so ... that is a good thing, out with a whimper, not a bang ?

• Mitch McConnell is an embarrassment to Kentucky, the United States of America and as a human being. 
• Harry Reid sort of phoned in his DADT speech.. but I am thinking that is fine, cause ITS GOING TO HAPPEN, and really, he owes his last victory to Latino Nevadians, so we can see why....

Voting on Dream Act now... it's been so long since I have seen a Senate vote!

11:28
I have not even made coffee OR more importantly, taken Koda out yet.. but he is still exhausted after his party yesterday.
11:36
THEY ARE VOTING...

63-33

WE WIN

and I have to take Koda out...... more to come...

1:00
Koda had his romp out in the park and I am fully caffeinated.

So, this is what winning feels like. Am I wrong in thinking that this is the very first  " stand alone " pro lgbt bill to get passed in Congress? I was chatting with Neil as he waited on his train to come home and he thought maybe the Matthew Shepard Act., but that was an overall federal hate crimes bill, that just had sexual orientation in it. I will do some research on this, but I think I am right....
When it rains it pours : It now looks like final passage of the bill will be at 3:00 TODAY.... man o man!

3:26
Took Koda for a nice walk and started getting ready to head South. Neil is lost somewhere in the wilds of Utica, waiting to go fetch him. Final vote. Come on.. FINAL VOTE. So, so , so much in house bickering on the facebook and blogs, " NO , I DID MORE WORK " , blah, blah, blah. Just going to be all in with anger , out with love.

65 -31

It's done, and it's over

There is enough joy for everyone, you call all be heros. This is the end of this post, I'll come back in another one, there is just a lot going on today...