Ella Fitzgerald Sings "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"

Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians -- Auld Lang Syne (VintageMusic.es)

This will be it for the year - won't be online tonight. So, A happy safe new years eve/day to all the k+b readers. Thanks for coming on the ride with me - see you in 2015.

Countdown

Gathering our greens and peas for tomorrow - a fun trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Mkt - 

 for some reason a black and white pic of some pig spleens

 SO MUCH South Asian items - I was very good at not buying things

 Chilies

 A huge selection of very fresh fish- which a lot of folks were buying, I guess its a NYE thing...

all sorts of pastries and pies.

Got everything I needed for our big meal tomorrow.

Last Dance

From a sadly empty Charlotte football stadium, UGA beat the Louisville Cardinals 37 -14.

Chubb had a great night, giving some hope to the fall.

Watched at Dana and Steve's lovely Gweat Gwinnet home with Angela - she put out some yummy snacks and had some bang up chicken chili . 

MOVIE DAY

Yes, we are on a holiday binge

W/ Paul and Logan in some fancy fancy Whitey McWhite N. Fulton movie palace.

Very good film, I knew the over all story, but this fills in out nicely. Then ending is devastating - much more powerful than I was expecting. A back up, fuck you to the world - " my people " did this sort of thing... but more than that just deep deep sadness for everyone that had to lie to live.
Praising how far and fast we have come hoping against all hope that people will not forget the lives that were left in the dust.

Daily Koda + Amber

 Kodak very  much enjoys being here, they have a great big fenced in back yard that backs up to a park where all sorts of dire things happen, people, children ,other dogs - squirrels.

Started off the day with a bit of excitement when Miss Amber decided to punch out on of the dining room window panes with her paw  - cutting it pretty deep. A trip to the vet, some wrapping - AND the cone of shame! She will be fine.

R.E.M. - Hollow Man (Live in Seney-Stovall Chapel, Athens, GA)

Dinner

So, I watched this video this morning and was craving fish cakes all day long, when we all got home tonight and were figuring out what to do for dinner, I said I wanted fish cakes and Susan pulled out a couple cans of salmon.... not exactly the above but darn close enough.

and as for the new normal , bad or no photos....

EVERYTHING AND MORE

Round two of trying to see INTO THE WOODS paid off and it was fantastic.




Wonderful transfer to the big screen losing none of the real magic of the music.

Here enjoy a little more Sondheim:

rats!

JUST as I was telling you all how I was going to do better about taking pics and getting things on here comes yet another big time fail today. Neil and I went VaHi to meet B. Day for our annual George's burger , and these are the pics I took:

My Pimento Cheese Burger '14

Today was the 5th day of Christmas ....

Was great to spend a tiny bit of time with Beth, who is not having the Jan 1 extravaganza this year but is off on a west coast New Years Adventure, good for her.

Truth in Blogging

Same problem that we were having in Mendon just turned up to 11. Those days when its me and Koda on the trail getting the time and space to write here is easy - very active post Christmas real life - the blogging comes in drips and drabs. Which is bad for all of us - y'all enjoy reading this ( just as I enjoy writing it ) AND it serves as my diary - " Hey, what all did we do last Christmas ? " . If I had taken more photos and then came here with them we would all have it , forever . I need to get better at this - I mean Ive only been doing this for what, eight years or something....

I am at last getting rid of my pre holiday creeping crud of a cold, starting to feel much better. I was just out and out sick on the 23rd - slept most all day and night, been getting better every day since. We came back to Susan and Paul's on.... Saturday. That is another thing, I have NO IDEA what day of the week it is, the Holidays PLUS there being no cable tv here in Dunwoody.

So everything is fine and happy, and as always I will TRY and be a better blogger to me - and as always really, thank you all that do read this for doing so - makes me feel connected to folks that I am not actually near.

Dinner

 PAUL and SUSAN cooking dinner

A most yummy " pear spaghetti " / blue cheese and pecan salad

Farfalle with Sausage and Tomatoes

IF WISHES WERE TREES....

Set out to see INTO THE WOODS today, but before we could Neil started not feeling well ( it was nothing and he is 100% now ) so we did not make it - but will try again asap.

Good news for the movie though :

THIS PHOTO : if only for the all out fan griling of Meryl hugging Stephen

Hollywood Will Listen: Into the Woods Celebrates Biggest Movie Musical Opening Ever

Children will listen

Our debate Saturday night was whether to expose the Spencer teenagers ( 17 & 13 ) to FAST TIMES AT RIDGMONT HIGH or ANIMAL HOUSE. We went with the later . Susan had a few mid film reservations but they have to be exposed to high culture at some point.

The funny thing is , I realized later on, that I was exactly Logan's age when I first saw this movie - I know where and when and who I was with ( a date - with a girl - and a double date at that ! ) Pretty sure it did not have the same effect on them that it did on me

Chicken Soup for the.....

Boxing Day, Winder Ga : Still fighting my cold and my Mother had come down with something similar - Neil and Koda the only healthy two in the house. Lots of left overs but this day called for some of my magic chicken soup - exactly what the doctor and every Jewish mother on the planet called for. I am on my way to the store to get a chicken, load of ginger and garlic, some chilies - everything we needed when my mother told me that she " had a fantastic chicken soup recipe and had every thing there, no need to go out to the store " . OK.

I forgot to write down or take a photo of the recipe, so this is from memory, I will get the real thing and pass on to you later.

Take 2 boneless chicken skinless chicken breasts and boil in some water with a few stalks of celery - cook well, then just turn off and let sit for a good long while, then take chicken out, shred with forks and strain liquid.

• In cooking pot, sweat in a  little oil one med onion and one largish carrot chopped

• 2 quarts chicken broth ( I just used the strained cooking liquid, nothing else )
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 box instant wild rice mix ( remove the season packet, you don't need that , cook as directed, just leave out spices )
• 2t salt
• 2T ground sage
• 1 T curry powder
• 4 oz velveeta cheese
• 2 cups half and half

Just add everything to the veggies and heat through. No, it was not the healthy brew that I tend to make but it was VERY good and I do think it made me feel better!

A little more Christmas ....

I was just caught up in the whole day  ( plus still not feeling great aka : sober  ) and just did not take a bunch of pics. It is sort of a whiz bang night - there is the calm of just Kyle, Neil and Freta then BOOM! The house fills up all at once with the 5 under 5 and all the parents and grands that come with them. You have to work just to make sure that you talk to everyone.

We started off the day over at my brothers house and his grand kiddies opening presents

( Young girls REALLY like Frozen....)

 My fantastic Christmas surprise, and it was one : Neil got us AUDRA tickets - that was the huge loud gay gasp that you all heard sort of mid morning Christmas Day, me opening my gift.

 Koda was very happy to be there

Neil and Hawkins had some snuggle time

Getting ready for our photo.

Mi Familia

Yeah, I didnt make the photo this year, but Koda sort of wearing a hat did.

Busy day - more later on.

FULL BLUBBERING MESS

How I spent Christmas Eve - and I loved it

THE CHRISTMAS CURSE

Seriously.

Number 1, this stuff is just adult sunny D - not even close to orange juice, and I have drank like a gallon of it the last couple of days. It's Christmas, we are in Atlanta - and therefor I AM SICK. Panic over the flu bug which is just rampant down here led me to the shot before I came down and BOOM - got a major nasty drippy achy painy regular old cold, bah - humbug to the cold!

Started feeling a little off driving down, then real bad yesterday, slept , fitfully, almost all day long, then today came on to Winder a day early, just to relive Susan of a giant hulking phlegm machine rolling around in her guest bedroom. Also did not want her mother who is visiting to catch what could have been something worse .

I just really look forward to my Christmas Eve traditions all year - A pimento cheese burger at Georges, Midnight mass with Chip and Rick and then the Waffle House there in Brookhaven - did nothing today other than be sick and drive to Winder.

The upside is I really am feeling a little better, guess I needed all that sleep, so hopefully by the time we are back in Atlanta I will be close to my old self again.

Sounds of the Season : 2

Then on foggy Christmas Eve

Road To Winder - could have used a red nose.

Koda in a very soggy Dunwoody

1959

By Salvador Dali -

and the Hallmark people were not happy about it.

Dunwoody !

Happy 17th Logan!

Us at the HAPPY SUMO for Logan's Birthday.

It's been a long few days, Ill get to some deep blogging tomorrow - 

and to all a good night.

Sounds of the Season : 3

Drive

It's that time of the year : the k+b from the ATL !

Our now and forever tradition of taking two days to drive down, at least times when we do it in the winter. Stopped somewhere in Kentucky, got up and came on in today - I had one minor break down but other than that , I fine trip. No real weather issues.

Sounds of the Season : 4

NOW IT CAN BE CHRISTMAS!

My annual posting of the Atlanta Humane Society rent-a-Santa choking baby Dickie , who did not want to be there. Merry Christmas, everyone !

BIG FANCY CHRISTMAS PARTY

AND WE WERE THE BAND!

( I was a roadie )

A bunch of doctors - I think these were brain doctors , but I never was clear - I always thought it was David's lady doctor pals, but that was last night. It is a massive party at the Genesee Vally Club all fancy and proper , and " we " are the Carolers!
There is a Santa as well as clowns and magicians and crafts for the kids,  There were 2 photographers - you got your photo instantly , A DJ and dance floor, 5 or 6 fully open bars, really good food, and a massive dessert bar - it is a nice party. We have been before.

We got there a little bit early so the band could eat before they sang. You started off with a kiddie section, really yummy little burgers, mac-n-cheese,pig in a blankets, chicken fingers and fries . Then salads , 3 or 4 - then the make to order pasta station with spinach and chicken and shrimp, anything you wanted with several different pastas. Then some other pasta dishes and sides. A pan of great texture and taste salmon - which went great with this tottalinni English pea dish -

Then the carving stations

The Gandells

The cake and cookie part of the dessert bar

Full Bar with like top shelf bottles.. 

My first go round

Neil was eating

Dahn, David and Alan

The carvers

There are lots and lots of people, its a great big building and this party has the entire place. There is another whole food line and a few bars upstairs, along with private dining rooms.

Singing for our supper.

no idea , it was just to show the walls and stairs

the fully loaded , many many toppings ice cream bar

IN a solid chunk of ice!

a sad and lonely Santa

This blond was wearing a tiara ! There were some very questionable fashion choices here tonight. Go up a size ladies - sausage dress does not make you look thinner. And really all over the place, from simple day dress or pants with christmas sweaters to this lady in an evening gown and tiara.

got simi busted taking a pic of a guy that I thought was really cute

The club is decorated really nicely for the holidays, and all over too, every room, of which there are like a dozen .

Downtown Rochester

Even the men's rooms are really nice. Neil loved him some barbicide soaked combs.