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Sep

The Kensington Labor Day Parade

By Red 1 Comment

Categories: family, fun, holidays and local

If you’ve been to Kensington’s Labor Day Parade before then you have a predefined area to sit along with your family and friends. You also know to bring a bag for the candy that gets thrown at you and a trash bag for the political handouts as well as the candy wrappers.

The parade always starts out with all the politicians:

Then come Kensington’s Fire trucks:

The Kensington Fire Department has quite a fleet of trucks. Oh and here is a small sampling of my family:

There were bands:

… And fighting pirates:

The PTA was rocking out:

While the kids tagged along behind:

Then there were Horses and dogs:

Oh and then MORE Fire trucks from Rockville, Hyattstown and Silver Spring. It was unbelievable how many fire trucks there were:

There was a float… of sorts:

I really hope to see more floats in the years to come.

There were people that had something to say. Some of it was understood some of it wasn’t:

The parade has really grown over the years. I ran into a a lot of friends and even one who was in the parade for a local Stage Hand Union. The problem is… They were at the end and everyone’s ADD had kicked in at that point. Maybe next year they will have a float to really get noticed. I can’t wait.

See this is why I leave the beach early… To not only beat traffic but also to see the parade and then walk into town for the Festival and catch up with everyone after the summer.

If you’ve never trekked out to K-Town for the Labor Day parade I suggest you mark your calendars and make it out for the next one in 2010. There’s nothing like a small town parade and this one is just outside D.C.

Jan

Now that the holidays are over we can breathe a sigh of relief and welcome 2009

By Red Leave a Comment

Categories: Mini Red, family and holidays

The holidays have come and gone… Thank goodness.

I spent Christmas week sick as a dawg. Started with a cold and by the Christmas Eve I couldn’t keep much down. I felt so bad that during the annual Family Christmas Eve Party I went and took a nap. The Family got up at the crack of dawn for 7:30 Mass but decided to leave me be. Yeah I wasn’t doing too well but when I did get up I felt better than I did the day before.

Mom said it was gonna be low key this year and not as many gifts… Yeah right! That woman is off the hook and honestly, I don’t know how she does it all.

Mini Red had a blast especially when she walked in the room to find the keyboard she has been DYING for.

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By Sunday I was feeling better and able to eat. Mini Red’s Dad brought her home. I was a little shocked to see what she was wearing. Her Dad had previously agreed with me that the Goth look wasn’t for her but that seems to be all he bought her. Everything was black with skulls. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not against the skulls but when combined with all the black it’s so unappealing. Oh and the shirt she was wearing… Horrible!

joker2

Mini Red and I ran out to do some errands and ended up at Sushi Damo. It was pretty warm that day but I had to have Mini Red zip up her jacket because the Joker was staring at me and it was unnerving. I think her Dad does it to piss me off and it’s working. When I mentioned all the black and skulls he bought her he pointed out the shoes I got her. Well, the shoes are cool but that is the ONLY thing I got her with skulls. Converse allows you to design your own shoes so that’s what I had Mini Red do and she even personalized them!

converse2

We brought the New Year in quietly while packing. I’m looking forward to 2009 especially with moving into a house. 2008 had it’s ups and downs which started with a new job and a horrible cold. I experienced kidney stones, finding wonderful people, a conference in Orlando, the Big 40 and a long awaited, beautiful wedding in Chicago. I learned a lot in 2008 and realized how much is beyond my control and to just let it go. Several people left my life, not due to death but for their own reasons, some unbeknownst to me and some ridiculous. All were people I knew for a very long time but I’m ok with it.

2009 has many promises… Some good and some bad but I’m ready for it. Just giving Mini Red a home soars above anything else. My upcoming work trip to Vegas helps too but the promise of coming back from that in time to spend Valentine’s Day alone is a small annoyance to get past. Just thinking about this year is exciting… Brotha-Man and SIL just had their second child, a little girl… Awwww. Then there’s the wedding in June…Sis and Viper are getting married.

I hope the new year brings nothing but goodness for all of you reading. I can’t wait to see what 2009 brings but it’s greeted with a new me to face any challenges that may come and I welcome them.

Dec

One good turn deserves another

By Red 2 Comments

Categories: holidays and work

After elfing my team and putting them all over my walls a co-worker elfed me.

elf

*Photo Credit: Gjergi

Dec

I had a plan in hand…

By Red 1 Comment

Categories: holidays, shopping and sushi

I got up Saturday with a plan in hand.

I pulled out all the gifts I had purchased so far, layed them out on my bed and took inventory since I tend to always forget what I’ve gotten. I took my time and listed out what I needed and planed the route I was gonna take for my day out. I knew Rockville Pike would be a bear but I was ready for it and took some alternate routes.

First stop was Toy-R-Us. Now that Mini Red is older I wasn’t shopping for her but for my 6 year old God Daughter. I took my time walking through the store and watching all the parents and kids. One dude was pulling his son around the store on a sled. Another couple was hovering a big Hummer vehicle as if they were afraid it would go away but there were six. Go figure? I found what I was looking for and headed for the GINORMOUS line. So I moved my way to a center line since it seemed shorter and settled myself in for a wait. I started watching the kids in front of me playing with everything in sight and their Mom trying to keep them under control. I couldn’t help but smile and think of Mini Red when she was little. Oh how I miss when she was little. The Mom and I struck up a conversation and she tells me how her wallet was recently stolen so she had to tell her kids there would be no Santa this year. How sad is that?

Next I went next door to World Market. This has to be one of my favorite places. I did my rounds and headed for the line and noticed it was super long. So I figured I would look around a bit more in hopes the line would die down. No such luck… The line was longer than ever. I wasn’t too worried though and had the mind set that there would be bad traffic and long lines and this kept the stress levels down. The line proved to be a good thing because as I moved up I found a few more things including my Yankee Swap gift for Christmas Day.

I didn’t have much more to do but I headed down the Pike stopping at Best Buy before heading for sushi at Sushi Damo. I was day dreaming of a Yuengling and the Sakura Roll. When I arrived I was denied. They close between 3 and 5 and it was 3 on the nose. I was hungry but didn’t want anything else. I did a little more shopping and picked up some gifts for friends before heading to Home Depot for the last gift to buy. By the time I had finished all of that it was 5, I still hadn’t eaten and I was on my way back to Sushi Damo. This was the last stop of the evening before heading home to chill and wrap gifts.

I copped a squat at the bar and ordered my Sakura Roll and Yuengling right off the bat. The sushi was amazing as expected. The place was a little slow since it was very early on a Saturday evening and I started talking to the bartenders, Kate and another Dude (didn’t catch his name). Dude was telling me what he had researched about eel after hearing it was so fatty but evidently it’s extremely healthy for ya. I’m also anxious to go back and try the Rockville Roll. It is amazing how much Kate knows about the area. If you are from out of town the metro is right there and Kate can tell you all the best places to visit in the area. She and I also traded some dating war stories. I think we might have to try and have some sort of Happy Hour there some time. Maybe I can even get some bloggers out of DC and try a HH in MD?

It was a perfect day and now I was heading home to wrap gifts. I pulled out the ironing board so I wouldn’t have to kill my back bending over wrapping. I also put on the movie SuperBad… Freaking hilarious… McLovin? I got most everything wrapped except for maybe a handful of gifts. All in all I’m ready!

Mini Red came home today and couldn’t believe how crazy the apartment looks. Wrapped gifts everywhere plus the packing boxes. This place is truly a bit of a nightmare at the moment and making me even more crazy. Of course Mini Red was looking to see what gifts were hers and asking what I bought on Saturday since everything was wrapped. There was one thing that wouldn’t be wrapped and that was the batteries I picked up. The look on Mini Red’s face was truly funny when she saw them.

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Dec

Holiday + Work + Friends = CrazyDay

By Red 1 Comment

Categories: Squirrely Gurl, friends, holidays and work

Yesterday was such a crazy day. I figured it would be but it can still be difficult to prepare for.

We had potluck and the cube decorating contest at work. I got third place for my decorations and was surprised to get that because I had elfed my director along with the rest of my team and placed them all over my walls. I found it all very amusing because decorating the cube really isn’t my thing and I don’t know what got into me. My original plan was to Photoshop my Director, as Santa, print it out on one of the plotters so I could hang it outside my cube. There just wasn’t enough time and he was grateful for that but I’ve threatened to make him Cupid for Valentine’s Day.

: My Cube

: Inside The Cube

: The Elves

I left work and headed to Old Town Alexandria to be Squirrely’s Gurl’s guest for her Holiday Party on a Riverboat… Casino style. It just happens it’s my former company’s party so I knew most of the people there. Hardly saw Squirrely Gurl at all while I reconnected with old co-workers. Tried my hand at Craps but just wasn’t getting it.

The boat docked around 9PM and Squirrely Gurl and I headed to Flanagan’s Harp and Fiddle in Bethesda to see/hear

Scythian. Mrs. M and her crew were already there and as Squirrely Gurl and I pulled up we saw Shortie heading in with two boys. Who are those boys? We found Rock Star parking and headed in to join everyone. The crowd was rocking and everyone was having a great time. I loved it! Scythian really knows how to rock the house Celtic Holiday style. A good time was had by all and I have to say my favorite part of the entire day was bumping into someone I hadn’t seen in a long time and meeting his son. It was too brief but it was great to see you!

It was getting late and the day had been full so I made sure Squirrely Gurl had a way home and I called it an evening.

This morning I got the following email from Shortie on the rest of the evening after I left.

“So I will set this all up for ya.

You bring in all of Squirrely Gurl’s stuff, plus the shoes and are on your way. This tall well dressed bald man comes up to me and starts talking. Tells me I am very attractive, yada yada…. Wants to know my name (I tell him Tall Girl), wants to know where I live (he guesses Arlington, weird) and what I do….I tell him IT, he calls me a computer geek. So he asks if he can take me out some time and if I am single. He asks for my number, then email, and then gives me his card. All the while Squirrely Gurl and I are making faces at each other (while she is trying not to fall off the stool). God only knows where Boy1 and Boy2 are, but I know they are watching this whole thing. Turns out he is a piano teacher….not what I was expecting but hey. So one of his friends comes over (Scythian has gone a little country on us) and the dude starts clogging or something. All I noticed was the 80s loafers and the red socks. He is swing and groovin all over the place. Arms and hands coming dangerously close to whacking Boy1 and Boy2 who have been up against the windows. The next song comes on “The Kiss”, I tell Squirrely Gurl and the boys we can leave right after this is done. So I am standing there doing my thing when another dude grabs me and starts twirling me. Really, what! Next the creepy guy with the long hair comes by, stops, backs up and looks at me. He goes, “you look happier tonight”. I say, “I have friends with me tonight.”

It is time to get the hell out.

Leave Harp and Fiddle. Squirrely Gurl is searching through her stuff cause she can’t find her phone (oh no, not the phone). The boys are half a block a head and Boy1 is singing, badly at the top of his lungs. Squirrely Gurl, thank God, finds her phone. We get to the car….and it starts. The boys are singing and quoting Frost, Shakespeare and I think they think Thoreau. So we are heading back, I’m following my GPS, cause I want to avoid G-Town tonight. We pull up to a light, the guys next to us are dancing, and I lock the windows. Squirrely Gurl, Boy1 and Boy2 all want to put the windows down so they can, I have no idea, talk, make fun, yell……who knows. So we are heading down Mass or Conn Ave and the boys are giving me turn by light by car directions….wonderful. Heading towards Dupont Circle. Get up to the circle, construction, no circle access. U-turn back up the street. Don’t know what I am going to do…..make a right go down a few blocks, make a right head back into the city…..F@#$% A back at the freakin circle, and sorta blocked again. The peanut gallery has figured it out too and is cursing the construction and as Adam would say “kirking out”. I go left, the opposite way on the circle to get around the cones and back on to the circle. Thank goodness, now we can keep moving. Boy1 who hasn’t been in DC in a very long time is being a complete tourist, loving every building we pass. We get on 14th and he sees the Washington monument. Gets waaaaaaay too excited. So Squirrely Gurl and I point out that coming up on the left he will be able to see the capital. I thought he was going to get out of the car (good thing my car auto locks everyone in). We are on 1 heading toward Squirrely Gurl’s when everyone announces they have to pee…..great, can you hold it 15 minutes more……sure. Get to Squirrely Gurl’s, the boys are doing their pee pee dance and ask to use Squirrely Gurl’s…..everyone out.

I have to say that has been one of the more interesting drives home. Squirrely Gurl was cracking me up and the boys were in their own world. I felt like a mother on carpool duty. Home by 2 am and to work before 8 am, I am going to need a nap this afternoon. TGIF.

We need to hang out more……maybe after Christmas. I will be home on the 28th and I have no plans for the rest of the so called holiday season…..
Love ya, miss ya
Shortie“

One of the best things I did to prepare for last night was to bring a change of shoes. It was a wonderfully full day but I woke up this morning to the realization that my stomach doesn’t quite agree and my feet are mad because I didn’t switch to the flats soon enough. Working will be difficult today.

Note: Be sure to check back for photos to be added

Dec

He he… Ha ha… Ho ho… HEY!

By Red 2 Comments

Categories: holidays

Mini Red and I move one month from today! Whew Hew!

Decorating my cube for contest on Thursday, the 18th, and elfing all my co-workers. It’s turning out quite well. Hehe

Pot Luck on Thursday… I’m making the sausage dip but getting grief that I’m not making my lasagne. Can’t wait!

Thursday night I’m Squirrely Gurl’s date for my former company’s Holiday Party. I guess one good turn deserves another after I took her to mine. Of course there is the understanding that if between now and then she meets someone I am out.

That party will be on a boat and will dock at 9pm. I then beat feet back to Bethesda where Scythian will be playing at Flanagans Harp and Fiddle. They probably won’t even start until 10 anyhow. Mrs. M will be bringing her crew and Shortie should be making an appearance too. I’m so excited since I missed that last time they played there.

The week is looking to be a bit crazy… Crazy cool that is! I still have to finish getting ready for the holidays and packing whenever I get a chance. At least the holidays will be a little more low key this year.

Sometimes you realize it just don’t get no better.

Happy Holidays!

Dec

Party Party… Woot! Woot!

By Red 2 Comments

Categories: Squirrely Gurl and holidays

Tonight I gots me a party… My company Holiday Party and it will be off da hook.

Got me a HOT new dress and my date is Squirrley Gurl.

Oh and Happy 8th Anniversay of your 30th Birthday Kiernan. She will be celebrating at Black Finn in Bethesda tonight so if you can stop by, buy her a drink and tell her Red sent ya. There ’s a chance I might be stopping by too even though I may be a bit overdressed.

There should be some tales to tell after tonight.

May

Por qué Cinco de Mayo

By Red 3 Comments

Categories: holidays

“The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon’s French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy — as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico’s president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.

General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.

When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz’ superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.

Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?

In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.

Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That’s why Cinco de Mayo is such a party — A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!”

From Viva Cinco de Mayo

Nov

Ahh, The Holidays have begun

By Red 4 Comments

Categories: family and holidays

Thanksgiving was at The Folks again this year. I wanted to do my part so I invited everyone over for breakfast at my apartment.

Brotha-Man’s in-laws were heading in from Connecticut so he, Sil and The King were unable to come. I told Mom I was ready to have them all but I would have to borrow one plate. She laughed but we both know that was better than when I had the pancake breakfast a few years ago. I had only invited Mom and Dad that year but Nicole was living with me at the time and her Fiancée, Lou, stopped by so we had to wash the only four dishes I had and reuse them as fast as possible. We laugh about that every year now.

So Mom, Dad and Sis came for breakfast. Mini Red and I were up late doing the final cleaning Wednesday night. We had already done the grocery shopping Tuesday, which was not fun but I approached it with a Zen like attitude and we survived. Thursday, Mini Red and I got up early since our guests were arriving at 9am. I was still doing more cleaning and wiping down the kitchen cabinets when Mini Red said, “What are you doing Mom?”

I replied, “I’m cleaning.”

“Mom! Do you really think they will notice a speck on your cabinets and point it out?”

“Hey! My schedule doesn’t warrant dome deep cleaning like this so when I have the chance I will scrub the cabinets and such.”

For breakfast I had scrapple, bacon, eggs, fruit, cinnamon buns, home fries, toast, OJ and coffee. The five of us squeezed around my dining table and breakfast was a success. Dad even expressed how much he enjoyed it and that was an incredible feat considering he doesn’t like much of anything anyone cooks except for Mom’s cooking.

After breakfast I drove Mini Red to her Dad’s. I was feeling grumpy and I think that was just a combination of exhaustion and the fact that the holidays are here. I am determined to really enjoy the holidays this year. The shopping is always a bit unnerving and I refuse to let any of it get to me and just figure out what it is I want out of the holidays to make me happy.

So when I got home I went for a run. Who could resist when it was so beautiful out. Now I’m probably the worst runner out there, I’ll walk and run and walk and run and so on. I did a bit more running this time and hit some neighborhoods I haven’t been through in a long time. All the while I was enjoying listening to The Kooks. This is unusual since I don’t normally take the iPod when I run but listening to the music and taking in the sights of the beautiful trees will put anyone in a great mood.

I leisurely took my after shower run and took my time drying my hair and getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner at 5pm. I was feeling the hunger pains since I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and although tempted to just grab one little piece scrapple I didn’t. I was the last to arrive at The Folks but dinner wasn’t near ready and I made a beeline for my nephew, The King. He looked at me and cried. Mom hollered from the kitchen, “Red! Did you make The King cry again?”

“Yes!”

Ends up he was hungry so I let him be. We were all hungry and this year there were no dips, which was probably a good thing. We opened the wine and by the time we sat down to eat we were all buzzing off the wine on our empty stomachs. After the fabulous dinner, which I had seconds of the pineapple stuffing, we excused ourselves to let the dinner settle before we dug into the desserts. The King was much happier so we played and he even told me a story. Gawd, I love this kid and he is growing so fast that we suspect he will be very tall like my brother and thus will be carrying his Mommy around by the holidays next year.

Thanksgiving was a success and now all I was trying to do was stay awake. I had been so exhausted and I was feeling my run then after the wine and all the food I knew I would sleep well. I was home and in bed in time for Grey’s Anatomy and I could barely stay awake for that. Earlier in the evening I sent out mass text messages to all my friends wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving. I received replies all the way up till 2am and still I would easily fall back to sleep easily.

Yeup, the holidays are off to a good start. I’ve recently realized how much I love the holiday commercials and movies. I believe White Christmas is playing today and I love the Sisters song. It’s just the shopping is the part I’m not looking forward to.