CCR & 3 Dog Night? Outta Sight!

Three Dog Night was in rare form Friday evening.

After 42 years, the whole group is still together. And they sound great!

 Credence rocked it too, but only two of their members were originals.

 We LOVE this mountain venue near our home.

 The place is a winery by day and a theater by night...

 with lots of ambience (and a bit of magic) to spare.

Great views, too.

Except for this one, of course... *sigh*

We had lots of fun, but Friday had to be the coldest June night in California history, and I am not kidding. The wind was blowing like crazy, and the chill off the ocean was unbelievable. I had on my warmest coat with the hood up, was covered head to toe in a stadium blanket, and still froze to death. Human icicles filled the audience, and it is a testament to the talents of Three Dog Night and CCR that everyone stayed to the bitter(ly cold) end.

I suspect no one was sorry, either. (Just suffering from hypothermia.)

No worries. Frostbite was a small price to pay for the music Dave and I fell in love to...One Is the Loneliest Number, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Easy to Be Hard, An Old Fashioned Love Song, etc. from Three Dog Night...Suzie Q, Bad Moon Rising, Lodi, Down on the Corner, and so forth from CCR. Boy, did it ever take us back, waaaaay back, and we left with a heap of some old-time feeling that everything we could ever dream of lies before us...the one I used to think only the young can feel. 

Clearly, I was wrong. (Just call me Suzy Q.) Maybe the prospect of Dave's retirement at the end of this month is giving us some good joss!

=)

Tendershootz Is Utah Bound!

click to enlarge

Those of you who frequent my blog are probably aware that my daughter-in-law, Heather, is a multi-talented photographer (great eye, great ideas, great edits). Those who live in Utah might be interested to know that she will be there visiting friends and family in March and has decided to combine business with pleasure by devoting two full days to photo shoots. On the 2nd, she will be in Provo; on the 3rd, she will be in Salt Lake City.

Utahans who feel like having a fun, creative photo session with pictures that are out of the ordinary might want to check out her website and consider spending a little time with our cute Heather (tendershootz@gmail.com). And just to make my blog look a little better today, here are a few samples:

Candid,

posed,

or somewhere in between,

you are sure to be happy with the results!

{i know...isn't she gorgeous?}

Gifts, Glorious Gifts!

I don't think anyone's gonna argue with me

that Christmas gifts are a many-splendored thing.

I sorta gave this one (the quilt) to myself.

And these, too, though my husband wrapped 'em up!

My kids really came through for me too (even better than I did)!

Matt and Heather know how much I love my grandchildren.

While Karin and Bobby remember that I love a soft snuggle.

Ryan extends to me the gift of iPOD music in the kitchen.

And Todd lets me feel like part of his med school effort.

My very thoughtful husband gives me the piece de resistance.

(The bracelet, not my mother's engagement ring!)

He knows what I like.

(Creepy hand! I sharpened it so you could see better.)

I love my other gifts too (thanks, everyone),

but I posted these from Dave and the kids to keep it short! (-ish)

=)

for more G posts, click below

An Old-Fashioned Christmas

I picked up these cute Christmas coasters in Old Town last week while visiting my kids for Thanksgiving. Pretty cute, huh? (And even cuter in person!) They remind me of a good, old-fashioned Christmas, and that makes me happy.

Christmas time is here,
happiness and cheer,
fun for all that children call
their favorite time of year.

Snowflakes in the air,
carols everywhere,
olden times and ancient rhymes
and love and dreams to share.

Sleigh bells in the air;
beauty every where;
yuletide by the fireside
and joyful memories there.

Christmas time is here;
we'll be drawing near;
oh that we could always see
such spirit through the year.

-Vince Guaraldi

click below for more happiness

Do You Know Robert Brault?

A good point, Bob, and a timely one!

Becky Povich is hosting a blog hop and giveaway to introduce readers who are not already aware of him to our friend, Robert Brault, a famed freelance writer (and quote-master) whose name isn't nearly as well known as it ought to be.

For instance, did you know it was he who coined the phrase, Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things?

Enough said! If you love a good wordsmith, then I suggest you head on over and check out his marvelous blog, where pithy thinking is the order of the day.

Typical of his political acumen and humor is this quote that he posted recently:

Overheard in a Washington D.C. church confessional: "Bless me Father, for sins have been committed."

Ya gotta love it, right? Talk about nailing political-speak and lack of accountability on the head. Nobody does it better.

=)

PS. If you're looking for lovely but reasonably-priced Christmas gifts, Robert has a calendar out this season, and the price is right. For the letter-writing crowd, he also has note cards. As a matter of fact, Becky will be giving away a calendar or set of note cards to the lucky winner of her blog hop drawing. So head on over and check it out, okay?

And just in case you've got nothing better to do than win a handmade quilt, don't forget to comment here so you can take part in my 1000th-post contest! Winners will be announced on Thursday.

Does X Factor Have the X Factor? Yes!

My desperately needed hair appointment is looming (gotta leave in just over an hour), but I did want to say a few words about X Factor this morning because I'm liking that show almost as much as my reigning favorite, So You Think You Can Dance. To tell the truth, I am not a big TV viewer. In fact, I never watch in real time (fast forwarding through the commercials is a must), but I do DVR my five favorite shows every week to enjoy at my leisure. And X Factor is the only one I can't wait to see.

Of course, its kissing cousin is American Idol, but the relationship is mostly superficial. With L.A. Reid of Epic Records on board and Simon more candid that corrosive, the judging is considerably better. And the talent is so good that they had to send people home who would have won Idol rather handily. I'm not sure where X Factor is getting all these amazing singers, but there are definitely some hard-hitters in the line-up...and no lightweights at all. This makes for some pretty exciting auditions, made even more so by the fact that they are performed in front of a large, live audience.

Another interesting feature is the inclusion of singers aged 12 and up. Groups are also allowed to compete, adding a new flavor to the mix. But the artists I am most drawn to come from the over-30 category. Their voices pack a world of experience, and they definitely know what to do with it.

If you haven't checked out X Factor, I suggest you give it a go. They are down to the final 32 contestants (8 girls, 8 boys, 8 over-30s, and 8 groups), but only 16 of these acts will make it to the show. Each of the four judges has been assigned to mentor one of the groups, and it will be up to that judge to send half of his or her proteges home in the next week or so. (I was surprised to see that all the coaching and final selecting will take place in the judge's own residences.) Paula Abdul, who is in charge of the groups, will have a ton of people staying at her house! L. A. Reid will host the boys, Simon Cowell the girls, and Nicole Scherzinger the over-30s. Should be fascinating.

So far, the show has evoked strong emotions in me. There's something about seeing talented people pursue their dreams that pulls this old dreamer in, and these singers are really putting themselves out there. A number of them are likable, too, which doesn't hurt.

I have a feeling X Factor is going to come up a big winner this year.

=)

Y is for Yelp

Help, Yelp!

©2011 Susan Noyes Anderson

I need Yelp!

I surely do.

For shopping help,

Yelp sees me through...

friends steering friends

by word of mouth!

Who's bucking trends?

Who's going south?

What eateries

outshine them all?

Which doc for me?

Whom should I call?

She cuts with flair.

He styles with ease.

Can you compare

these for me, please?

It's all on Yelp

in black and white.

When you need help,

Yelp steers you right.

So lets be minions.

Spread the news!

Ya need opinions?

Yelp reviews!

(and then you choose)

=)

In response to several questions, yes it IS real. Yelp.com.

Click here for more Y posts

Good Stuff

You may find this an odd list, with all things secular, spiritual, and superficial intermingled, but I just wanted to share what my favorite things are today...things that are making me happy this morning.

1. A crisp feel of fall in the air.

2. Conference this past weekend, especially talks from Elder Hales, President Monson, and Sister Elaine Dalton. I also liked what Elder Packer said to the young people.

3. Lavender chamomile and lavender vanilla wallflowers from Bath and Body Works in my bedroom. Ahhhhh.

4. Having the scriptures on my Kindle and iPhone. (Who knew? Okay, probably everyone. And the iPhone app, which is totally free, also gives me conference talks, the hymnal, Ensign, etc...all at my fingertips!)

5. The Soundhound app that only requires me to put my iPhone up to the radio or CD player to have the song and artist identified. Just singing or humming a tune into the iPhone works, too! (How cool is that?)

6. My green smoothies, which are indeed lowering my blood pressure and causing slow but steady weight loss. Also, the Vita Mix I use to blend them! (Pricey, but that thing grinds peanuts into butter in seconds. Probably grinds rocks to dust, too!)

7. Johnson's baby powder and baby lotion. (I've gone back to my teen years, and it's nostalgic for me!)

8. Coconut milk and water.

9. Simon Cowell's new show, the X Factor. (They get way better singers than American Idol does.)

10. Frozen, organic mango chunks! (Imagine candy popsicles.)

11. Some of the members of this year's cast on Dancing with the Stars. (Is it just me, or is there a better crop this time, with only a few clunkers?)

12. One square daily of those 73% chocolate bars I used to hate. The ones that are actually good for you and not hard to exercise self discipline with because they are kinda bitter. (I am thinking of buying them in bulk!)

13. My new and not nearly as ugly crocs.

14. The line-up for this year's Bridge School Benefit Concert.

15. My new down-alternative comforter. (I can't stand the smell of the goose feathers.)

=)

Love, Peace, the Planet

The title of this post sounds like I'm making a plea for conflict resolution and ecological conservation, and I do advocate both, but what I'm writing about today is a new shampoo and conditioner that I am absolutely loving. It's TGI's Love, Peace, the Planet Eco Awesome Cranberry Orange Mint Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner, and it is making my dry, thinning hair very happy these days. What's more, I'm not losing a million strands every time I wash!

As you have probably noticed, I don't advertise products or services on my blog. I'm just not interested. This recommendation is simply a matter of me wanting to share something cool with all of you...a new product that is helping my badly-in-need-of-repair hair. And it's inexpensive, too. (Won't you laugh if a month from now the extra set I bought ends up in the rejected hair care products cupboard I shared with you last week?!) ;)

Hope you're all having a great day. I'm having tons of fun with the grandkids and looking forward to seeing Todd and my parents in the next day or so.

=)

I Like Jimmy Kimmel

I always knew Jimmy Kimmel was funny, but now I know that I like him.

Last night, for those of you who missed Jimmy Kimmel Live, the always entertaining host paid tribute to one of his sidekicks on the show, Uncle Frank (his real uncle, by the way). Uncle Frank, who passed away recently, was lovingly and humorously remembered by his nephew in a way that was so refreshingly non-Hollywood that I was kind of smitten by both of them.

Oh, I'd always thought Uncle Frank was a lovable old character, but now I think that Jimmy Kimmel HAS character...in amounts usually not seen in the entertainment industry.

You don't often come across genuine sweetness on television, and it did my heart good.

=)

Stalking Good Health

Well, my friends, I have officially joined the green smoothie club. Yep, for a full week now I have been indulging both morning and night in a concoction so filled with healthy veggies that the entire kitchen smells (as my husband is fond of informing me) like weeds! What's more, I am loving it!!

In the past few months, several of my friends have introduced the so-called green smoothie into their lives. All have reported good results, varying from increased energy to decreased blood sugar/blood pressure and weight loss. Reducing blood sugar and pressure is the main goal for me, but hey...I'll be more than happy to deal with any other benefits that come my way.

I did have to make a fairly substantial investment in a Vita Mix from Costco, but I LOVE that thing. It's liquifying (vaporizing?!) action is so powerful you can go from nuts to butter in seconds. So far, the nut-grinding fancy hasn't hit me, but who knows what the future might hold? For now, I am happy to make my (actually kinda brownish) green smoothies, and here is what I do:

The Vita Mix has a much larger blending container than most, so you can make a quart of liquid in one shot.

pour in 2 cups of water or coconut water

mix in enough greens to create 3 additional cups of liquid (this is a LOT of greens)

add a banana, an apple, and two cups of berries

So far, I have used baby spinach, kale, herbal salad mix, celery, chard, and parsley...but there are many more to choose from. There's even an iPhone app telling you which particular green, leafy vegetable is good for which ailment! (By the way, you are supposed to alternate the leafy greens so that alkaloids don't build up in your system.)

Anyway, I'm enjoying the experience and am quite hopeful that I will receive at least a few health benefits. Some of the flavors are stronger and stranger than others, but all of them are drinkable and refreshing. What's more, I feel like I'm doing something good for my body. Already I've noticed that I am not retaining as much water. My rings are looser, and my eyes are considerably less puffy in the morning. Also, my digestive system is working like a charm!

;)

PS. I'll keep you posted on the blood pressure, blood sugar, and other benefits as time goes on.

Hope Wears a White Coat

The stage was empty, but every parent's heart was full.

(Just look at Dave's face.)

There was a fairly long line of speakers, but not a bore in the bunch.

Each one was both entertaining and inspirational. (thank heaven)

Then it was time for the white coat ceremony itself!

Todd ended up to be the last one in line, which was kinda cool.

Here he is, walking across the stage, coat in hand.

The big moment arrives. He slips his arms into each sleeve.

Looks pretty good in that thing, doesn't he?

Next, "The MED-leys" sang a funny pop song with original lyrics.

Okay boys and girls, time to stand up and recite the oath.

Todd's the one on the last row, with two people to his left.

We only got 6 tickets, and these were the lucky ticket holders.

Grandma, of course, only had eyes for Todd.

And Dad was walking on air.

In fact, we all were.

Todd most of all.

∞§∞

It was the very best of evenings. One we will never forget.

=)