The Plasticville Chronicles

Quake!!

2010-02-05T10:56:00.008-06:00

Plasticville Chronicle Special Alert (AP)

Suspected earthquake hits Urbandale, Iowa….

On January 23^rd, a suspected earthquake of sizeable proportions struck a small area of Urbandale, Iowa. All Plasticvillians should be concerned with the complete destruction of the communal deck for the often held Sunday brunch of Train Party. Early reports had the Mayor of Plasticville consumed (smashed) under the deck, where he has been known to park his vehicle for protection. It can now be reported that the Mayor and most importantly his vehicle were not in the vicinity at the time of the quake.

After Mr. Eddy discovered that he was not covered by earthquake insurance, it was determined that the cause of the disaster was a large ice slide from the upper portions of his roof. It was very astute of Mr. Eddy to re-address the actual cause of this mishap, because now it would appear that insurance will be assisting in the recovery effort.

A special “sing-a-long” benefit has been suggested to bring in additional funds to help with the disaster relief efforts…..Send your funds to

DNE Relief Fund
P.O. Box 3048
Des Moines, Iowa 50316

Some of your donation “may” be tax deductible, please check with your attorney, accountant or tax adviser. Also a write-in campaign to the Obama’ “how-many-$$$-can-I-print” democracy has been solicited as a new stimulus fund for this Midwest disaster. The new and improved replacement deck will be designed by famous Phi Architect Tom "Taco" Seymour. So it won't be cheap. Please give 'til it hurts.

It is the dream of Mr. & Mrs. Eddy that a new deck will be erected in time for the annual 2010 Train Party. The Chronicle will continue reporting efforts of this tragic saga. More to follow…….

C'mon, C'mon, C'mon

2009-11-04T10:46:00.002-06:00

WILD THING!!!!

Here's a candid photo of Mary Peterson with the internationally famous Max Heintz, taken prior to the first annual "Snaffler Classic" golf event held in the Quad Cities October 7-8.

Others in attendance included (l to r in attached) Max "Heen-Boy" Heintz, Clair "Hongo" Peterson, Craig "Ty-Town" Tyler, Jeff "Hummer" Humiston, Larry "Grapes" Graves, Gary "Soup" Campbell, Mike "Mull" Mulligan, and Fred "Torch" Miller.

The coveted Snaffler Trophy was at stake and was claimed by the team of Heintz, Graves, Miller, and Peterson. Temperatures at tee time were a crisp 32 degrees with flurries.

Wish you were there.

Clair Peterson, Cub (Kadet) Reporter

Sarah and Sam and Chicago

2009-09-07T09:05:00.013-05:00

Congratulations to Sarah and Sam! Thank you to Don and Martha! What a stunning setting for a stunning couple.

By couple I mean Sarah and Sam (and Don and Martha but NOT Don and Pete. Though they aren't bad either). I have fewer photos because I was fooling with my video camera. Here are a few video highlights from the Chicago Weekend.

The Flip video is perhaps a little shaky. For those of you with PC's, my condolences. With my little 3 year old MacBook it's easy to edit things to a somewhat manageable movie. My first try putting a video on this blog, and of course it loses some quality from the original. The version above is small. If you have more time, the version below will load a little more slowly but look better.

It was a great weekend, marred only by the absence of "da Mayor."

Tom and Kathy, an only somewhat secondary thank you for the great party on Friday night. Sarah Miller, thanks for gracing us with your presence.

Any opportunity to get our family together is great fun for me. With the absence of the Greens, we are now the only family with a 100% TP wedding attendance record (one category I thought I had no chance of besting the MacInnes family in - Alissa and Beau, thanks for moving to London).

A memorable weekend in a great city. No disrespect to Des Moines, but it was great to be in Sweet Home

Train Party 2009

2009-07-06T18:53:00.016-05:00

We chugged to the Train Party again, ready for fun and fellowship.

The whole gang was there.

Men.

Women.

Children!!

Grandchildren!!!! Isn't it romantic?

The Train Party is so big, it needs two expert conductors.

As always, there were lots of laughs.

Bocce champions were crowned. Congrats Dan and Sam.

And People's Champions too! Congrats to Kathy and Kate.

It was a romp! What a great time!

Fun At Gramma's

2008-12-21T07:52:00.011-06:00

I like staying overnight at Gramma's house. When I went to sleep last night the ice was tapping against the window.

After I slept almost twelve hours, Gramma started my day off by fixing me pancakes. Ummm. Pancakes are so much fun! I know how to dip them in syrup. They taste good and I really like sticking my fingers into them and giving them a spin.

You should give it a try. Spinning pancakes is almost as much fun as using my fingers to smear syrup all over my tray.

Wow, look at all the ice and snow! Grampa's got a lot of shoveling to do!

After breakfast I like to read. Today I decided to catch up on what Brad Pitt's been doing. Don't you think he looks a little silly with the moustache?

Then it was time for a little game of peek-a-boo with Grampa.

Peek-a-boo!

Grampa didn't have to go to school today because of the snowstorm. We had lots of time to play with the "Steamer!" Look everyone, here's the smokestack!

Well my Mom just pulled up in the driveway to pick me up after her overnight stay at Mercy Hospital. I can't wait to see her! I'll talk to you later.

Mason

Fall On Your Knees!

2008-12-14T20:29:00.009-06:00

On Saturday night Don and Martha hosted once again their fabulous holiday gala celebration.

The carols were on key, thanks in large part to Mary's stylings at the piano . . .

Santa made his way in from Illinois . . .

As always, a great event!!!!!!

Barny's Weekend - 2008

2008-11-15T06:36:00.013-06:00

Photographic proof from Stew that a great time was had by all.

For there was food . . .

Wine . . .

Cigars and scotch . . .

Wildlife . . .

Bocce . . .

Art and culture and conversation . . .

Laughs . . .

Friends . . .

Nuptial Madness

2008-10-21T19:38:00.023-05:00

The three 2008 weddings are now behind us. And what magnificent times they were!

Handsome couples!

OK, this couple photo is missing the beautiful half. Here's Megan on her day.

Music and dancing abounding.

Security was tight.

But as always, Plasticvillians arrived at each wedding and wedding related event in force.

By my calculations, only two families had perfect attendance at this year's three weddings.

Doctor and Mrs. Crown Rudolf and the Oleson/Morton-Peters clan.

The "Travelling Trophy" grew with each wedding.

Just a great set of events. Thanks to Don, Martha, Jon and Megan! Pete, Marny, Andy and Lindsey!! And Rick, Cathy, Alissa and Beau!!!

Train Party 2008

2008-07-06T20:00:00.017-05:00

Another tremendous Train Party is now in the books. For my money, it was a great one (honestly the 37th great one - so perhaps I should say a REALLY great one).

As always, the Bucks, Staniforths and Eddys provided get togethers that were marvelous and memorable. Certainly, one amazing highlight was the presence of two "3rd generation" Plasticvillians - Brynn and Mason.

Those two are beyond cute, and it was just heartwarming to see them continue the TP with a new generation.

Mason already is displaying some of his grandfather's gymnastics skills, and what fun it is to have and beer and talk politics with Brynn and her grandfather.

I suppose no description of a Train Party would be complete without an acknowledgement of the bocce ball champions.

Of course, they were the first champions to be roundly booed during the championship game. There is not a question in anyone's mind who should proudly assume the mantle of

THE PEOPLES' CHAMPIONS

In a move that surprised no one, Hizzoner the mayor skeedaddled for the border - unwilling to face the populous. The biggest thing missing for me was Peter (Oleson). We talked to him on the way home. He sounded great - for the last ten days he's been working 16 hours a day, so sounding great is a bit of an accomplishment. He told us that on one of yesterday's tides they received and processed 800,000 pounds of salmon. Hope that a few pounds comes home in smoked form as a hors de ouvres for the Jon and Megan wedding preparty!! For those who aren't dining at the Lex - plan on a party which we hope will rival those just completed on Friday, August 8th!

Thanks so much to all for a wonderful time. It adds immeasurably to the richness of my life.

Stan

Root River 2008

2008-06-20T14:33:00.020-05:00

I thought you might be interested in seeing a few views from tour recent trip on the Root River Bike Trail.

Rural road as viewed from the bike trail.

The group prepares for Tuesday's ride at the Harmony depot.

Like a time warp back to the 1950's.

The crew gets ready to eat at Riverside on the Root.

This is where we stayed at the Cedar Valley resort.

Mary rolls!!!!!!!!!!!!

The interior of our cabin at Cedar Valley.

A great time was had by all. Stew

Pikers!

2008-05-22T11:20:00.016-05:00

Mssrs. Seymour, Green, Lack and Oleson have just returned from a great canoe trip to East Pike - a Boundary Waters lake that is near and dear to my heart, and to Wein's - it being just a mile or so away from McFarland Lake, where Wein's grandfather built a cabin in the '30's.

As we left Saint Paul for the northland, we thought we were embarking on a bit of a fishing contest. If it was a fishing contest, it was similar to an early season basketball game between a powerhouse and a Division III team.

Curt caught more fish than the rest of the group combined, and not by a narrow margin. Stan won the "Most Impressive Whitefish, All Things Considererd" contest. Seymour came in second in the "Most Impressive Northern Released" contest. Wein won the "Most Impressive Shore Fisherman" contest - with a near catch of a nice northern from a rocky shore. But Curt was king. The man can fish just as good as he wants.

Mr. Green established his bona fides as a woodsman with the most stunning display of firewood location and chopping and splitting that I have seen in my nearly thirty years of trips to the Boundary Waters. He and Mr. Seymour produced what seemed to be cords of finely split wood which allowed us to enjoy evening fires. This was particularly nice, since last year we had been unable to have camp fires due to a fire ban.
This meant that the rest of us were unaware of this amazing Bunyanesque skill. If Barny is the "king of the onion" - and he is - Wein is the Hatchet Man.

The area was, as always, beautiful. This is one of the great places for feeling close to nature.

The weather was more variable than I have ever seen it. Sun would be followed by rain then more sun, and even a little rain/snow/hail mix.

The wood produced by Mr. Green and Mr. Seymour, combined with the patented "Stan Oleson Maxi Pack" technique which allows for massive provisions, allowed us to dine like kings and snack like large men. With a sommolier like J. Thomas Seymour, the libations were beyond unbelievable. A fish stew Curt and I made of three large bass snagged from East Pike, some potatoes, onions, portobello mushrooms, and various other bulky but tasty ingredients stands out in my memory. The steaks were great, Curt's pan fried northern and smallmouth were, if anything, even better. The final breakfast fare was a giant pork chop - again with portobellos and onions. It's a dish that I am still refining. When the Hatchet Man (who likes meat cooked more fully than I do) is along, I have now resolved to grill the chops over the fire he provides and cook the mushroom sauce separately. This will allow for better "a la carte" presentation of the meat.

As this food preparation example illustrates, trips to the BWCA invariably involve some problem solving. This year, Curt helped ensure that was the case. Due to Curt's newly developed bull moose canoe entry method, he and Wein failed to "mount up" properly for an evening fishing junket (while Mr. Seymour and I elected to lounge around camp sipping on a "splash" and taking in the scenery from terra firma). The result - a quick dip in a lake that was covered with ice three days before - went beyond bracing. At least the solution was obvious. Less obvious was the solution to our problem on the "dismount." It was then that the car door locked with the keys on the front seat and in a backpack in the rear of the car (a safety feature that we all agree Acura could dispense with), we found ourselves 17 miles up a gravel road to nowhere (though an amazing chunk of nowhere) and 35 miles from cell phone service. At this point Curt's preternatural skills kicked in. He fired a pheromone (or perhaps it was a Farrah moan) and summoned two nice women who provided transport and phone cards and other necessities in aid of Curt's location of Bud the Locksmith and Storyteller, who arrived on the scene a hour or so later. Like magic, in 46 minutes Bud had the door opened (with liberal amounts of "help" from the assembled laughing masses). At this moment the 2 a.m. return to Saint Paul dampens the humor just a bit, but I think it will be a rich source of humor for years to come.

A great trip. Planning and pondering for next year has already begun.

Malbec and Mason

2008-02-18T14:09:00.012-06:00

The 23rd Annual Wine Championships were once again a great success, notwithstanding some unexcused absences blamed on the weather. The head sommolier was in fine fettle.

Those who missed it also missed the surprise arrival of the newest Plasticvillian - Mason Goble. Admittedly, he took a look at the congregation of crazy great aunts and great uncles in attendance and said to Kirsten and Brandon - "Let's get out of here!!!!!!!!!!"

But we remain hopeful that he will get used to the crazy elders in short order. What a cute guy!

As an illustration of the cause of Mason's wide-eyed stare, just take a look at three of the assembled uncles showing off their Malbec-colored tongues.

A great time was had by all!

Congratulations!

2007-10-31T07:27:00.000-05:00

William Mason Goble
Born: October 30, 2007
4:14 PM
7 Pounds 10 Ounces

20.7 Inches

Cycling In the Sun

2007-10-14T08:01:00.000-05:00

Mary, Stew, Kate and I had a wonderful 35 mile bike ride around the Twin Cities yesterday. It had been cloudy and cool all week, but Saturday was sunny and crisp. We explored the Mississippi, Fort Snelling, Minnehaha Creek, Lakes Harriet and Calhoun, and the Midtown Greenway. Just a great city tour - made easy by the great bike paths we have in the Twin Cities.

Barny's creative use of the camera - trying different angles and approaches - inspired me to try a couple of photos while riding along the river in Saint Paul. Here are Mary and Kate powering down the road.

and an over the shoulder shot of Stew, who was holding the final position in our draft line:

There were stops for wine and cheese along the way - and our speed and cadence would not have been adequate for Peter or Barny. But it was a truly great day with great friends.

Molly and Andrew

2007-08-08T20:59:00.000-05:00

A few images from Molly and Andrew's wedding.

First, the happy couple:

To those of us who have been married 25 years (on Tuesday) this looks more accurate (though photos can lie, and this one almost certainly does):

The halls were crowded with tough women:

And even tougher bands of brothers:

If you look carefully, you can see that "Barbie" Lack made an appearance:

No one has challenged the legitimacy of the ceremony. This photo of the presiding officiant was taken AFTER the ceremony:

On Friday night, dem chefs were in action:

And the BarnCam struck:

and struck again:

Even the family of the groom were not immune:

Sometimes during the "night of the living Art" the effects of the BarnCam can be quite startling:

An amazingly great time was had by all!

Brynn Isabelle Miller

2007-06-30T07:20:00.000-05:00

Here are the photos of Brynn which Tom and Jason have shared:

. . . .

Fish and Whistle, Whistle and Fish

2007-06-03T16:16:00.000-05:00

It's my opinion that there is little to compare with the joys of lazily fishing from a canoe in a lake in the Boundary Waters. Periods of quiet paddling in an incredibly scenic and peaceful place, interrupted by the explosion of a fish attacking whatever lure you have gently placed in the water. From previous trips together it was clear that our esteemed mayor Crown Rudolf enjoys the same thing. We pledged this year to take a trip north to enjoy the woods and especially, to test our fishing skills in such a lovely setting.

We took it upon ourselves to recruit another boat of outdoorsmen for our trip - the experienced and wily angler C. Walter Lack, and the relatively inexperienced Cherry Boy, J. Thomas Seymour. Even his name caused problems with the Minnesota fish licensing authorities. Perhaps they were reluctant to license the owner of the "Fighting Bullwhip" fishing rod. And what kind of a first name is "J."? Whatever the reason, it took all of my lawyering skills and $30 of Tom's money to enable Mr. Seymour to ply the waters of Minnesota. But on a Thursday a few weeks ago - off we went to the woods.

This is a Train Party group, so it goes without saying that a contest was established. Actually, three contests. A team contest, with the winning team being the twosome with the most credited inches of fish - based on a scientific, complex and sometimes changing formula. A second contest utilizing the same formula was established to determine the MOST VALUABLE FISHERMAN AND GREATEST FISHERMAN IN THE UPPER MIDWEST. And finally a more subjective contest - the contest to boat the "Most Impressive Fish, All Things Considered." This is the contest which Harry and I have on our fall trips - so I felt duty bound to make every effort to score well in this event.

Our plan to fish in East Pike - in the area where Wein's grandfather, the venerable Doc Johnson, built his cabin decades ago - was thwarted by a large fire. So we diverted to the very west end of the park to Trout Lake. That allowed us to spend a night enjoying the hospitality of my friends the Remicks on Black Duck Island.

And then it was off to Trout Lake - a large lake and one of the few in the BWCA on which motors are allowed. That wasn't a plus - but it worked out fine. Oddly, on Friday when we put in boats with motors were everywhere. But the frequency of hearing motors decreased throughout the rest of the trip. I don't think that was due to any alcoholic haze. Perhaps the changing weather. Who knows.

The highlights of the first day's fishing was the lovely six pound Lake Trout conjured from the waters by Tom "the Snake Charmer" Seymour (so named because of his amazing ability to entice small to medium sized northern's to his lures). Mr. Green added a nice though somewhat smaller laker to the larder, and dinner was secured.

Sunday dawned with snow falling gently - a first for me in the Boundary Waters. I think the variability of the weather is illustrated pretty well by this photo:

When your sandals are snowy, you know the weather is changing. And on Sunday my fishing luck changed in a big way when I hooked a very large northern. Tom Seymour and I had quite a time getting the fish in the boat - but it was really fun to try to land a 40" fish. Unlike the smaller fish I've caught in the past, there was no way to get this one in the boat until she was tired out. So, oddly enough, once in the boat there was little of the thrashing around that I associate with northerns.

After this photo and a couple of others, the northern was returned to the water. I hope that by now she is the proud mother of another brood of fish. Wein followed up my northern with a nice bass, an even nicer walleye and we had the makings of yet another fish dinner. Curt's skills as a fillet master were a wonder to me - and his cooking skills were almost as developed.

When all was said and done, Wein was officially named the MOST VALUABLE FISHERMAN AND GREATEST FISHERMAN IN THE UPPER MIDWEST. There was a small amount of grousing about the fact that his paddle remained a bit on the dry side while he fished. But my man fished for the cycle, catching all four species of fish. The Snake Charmer came in second, closely followed by Curt (who rallied at the end after a pitiful start as his experience and skill began to show). I brought up the rear - too far behind for Wein to carry us to the team championship. But I did win the "Most Impressive Fish, All Things Considered" contest.

Of course everyone was a winner. The fact that you are able to go to a great place with great friends is a victory in itself. Some of life's best moments - a most impressive trip, all things considered.

Suckfish Tours Rides Again!!

2007-04-08T14:31:00.000-05:00

Madeline, Kate and I have just returned from a great trip to Seattle. Of course, Seattle is a wonderful city, and Washington is a wonderful state. But the thing that put the trip over the top was the gracious hosting provided to us by Torch and Mary.

As you all know, I am something of an expert at the art of Suckfish Touring. But honestly, you don't need advanced suckfishing skills with Fred and Mary as your hosts. I can't imagine that any sponging skills at all are required to have an amazing amount of fun in Seattle with these two.

Thank you Torch and Mary. As Arnold said, "We'll be back!"

Congratulations Kirsten and Brandon!!!!

2007-01-01T17:11:00.000-06:00

and also Stew and Mary!!!

Stew leads the train:

Some dancing couples:

A Few Photos From Lansing

2006-11-12T19:09:00.000-06:00

Fun In St. Paul

2006-10-24T14:19:00.000-05:00

Wein and Nancy Head West

2006-10-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

Three photos from the West, courtesy of Wein and Nancy:

Nate and Katharine's Wedding

2006-08-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

DMB 06

2006-07-07T20:00:00.000-05:00

At this time last week I was preparing for the two night Dave Matthews Band concert (with a little tear in my eye thinking of the events I would be missing in Iowa). I thought I would post a few pictures of what I was up to while my family was dominating in Iowa (congrats on the trophies guys)!

we made a DMB cake

the finished product!

our traditional pre-tailgating perkins meal

entering alpine

staying hydrated (notice that I was wearing a train party t-shirt in honor of the day)

Dave rockin out in some fly shades!

It was sad to miss the TP, but I had a great time at the concerts and I plan on attending year 36 (assuming there are no conflicting events)! I look forward to seeing everyone at the big wedding!

Train Party 2006

2006-07-03T19:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Amy for most of the photos!

A Hot Time In the Cold Town

2006-05-19T12:34:00.000-05:00

A recipe for a wonderful time in the cool and rainy woods:

Bocce:

Beer:

BS:

Bake:

Serve with style:

Wind down with a period of relaxation:

Repeat.

(Photos courtesy of S.S. Buck and S.D. Oleson)

Mr. Rick - Powerhouse or Mid-Major?

2006-03-20T18:33:00.000-06:00

At the end of the first week of the Plasticville basketball tourney - Mr. Rick holds a slim but impressive one point lead over the scrappy Tom Green, the Bradley-picking Tom Seymour and yours truly. The question on everyone's lips is whether Rick is a basketball powerhouse who could. . . go. . . all. . . the. . . way, or merely another overachieving Mid-Major whose star was about to dim. So I decided to examine the data and try to determine where the truth lies.

Rick's lead is primarily due to his correct conclusion that Wichita State would win its first two games. It's possible that Rick thought, "Sean Ogirri has hit 45% of his 3's this year. Paul Miller is solid inside, and P.J. Cousinard is due to break out. Tennesse is a very weak #2 seed. I'm taking Wichita." It's also possible that Rick thought, "Hey, didn't Witchita play the Creighton Barrels this year? I'll take them."

So which is closer to the truth? Of course we could ask Rick, but who would take that alternative when rampant speculation is available? So let's look at Rick's other upset picks. Southern Illinois over West Virginia. UNI over Georgetown. Iowa for three rounds. Those sound like heart picks - not head picks.

If any Plasticvillian should have allegiance to the Big Ten - it would be me. I see them play all the time. Kate and I both graduated from Big 10 schools. In 10 or 15 years Madeline and Peter will too. But I didn't take Big Ten teams to go far at all (as an aside, I bet Madeline wishes she could say that right about now). And if there was a Big Ten team with a chance to "make some noise" it sure wasn't Iowa. Illinois maybe. Perhaps Ohio State because of a relatively weak first 3 opponents. But not Iowa! I must admit that Duke to win it all is somewhat logical (though unlikely in my opinion). But you read it here first, if Duke wins Jon Eddy will have charged past Rick into first place. But Duke won't win.

Mr. Rick - overachieving mid-major. Enjoy your moment in the sun.

To Which Rick Responded:

A lead is a lead - not everyone gets to stand on top, even if it doesn't last. Hey, I'm enjoying the time in the sun, that's what any sun-worshipper would like, right?

I will say that CBS seemed to hammer on the Missouri Valley conference during bracket Sunday and probably something that made me look long and hard at those 4 teams making it - yes, a little heart in the selections, but selected the one that I thought could go the farthest. Who thought 2 would go to the Sweet 16? Bradley did beat Creighton (BTW - it's the Bluejays, though they were in a barrel when the Braves beat them in the tourney). And although PJ, Sean, and Paul are key - don't forget the efforts of Kyle Wilson to help the balanced attack! Kyle had a mere 17 points and 5 rebounds if I recall.

I tried to show you allegiance by selecting Big Ten teams (noticed how you already ignored you were also a Big 12 graduate) to win - and I got screwed...probably not as much as Curt did by taking Kansas all the way and giving the Big 12 some support, or false hope. Not sure actually, what came over me in selecting Iowa for as long as I did - that certainly wasn't a "heart" choice!

Although I sense the fact if I wasn't in 1st place, you would be - and that alone is killing you, my friend, huh? And if Duke wins, then the better for Jon to run to the top. Jon's been making a constant climb in the polls all week - he's the silent one, if you hadn't noticed. And for your sake, I hope Connecticut looks better than their escape strategy from Sunday - oh, I guess U Conn is the Plasticville's favorite, so lots of P-town got lucky. Between U Conn and Bradley (though he has them out against Memphis), and the fact he also selected Wichita State - I actually see Mr. Seymour making a run to the top (ahead of you!).

Well, the race is still tight - even at the bottom. Sorry, Andrew, though you might still get out of the cellar thanks to Ohio State. Madeline, I was with you on Ohio State to the Final Four....oh well, we all make mistakes!

Have a good week...and what the heck is Mayor Ween doing in Wyoming????

Madeline Added:

Ohio State? What was I thinking? My new goal is to finish better than last place, but with each game this seems to become less and less realistic. To quote a song by The Weepies that pretty much sums up my situation (and one that my dad keeps singing to me):

Scattered shadows on a wall, you watch the long light fall
Some impressions stay and some will fade
Tattered shoes outside your door, clothes all on the floor
Your life feels like the morning after all year long.

Every day it starts again
You cannot say if you’re happy
You keep trying to be
Try harder, maybe this is not your year.

Movies, TV screens reflect just what you expected
There’s a world of shiny people somewhere else
Out there following their bliss
living easy, getting kissed
while you wonder what else you’re doing wrong

Breathe through it, write a list of desires
Make a toast, make a wish, slash some tires
Paint a heart repeating, beating “don’t give up, don’t give
up, don’t give up.”

Well, this is definitely not my year for basketball picks. But have no fear (or maybe you should be afraid... be very afraid!), I'll be back next year! Even if my basketball picks aren't up to par, I can always take comfort in my excellent taste in music (at least in my opinion, which is really all that matters). On that note, you should all check out The Weepies music if you get a chance at www.theweepies.com. Joe Purdy is another one of my new favorites (www.joepurdy.com). Let me know if you want any more suggestions. I'd probably even send you some cds if you asked me really nicely, after all I have to play up the skills that I do have. It will always be my year when it comes to good music. Good basketball picks are another story...

Good luck to those of you who still have a shot at winning. I'll be rooting for Bradley along with Seymour, GO BRAVES!!!

Seymour pleaded:

would anybody really mind if I change my pick to Bradley over Memfis? Come on. First time this far in 51 years. Let me change. I'm telling ya - if you are going to Vegas put some on the Braves. Lets start a new game and let everybody change before Thursday.

Oh, we will let everyboby change but Art who I can't believe is only 1 stinkin point behind me.

The Heartless Commisioner Responded:

Mr. Seymour,

As the Pool Administrator I'm afraid your request to alter your picks once the event has begun cannot be allowed. Such a move would start the pool down the slippery slope towards anarchy.

However, as Mr. Green has pointed out, you did fail to enter a tiebreaker. Unless I hear objections from interested parties, I hereby declare that if the mighty BRAVES beat Memphis you will win all tiebreakers (conversely, if the Braves stumble, you will lose any tiebreakers. But because you entered nothing you would have lost them anyway. I am extending you this courtesy only because Kate likes you more than she likes me. So I know better than to treat you poorly).

By the way, has anyone other than me noticed that Curt has been quieter than a Kansas farmer waiting for the Braves to come storming over the hill?

Crown Rudolf Interjected:

I'm fine - am getting all the emails both on my mail site AND on the CBS site so I am fully in the loop. Can't vouch for Wally - perhaps he can't keep up with the plethera of mail since he has the attention span of a glorified accountant. I'm sure he is just overwhelmed, nothing more.

We are in Jackson, WY, about to leave for Big Sky, a couple of hours drive away. Weather is wintery here as it is over the Midwest. It is nice to get winter weather as we missed winter this year in DM. PS for Rick - we are out west for skiing, family visits, and sightseeing. The Tetons are spectacular!

As Rick rightly pointed out, you ARE a Big 12 grad and not much has been said about Texas remaining in the tourney. I am looking forward to the Texas/WV match-up on Thursday. Texas is tough and I really have enjoyed watching WV since their tourney run last year. Both teams have great potential so this should be a good game. Texas could sneak through and contend for the championship even though they are not generating much chatter among Plasticvillians.

Madeline - keep the music faith even though you bombed the tourney this year. Not everyone can consistently be in the top echelon year after year like some people I know (or am). Music may be more your bag and is a year-round joy, unlike basketball. I have some suggestions for you - Hovhaness, Sibelius, and Touch (good luck finding this last one!).

I'm on the Bradley bandwagon, having watched the Braves (politically incorrect - let's see, could they change their name to the Omars, or, less obscure, the Generals? Maybe Stan had the right idea - the Pitts) play several times during the regular season and also during the Valley conference tourney. They obviously have a competitive team and could give Memphis fits, especially inside. Bradley's center is a bonafide star.

Rick - the Creighton Barrels - get it? the Crate 'n Barrels? You know, the team whose fight song is "Roll out the Barrels"? Come on - hone your humor cells, get them up to speed, otherwise this group will eat you alive.

Curt - how's the winter wheat crop coming?

Dan - you should take a few more days off.

Seymour - go Generals!

Where's Art?

Wayne

Smoking Out Curt, Who Responded from Mexico:

Dateline--cabo san lucas

While I can tell you about the 100 futbol teams here in Mehico, i have pretty much zero news on the tourney. Plus the business center is in a hallway bathroom and the letters all stickkkk on the damn iternet access. However, a reading of the emails tells me BU is in the final 16. Good for them! I see both P and I are out. But I guess Madeline is too so I feel good about that since she gave me so much kaka last year. big 10 and big12 pretty much suck.

Adios!

Who Says This Tourney Reduces Workplace Productivity? Curt's on vacation, Madeline is a student, and Crown Rudolf is a retired gentleman of leisure.

ATTENTION ALL PLASTICVILLIANS!

2006-03-03T14:08:00.000-06:00

The date of the 35th Annual Train Party has been changed! The event was scheduled to begin on June 30th, but will now take place from July 7th to July 9th. The decision was made after it was discovered that the previous dates conflicted with the Dave Matthews Band annual two night concert event at Alpine Valley. Event planners agreed that the date change was the best way to accommodate all citizens of Plasticville.

Unfortunately, I know that this won't be happening. I must weigh the options and choose only one, a difficult task as they are two of my favorite weekends of the summer. The weather will most likely be unbearable both places. It is a major year for both events, the 35th year of the Train Party and my 10th and 11th Dave Matthews Band shows. Both will include good beer and wonderful people. The main difference is that the Train Party is a tradition that I have adopted because of my dad and the Apline Valley concert is a tradition of my own. I find it very commendable that the Train Party has been an annual event for almost 35 years now, and I hope to have my own "Train Party" traditions in the future. The DMB weekend may eventually be one of these "Train Parties." It will no doubt evolve as time goes on (and DMB is no longer together, *tear*), but it's still using training wheels and I'm not sure that it's ready to ride without them yet. We shall see...

On another note, I AM sure that I will be winning the 4th Annual Plasticville Basketball Tourney. Bring it on!

~Madeline

A Shocking Announcement

2006-02-26T13:00:00.000-06:00

Mayor Crown Rudolf announces that ALL future wine tastings will only be red wine tastings!

Praise the Lord and Pass the TP

2006-02-22T23:24:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure whether this link will work. And, forgive the sacrilege. But I was moved to tears and just had to try to share this.

Farting Preacher
Watch it now on StupidVideos!

Curling, Hacks and Hog LInes

2006-02-18T08:27:00.000-06:00

I have a new addiction. Any bocce player should be addicted to curling.

Curling actually is a great spectator sport. Slow. Lots of strategy. Fun US team from Bemidji. Friendly competition and competitors.

If you have a chance, be sure to tune in the American men or women (who haven't been winning, but are also fun to watch and are also from Minnesota). So far it's been on the USA network. The announcing team - two guys from Canada named Don - are great.

We need to form a Plasticville team. Too bad Peter is off to college next year. Kate and Jon Eddy and I need a 4th for a team. Someone needs to move to the Twin Cities.

Paradise Lost

2006-02-07T19:34:00.000-06:00

Hello From Paradise...

Well, we were in paradise.

Francine's gotten her sea legs back.

We've all pretty much sobered up.

And assumed our normal daily positions.

But with wonderful memories intact.

Happy Birthday Madeline!

2006-01-20T07:54:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's true. Madeline is now 21 years old! Happy Birthday!

We've raised her well. She's already experienced Carol Shelton's Wild Thing Zinfandel (slightly before her 21st birthday). Have a great day, Madeline!!!!!

Blue Horizons

2006-01-06T09:52:00.000-06:00

We're Nearly Gone.

F & I leave next week for 10 days of sailing, snorkeling and diving in the BVI. Francine has her freckles ready--she's been hitting the tanning salon for a couple of weeks. She's fretting that Ben will let the cat die of hunger while we're gone. But, I think she's over concerned. Cats can live for weeks without food; right?

We hope to post photos to make everyone angry with envy when we return.

Pinball Tourney!

2005-12-31T10:16:00.000-06:00

The Twin Cities have been chosen as the host cities for the First Annual Plasticville Pinball Championships. The host venue in the "New Machine" division will be at the home of Jon Eddy, overlooking the Mississippi River from Minneapolis. The Eddy machine is a "Lord of the Rings" model - fast and flashy. The "Older Machine" division will be played in the Oleson / Morton-Peters basement on the "F-14 Tomcat" machine pictured above. Sadly, smoking will not be allowed at either venue (though beer drinking will be allowed and in fact encouraged).

Handicappers of the event wonder whether Don Eddy and Tom Seymour can retain their past pinball glory in a room which is not blue with smoke. Don proclaims that the beer should reawaken the DNA-level pinball skills he claims were once his. In a quick practice round this morning, Don showed flashes of his former self, but was unable to consistently amaze with his flipper skills.

Dates for the tourney will be announced. As always, practice on the machine is important. The "F-14 Tomcat" is a particularly idiosyncratic machine. Today's play magically caused a soleniod problem on the lower right flipper to cure itself. Both venues are available for practice on short notice. BYOB. And lots of it. Sierra Nevada is requested at the "Old Machine" venue.

Marry Kwistmasssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-12-05T21:32:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2005-11-24T08:54:00.000-06:00

Here's wishing all of the citizens of Plasticville a great Thanksgiving holiday. I've written recently on my own blog about the many things I am thankful for, but it never hurts to reiterate how much the community that is Plasticville means to me.

As Thanksgiving rolls around every year I still carry on the tradition, formed somewhere in our college years, of declaring it Turkey Time when the turkey goes in the oven. Since we eat our Thanksgiving dinner relatively late in the day, I put the turkey in the oven precisely at noon. I acknowledge that this is a little end run of my solemn obligation to reset all the clocks in the house to 12:00 when the turkey goes in. But hey, I am a lawyer. I need to figure out clever if semi-ethical ways to avoid responsibility.

Thanksgiving also reminds me of some of our college get togethers over the Thanksgiving weekend. I remember hitchhiking from Newton to 2820 Lincoln Way for a Thanksgiving weekend feast. I arrived in Ames by about 10 am. I must admit I was somewhat surprised to find the dinner was already on the table and being devoured by a pack of crazed heathens. Still, I happily pulled up a suitcase (since the apartment was devoid of unused chairs) and dug in.

Again, all the best. Stan

I'm Modern Now

2005-11-07T21:21:00.000-06:00

Well enough ridicule. 6 car Cross was the last straw. So tonight, I was talked down by a very patient teacher, the one and only Stan. Patience of a saint! So boyz, I'm on now. Only hope I can remember the password and of course my name. Stay tuned

El Hefe

The Night I Talked to a Legend

2005-11-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

The late October evening was very soft. The slightest hint of a breeze dusted our faces with the scent of falling leaves as we walked up the street toward the club. I looked to see if a line had formed at the door, an indicator of whether we would go on or return cowardly to our car, with the belief that we would not be able to gain admittance.

No line.

At the door, we learned that the show was sold out but, by luck, two tickets had been returned. That will be fifty dollars. Like my friend Bob Glade told me years ago – it’s a fifty world. We pushed on, into a simple bar, with tables set up in front of a small, barely elevated stage. All the seating was taken, probably by patrons who had arrived hours ago to garner the few seats available. Small round tables, surrounded by stiff, plastic chairs occupied by all manner of folk, some with long, gray hair, free-flowing or put up in ponytails, others with short, neatly clipped hair but also often grey. A few wore the likely Harley-logoed gear but without the old-time, ominous biker vibe. Many were women, drinking shots of tequila and whiskey just like the men. We saw our Al Bundy look-alike optometrist, who was about the last person we would expect to inhabit a blues club. I was greeted by an old employee from my insurance days, who was as personable and friendly now as he was belligerent and sullen when I managed him. We settled up against the bar and I ordered a bottle of Budweiser. It was 7:45.

Then I saw him, walking past us toward the back of the club. His appearance was so unassuming, so normal, that I was uncertain whether it was him. He did bear a resemblance but he was so ordinary, closely cropped, thinning gray hair, a slight paunch protruding through his navy t-shirt. But most surprising, if it was him, was his height – as he walked by, I realized with a shock that he was no taller than I am! I hesitated, then said to Nancy, “There he is – that’s him!” “Where?” she looked around. “Right there, walking around the back of the bar.” But he was so nondescript that she could not pick him out of the crowd. “Well, maybe that wasn’t him. It looked like him, though” I just wasn’t sure – he could have been our next door neighbor.

A few minutes after eight, a large man walked purposefully past us and strode to the stage, wrapping a guitar about his girth. Then, in rapid succession, the bass player and drummer mounted the stage and the trio began to warm up, testing the amplitudes of their equipment and requesting adjustments of the unseen technicians residing silently in the back-bar shadows. The guitarist and bassist were relatively young while the drummer was bald and clearly of a more mature generation. They settled into a slight groove of preliminary riffs…

The ordinary man walked by again, in the opposite direction, toward the stage. The guitarist broke into a clear and driving blues phrase and the show was on. Man, did that guy know how to play, even I could tell and even after only a few bars. Then, the lead guitarist introduced the man we had all been waiting to see, the man I had been waiting to see for over 35 years, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the godfather of British blues and the founder of the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall!” The crowd burst into thunderous applause and the air was rent with hoots and whistles and onto the stage stepped the normal, unprepossessing man I had seen earlier – it was John Mayall!

He played his trademark harmonica, he pounded the electric keyboard, and he stroked a small, mandolin-like guitar. Of course, he sang, many songs from his new CD, Road Dogs, and other songs from his long years of leading blues bands, famous and obscure. Who could forget that he mentored Eric Clapton before Cream and Mick Taylor before the Rolling Stones, that his former bandmates included Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, and John McVie, later of Fleetwood Mac. And who could forget his seminal 1969 album, The Turning Point, which truly represented a turning point for me, instrumental as it was in my decision to pledge Chornitz in the fall of 1970, after listening to “California” in room twelve with Seymour, smoking cigarettes filched from the Sig Ep’s.

After an hour of raucous blues, the band took a break. Mayall disappeared into a small cubbyhole at the end of the bar and I could tell he was interacting with fans. I fretted about going down to meet him, yes…no…yes…no…”Nancy, I am going down to see what’s going on.” And I walked on down the hall, well, actually to the end of the bar where Mayall was sitting behind a small counter. No one was lined up, he was just sitting there with a couple of CDs and a DVD on the counter in front of him. “Are you selling CDs?” I inanely asked him. “Yes,” his laconic reply was non-committal but polite. “I’ll take the Road Dogs CD,” my mind was racing, trying to alight on some insightful, or at least witty, thing to say but coming up empty. I like to portray myself as an expert in spontaneity but I was at a loss. Well, just tell him the truth, that usually sets me free so, as he opened the CD case, removed the cover, and began to sign his autograph, I said, “My all-time favorite song is one of yours.” “Oh, really, which one is that?” he replied in a smooth British accent. Man, I’m really talking to John Mayall! Man! “California,” I replied. He nodded in recognition, with an air of slight disinterest or was it bemused understanding, I couldn’t tell, as I continued, “Yeah, I met one of my best friends listening to that song over 35 years ago.” Good job, Tom, bring up age. He nodded again, with a bit more disinterest, and handed me the CD. “That will be $25, please.” He looked at me then over my shoulder toward the bar, assessing additional business. I counted out the bills and thanked him, eschewing the possibility of asking to shake his hand. I returned to Nancy and proudly displayed my trophy. She was duly impressed.

The second set was equally bluesy, the concert fittingly ending with “Room to Move”, a cut from The Turning Point and probably a signature closing tune for Mayall’s concerts. I had hoped he might play “California” after talking with me but, you know, that song relied on Johnny Almond’s haunting sax and flute solos, instruments lacking from this edition of the Bluesbreakers. But “Room to Move” seemed to me to be an acknowledgement from Mayall that he did hear my wussey story and that he appreciated my fandom. We walked out into the balmy evening with the cheers and whistles of the crowd ringing in our ears.

Two legends of British popular music played in Des Moines this week. I’ll bet those who saw Paul McCartney didn’t get his autograph or personally tell him their stories of how he had touched their lives. But in a small, smoky downtown blues bar, I got to see and talk to my personal music legend. Thanks, John Mayall! Blues forever!

Messen' with the Fire

2005-11-01T21:52:00.000-06:00

I admit I've been a bad boy lately, dressing up as Elwood Blues on Halloween morning and treating myself to a couple of hefty ballerinas at spinning class. It all started a few weeks ago during our trip to Northeast Iowa on a very nice night with an even nicer camp fire. I did a very liberal minded thing and messed up the fire a bit by poking some logs about the pit. While this antic is typically reserved for the democrats in the group, here I was, fiscally a republican with democratic social leanings, turning the tables. The outcry from the real democrats was very vocal and the berating was as steady as dubya's steadfast backing of Harriet Meiers (er, Mr. Aliola). Well, anyway, in time the fire flourished and unity among the group prevailed. It seems to work that way most of the time. It was good to see that they had enough energy to protest my actions even though they cowered at the idea of a good debate over political issues after leaving Seymour for political road kill a day or two earlier. I would have like to have discussed views on the expectations of the Federal government in disaster relief. It's my belief that the absence of the human spirit was far more responsible for peoples' suffering in the aftermath of Katrina than the absence of the Federal government. I was impressed that weeks later in Florida, facing Wilma, Gov Jeb simply said to his people, "what part of 'bad storm coming, evacuate immediately' did you not understand?". Of course, then he took full and complete responsibility so the voters (clever as they are) would see him in their court and then vote for him later. And so it goes.............
On another note, I got a clean report on my recent colonoscopy and don't need to do it again until 2015. As they say, the worst part is the night before the procedure, not the day of. I now know why. It's the versed (the accent on the second syllable). They use it, along with demerol, to help anesthesize during the procedure. The demerol provides some pain relief while the versed promotes amnesia (I think that's what the doctor told me, or was that the nurse?). Anyway, you feel conscious but don't remember if you were or weren't. Fortunately, you also forget that the doctor just stuck a big hose up your gut to get a little look-see for 25-30 minutes. As I was recovering, I mused that maybe the biggest hoax in the drug world is that those that think they are using erectile enhancement drugs are really being given versed and just choose to remember what a great sex partner they were, even though they don't remember. And their partners probably wished they were taking a big dose of versed so they could forget the whole thing ever happened. As you can tell, it hasn't completely worn off me yet, so I better sign off. Or did I already?

coffee stomach

2005-10-30T10:46:00.000-06:00

so here goes, the beginning of the end of entry into a new realm, the realm of blogs. for those of you who are not taken by my lack of proper english and format, get over it, adjust to it, or better yet just ignore it, i do. coffee stomach is something that does have a cause, in most cases it truly is coffee, but it could be any irritant that attacks the lining of the gut, causing the proverbial gut ache, after years of study and after much consternation in dealing with this malady, i fell upon the cure to coffee stomach, it goes back many years to the discovery that in proper concentrations, water,hops, yeast? a grain,and a lot of magic, a simple yet magical cure for the ailiment of inflamation of the lining of the gut, was found, some think it was in germany but i happen to think it was in norway, they drink lots of awfull coffee there, this cure is the beverage commonly called beer. so today on stan's b-day , after chatting with the blog god, that all to familiar feeling started to creep into my brain, yes it's true that my brain can detect the signs of " the stomache " before it's onset, do not try this at home, it's a risky behavior and should only be tried by doctors or those who think they are as smart as doctors, leaving out no one , wait . leaving out all but the almighty,jw, the big bushie, he would never even try this so who care's, well it is sunday and i do try to wait for proper sustainance before hitting the sauce, on most days, yet today my highly trained immune system said "wait a min." before proceding to breakfast you have something more important to do, save yourself from the pain in the gut commonly known as coffee stomach. thank god for all those years of training and sacrifice at boys weekends and experimentation, instinctively and with the intuition of a saint i overroad my brain, went against my better judgement and popped a Pilsner urquell, ah the relief from what wasn't but very easily could have been a huge dilema. beer in the morning before breakfast, no way, except on special occasions, or stan's bday.

Taj Mahal Lite

2005-10-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

Peter and I spent the end of this week in Iowa visiting colleges - Thursday at the University of Iowa and Friday at Iowa State. It was a great and somewhat nostalgic couple of days for me, a graduate of both institutions. For Peter it's time to make big decisions. Iowa or ISU? ISU clearly has the more beautiful campus. Iowa has the better food and probably fits Peter's personal style a bit better.

After the formal tour of ISU was done, I thought about how to best "sell" Peter on ISU. Since I knew that Curt was the head of the Phi Delt householders association, I thought maybe Peter would be impressed with the house. So we walked that way. Though it had a bit of the Taj Mahal look to it, we were both pretty surprised at the turn the house had taken under Curt's stewardship.

Peter's first words after seeing the house were, "Go Hawks!"

Cross Residence Located

2005-10-17T21:09:00.000-05:00

The Plasticville Chronicle's exclusive source has revealed the location of the Cross residence. The Crosses reside at N8180 Big Lake Ln., Village of Sherwood, Wisconsin. Map This Location. Photo verification was provided by the source.

Cross Residence Located

A floor plan of the modest property was obtained. Only one wall of the garage (the north wall of the residence, south wall of the garage) is shown, a result of the difficulty in rendering a five dimension object in a two dimension representation.

Additional installments in this unfolding story will follow.

Are Democrats Cowards?

2005-10-17T12:02:00.000-05:00

Whenever several of us get together, the talk often turns to a discussion of politics and social concerns. I think this reflects the deep level of intelligence and thoughtfulness that are hallmarks of our small Plasticvillian society. We have always been thus, which explains, in large part, why we became friends in the first place and why we have remained so for 35 years.

I have noticed a trend in our interactions, however, that is at least interesting, if not slightly disturbing, depending on your point of view. Let me explain…

This past weekend, some of the fellows of Plasticville rendezvoused at Barny’s for the turditional fall Boyz gathering. Art, Wayne, Seymour, and Stan arrived at various times on Wednesday, while Stew, Curt, Don and Dan came on Friday evening. This split arrival time for the two groups made for some interesting juxtaposition of discussions. Beginning on Wednesday afternoon with the arrival of Seymour, the talk turned to the usual politics. Seymour, the self-proclaimed “moderate” of the group, was, as per usual, bombarded with vociferous arguments against the current Bushian administration, with subsets and snippets of traditional environmental and hunter-gatherer stuff tucked in around the edges, used like mortar to cement the debate. I say Seymour is the “moderate” because he claims to have voted for both Republicans and Democrats for President. It does seem as though all the Republicans in the group claim this voting pattern. Of course, we can’t verify this objectively as we don’t know how they REALLY voted but since the freedom to vote without coercion is a pillar of our political system, we don’t want an objective check and, after all, these are our friends and we believe them!

These early weekend discussions can and often do get demonstrative, even heated at times, and cover a lot of ground, as, while the discussions evolve, so does our level of inebriation, sitting as we are, happy in the sun, with a bottle of Martinelli or Rosenblum or even of Summit at our lips. And what better activity in which to engage under these circumstances than hammering one of our own over the head with talk that leans HEAVILY Democratic?

What I have noticed, and it is at least slightly disturbing, is that the most vehemently Democratic-rooted talk is expended early in the weekend, before the arrival of the second wave of Boyz. The group seems to be weighted more heavily toward the Democratic side of the aisle (dare I list the litany: Barn, Art, Stan, Wayne, and Dan on the Demo side, with Curt, Don, and Seymour on the Publican side, with Stew keeping mostly silent counsel). The demographic of the group that arrives early in the weekend is Democratic, while the later arriving group brings a more Republican slant. My observation is that the political/social content of our discussions is much more subdued by the time the Repubs arrive on Friday night. Why is this? Let’s examine the possible reasons…

1. Seymour is easy pickings.

2. We are exhausted by Friday and can’t keep up the pace.

3. We can’t maintain a coherent train of thought for more than two days.

4. Don and Curt are too formidable as debaters and we can’t risk exposing our Democratic ideas to the cold, hard light of rigorous intellectual examination.

5. Political/social discussions are BORING and we finally wake up and realize we would rather be playing bocce or walking on the ridge or DOING JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.

6. Democrats are cowards and will only pontificate when they think they have a clear majority and are free from the risk of rhetorical defeat (combine items 1. and 4. above).

Now I realize that this list of reasons is likely incomplete and that you could easily add legitimate items to its’ content. Please feel free to do so. You may also find that one (or more) of the items on my list has, in your opinion, little or no merit. This is of no concern to me. My belief is that item number six is weirdly and disturbingly accurate and actually describes the unfortunate malaise currently demonstrated by the national Democratic Party. Let’s face it – the Democrats just don’t have their shit together and they don’t seem to be courageous enough to stand up to the dangerous drivel that emanates from the Republican leadership. They waffle around and titter and stammer about the failures of the Pubs but can only occasionally muster the slightest energy and emotion (remember the ValAir Ballroom meltdown of John Dean fame?), and such expressions of energy are viewed as breakdowns and not a valid addition to the political discussion.

The question, then: is 6. above true?

ARE DEMOCRATS COWARDS?

Sneak Peeks

2005-10-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

The Plasticville Chronicles has obtained, from sources that demand anonymity, pictures of the new residence of Dan and Francine Cross. These photos provide an exclusive first look at the property. The Crosses move was anticipated, but the choice of their new residence has remained shrouded in secrecy. From available accounts, the Crosses moved decisively, some have suggested impulsively, to this new property. The Chronicle will continue to follow this breaking news item with additional reports and photographs as more information comes to light.

Photos of the residence front suggest a mix of brick and vinyl siding and a roof pitch of approximately 6/12. A large planting bed may also be planned.

Structural, perhaps architectural, landscaping is underway at the rear of the property.

First looks into the garage appear to open to a fifth dimension.

The Boys at Barny's

2005-10-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

We had

a great time.

WagonMaster and Mistress of the New Oregon Trail

2005-10-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

A grey day envelopes the offshore rocks . Towering waves are nearly indistinguishable from the foggy air. Water rises from the ocean and crashes in high spumes against the basalt crags below our beachfront cottage on the Oregon shore. It is a rainy morning, late September, in Seal Rock, the beach almost submerged in surf. We have walked the beach each day but now we watch the ocean from the picture windows, drinking strong Oregon coffee and virgin Oregon rain water and munching on bananas and nectarines. Maurice Ravel’s piano music glows through the CD player and the newspaper is read, now lying scattered across the wooden table where we eat our breakfast cereal. What better day could we have – nowhere to be, no one to see, no thing to do.

I hope everyone took the opportunity to watch the PBS American Masters documentary, No Direction Home, a Martin Scorsese film about Bob Dylan which was on TV this week. I realize that while on vacation we are not supposed to watch television; in fact, we are probably not supposed to watch TV at all, filled as it is with an obscene volume of insidious and mind-numbing commercials for every piece of crap imaginable. Have you noticed, I suppose not, since none of you ever watch TV or, if you do, will admit it, that the proportion of ads to content on commercial television has exceeded 50% so that, unless you don’t watch or you tape shows to watch later when you can fastforward through the ads, you are mushing your mind to an extent greater than if you consistently voted for George Bush or ate nothing but Trix for breakfast? I have noticed this but, of course, I AM RETIRED so what else do I have to do??? At any rate, the Dylan special, as I said, was on PBS, so non-stop, no ads, and it was outstanding! In the day, I was not a Dylan fan, until my high school girlfriend’s brother introduced me to the fascination of the nasal twang and piercing harmonica of the Dylan discography. Partly from a high cultural interest in the originality of the music and a low visceral desire to, well, you get the picture, I’m sure, I became a Johnny-come–lately fan. The film by Scorsese validated my interest, if not my desires. So, if you didn’t see it, check your listings to catch a rerun or find someone who taped the show. Your efforts won’t be unrequited.

We have spent the last five days on the central Oregon coast, headquartered in our beachfront house on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Each morning, I walk across the highway and down the street to a small, funky convenience store to purchase the Oregonian, the Portland paper, and a cup of coffee to tide me over until my coffee at the house is brewed. The proprietor, Marti, is a friendly woman who asks my name on the first day and calls me by name each day after that. She has a beautiful white Lab named Choc, short for Chocolate, who is very skittish at first but, as I persist in talking to her and hold out my hand, becomes more friendly and finally allows me to pat her head and scratch her behind the ears. So I look forward to this small journey to begin every day.

The coast south between Seal Rock and Florence, a distance of about 25 miles, is very beautiful, particularly the last 12 miles between Yachats and Florence. The highway in that stretch rises a hundred feet or so above the sea and is very wild and craggy. Just past Yachats lies Cape Perpetua, named by the famous Captain Cook who first sighted this promontory on St. Perpetua’s Day in 1778. Here we took a 4 mile hike to the top of the cape, arriving at a point 800 above the ocean with a panoramic view south down the coast. The fog rolled in and caressed the shore, sending foggy fingers inland along the streamcourse valleys. At our lofty vantage point, we were bathed in sun and we ate our picnic lunch of crackers, apples, and a bottle of Sokol Blosser Pinot Gris in warm comfort.

Beyond Florence lies the Oregon Dunes, a long stretch of sandy, duney terrain, with huge sand hills reaching to heights of 500 feet. We hiked here as well, walking for several miles barefoot through the sand. Warmed by the sun, the sand was soft and comfortable but the best sensation was treading on shadowed sand which felt like walking on cool whipped cream. Reaching the ocean, the shore stretched flat and featureless north and south, shrouded by wisps of blowing fog, the sea glinting in the afternoon sun.

So our visit has been so far relaxing and languorous, drinking Oregon wine and microbrews, eating Oregon fruit and clam chowder, and taking Oregon hikes. We haven’t always driven but sometimes simply sit and gaze from our oceanside cottage at the constantly moving sea. Yesterday, as we ate lunch, we spied whales spouting several hundred yards offshore and watched seals traveling upcoast through the surf. We have photographed small shorebirds playing in the waves, searching for the small sand animals which are their diet. They run, chirping like baby chicks, after the retreating waves to poke about in the sand with their toothpick beaks, only to scurry madcap as the next wave breaks on the beach. In one group of fifty of these birds, we saw at least half which were one-legged, a colony of handicapped that hopped rather than ran from the waves. I wondered what disaster caused this proliferation of deformed birds but, despite their condition, they seemed as chipper as their more robust brethren.

Today is Friday, September 30, and tomorrow we leave the coast and move inland to Eugene, where 37 years ago I arrived with my family on a University of Oregon college visit. At that time, Oregon seemed too far away and I ultimately eschewed Eugene for the closer and more amenable cultural scene of Boulder. It was five years later when Max and I moved through Eugene in search of a destiny that certainly eluded me, if not Max. We were in Eugene on a Thursday and by the following Wednesday, I was back in Ames, having abruptly aborted my Western Odyssey. I have seen Max only once since leaving him in Oregon, at Stan and Kate’s wedding. I realized the other day that until returning to Oregon on this trip, I had set foot in every other state in the Union more recently than I had been to Oregon. Now that distinction belongs to Ohio, where I last visited in January, 1979. Nancy has never been to Ohio or West Virginia – next trip?

But, for now, it’s lunchtime – cheese, fruit, and another bottle of Sokol Blosser. Here's to Oregon!

Wayne and Darlene

The Dirty Thirty

2005-09-24T08:01:00.000-05:00

As I watched the Cyclones play Army last night, I had a strange sensation. As always, I was rooting strenuously for good old ISU. I have been accused (rightly) of rooting for the Hawkeyes in the past. But after the first couple of plays of this year's Iowa/ISU game, I knew I was for the Clones. Maybe I don't root for the Clones with the intensity of many Plasticvillians, but I AM A CLONES FAN!

Anyone who knows me and my politics knows that I am not predisposed to cheer FOR Army. But I had a rather odd soft spot in my heart for the scrappy, undersized Army squad. Then it came to me. My first football consciousness (if that is not an oxymoron) was the "Dirty Thirty." 1959. Tommy Watkins. Clay Stapleton - the coach, and the host of what must have been the worst football highlight show of all time. I swear the guy was made out of wood. Sponsored by good old Iowa Butter. Big Red and I watched it religiously. The first college football game I attended was the San Jose State game that year. A glorious 55-0 victory on a sunny November day at Clyde Williams Field. The Clones made it "all the way to Lincoln Way" lots of times that day. If they had beaten Oklahoma the next week they would have gone to the Orange Bowl. Predictably, they didn't.

So I was a little conflicted last night as I watched. And it all worked out just as it should, I suppose. The Army squad played over their heads, put up a valiant fight, and lost a close one. Over the years the Clones have had plenty of "come from ahead losses." It's only fitting that they get to play the role of the superior team once in a while.

Stan

Labor Day Weekend at Cranberry Lake

2005-09-11T08:49:00.000-05:00

Barn & Annette and Dan & Francine joined Stan, Kate & Peter for a wonderful Labor Day weekend at Cranberry Lake (Madeline having returned to Madison to support the Mighty Badgers). It was a truly lovely get together. Now that the Crosses have joined us for two years in a row we believe we have yet another Train Party Tradition going.

Watching the sunset on the dock is always great. And true to one of the themes of the weekend, boundaries were pushed and examined. Perhaps not surprisingly, Barny was doing much of the pushing - in this instance by throwing a wine bottle in the lake.

A long discussion of the propriety of hitting golf balls and throwing wine bottles into this lake or any other ensued. Off and on the discussion lasted through dinner. And oh, the dinners! The food and wine editor was on top of her game.

The weekend menu included:
Friday - Lunch
Baby Spinach Salad with Mango, Strawberry, Blueberry, Gorgonzola, Toasted Pecans and Balsamic Vinagrette

Dinner
Capanata on Artisan Bread
Organic Farm Raised Salmon with Lingonberry Sauce
Roasted Vegetable Torte
Lemon-Zested Jasmine Rice aux Petit Pois
Tarte aux Pommes

Saturday - Lunch
Greek Salad with Bruschetta

Dinner
Roasted Pepper Eggplant, Feta, Calamata Olives and Pita
Cumin-Rubbed Lamb Skewers with Roasted Peppers
Curried Couscous with Carrots, Parsley and Scallions
Vanilla Sugar Peach Pie

Sunday - Lunch
Gazapacho (intentionally misspelled in honor of the Middle East situation)

Dinner
Greek Antipasto [Deleted due to serious consumption]
Cranberry Lake Style Paella
Tart aux Fruits of Summer

The weekend "campers" went away happy and well satisfied.

Even the birds seemed to have a great time.

A beautiful weekend in a beautiful place.

Rudolf Lets Giant City Contract - Your Tax Dollars At Work?

2005-09-10T19:40:00.000-05:00

Having just mysteriously come into possession of TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, Mayor Crown Rudolf has hired a team of undocumented workers to install a new deck at the mayorial palace. Eschewing a long-standing offer of free labor and design advice from "the boys", Rudolf announced, in Spanish, that he has hired a group of "compadres" to install his paver-based deck. He appears to believe that the boys as work force don't do quality work and are too independent.

"I was sittin' around hopin' Curt might call when sure enough he did!" said an obviously excited Rudolf. "Curt said he had a pack of guys who fixed up his deck, and did I want them to do mine. Some kinda two-fer-one deal. But if it's good enough for Curt and Mary, I'm sure it's good enough for me and Darlene."

Look for the new deck at the big fall celebration that the Mayor is planning upon his return from his upcoming 5 week trip to his ranch in Oregon.

Welcome

2005-09-10T14:09:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Online Home of the Train Party. We started in 1972 - group of friends who knew from the beginning that it's better to have more than less.