Uncle Bethy played the role of nanny so SHR and I could play some bocce. Otis wasn't excited. The accordion player was quite excited though. There were 32 teams in the tournament. Unfortunately, SHR and I weren't on the same team. We made a vow to destroy the competition and face off in the finals.
There were 8 divisions of 4. The first round was round robin format. So we each had three games to play in the division. The top 2 teams in each division advance.
So far, so good for my squad - Squad Kickstarter. Perry rolled the winning shot. Yancy celebrated. Reinforcements. Carrie and Jim couldn't resist a day out on Governors Island. I wonder when the last time this center was in operation. The day was heavily documented. Anyway, my squad didn't do well. We lost the next two games and did not advance. Now, it was time to cheer on my honey. Hiro So far so good. The team advanced to the Sweet 16. SHR had a chance to win and go to the final 8. I love the dudes on the right looking at the footage that had been shot in the photos above. She did it! She did it! Next installment: The Final 8
Reigning Sound - Love and Curses, 2009 Is there anything Greg Cartwright can't do?
Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall, 2009 I couldn't get that into his other stuff but I love this one. Seems like he's jumping from one genre to another on each album and this one is super poppy. I like it so much that I need to go back and listen to the earlier stuff that I had dismissed too readily.
Box Elders - Alice and Friends, 2009 Sounds like 1981 era Violent Femmes trying to sound like 2007 era Black Lips. Nice.
The Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band, 2009 Kind of like the Pernice Bros. to me. Their albums have some incredibly catchy stuff and then some boring stuff. However, I do think that their hit to miss ratio is higher than the Pernice Bros. I like this album quite a bit.
Cass McCombs - Catacombs, 2009 Found this boring, then I really liked it. Pleasant late evening late summer on the porch music - but with a bit of a menacing edge to it.
Chris Knox - Beat, 2000 I mentioned on Facebook that I was listening to a mid 90's Knox Cd. The Noiseboy immediately mentioned that I should listen to this one. It turns out that eMusic doesn't have the largest selection of Knox albums but they do have this one. Thank you Noiseboy. Thank you eMusic. Hooray!
The Donnas - The Donnas, 1998 Why oh why did I not listen to this band back in the day? Better late than never. The Ramones meets Bratmobile by way of Nikki and the Corvettes. Awesome.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott - I Stand Alone, 2006 Why oh why did I not listen to this guy back in the day? Better late than never. Such a warm voice. So dry. Sit by a campfire, drink some whiskey, talk about your days with Woody Guthrie. Awesome.
Lee Fields & the Expressions - My World, 2009 I listened to this album for over a month before I discovered it wasn't from 40 years ago. What the hell? Fantastic album.
The Black Hollies - Casting Shadows, 2008 Neither black or the Hollies but still 60's fantastic.
Dinosaur Jr - Farm, 2009 I had Bug back in the day but never really got into this band. That has been corrected. I like this album a lot and I'm catching up on the classics through eMusic.
I love this video.
Wilco - Wilco (The Album), 2009 I like this but there are a few ehs. In general, I think I like this band's even number output better than odd. Thus Being There over A.M. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot over Summerteeth. Sky Blue Sky over A Ghost is Born. I'm guaranteed to really like their next album.
Red Sticker Collection: Now All Digital Elliott Smith - Roman Candle, 1994 This is the one Elliott Smith album I wasn't too familiar with so I decided to give it a listen. Kind of dull, don't you think?
SHR noticed this on the sidewalk about a block from our apartment.
I'm fascinated to know the back story here. An art project? Was there an anti-semitic mixer complete with name tags held on the block and some partygoer left theirs on the sidewalk after the party? A threat directed at me? What the hell is going on?
Sam made eyes at the Pickle hoping to rekindle his summer fling. That didn't work but he did get to participate in a cakewalk with his mom. I scolded the boys for not winning the cakewalk. I left Otis in a huff by himself to self medicate. Formulating a plan to do better on the next cakewalk. As promised, hula hoops. Otis fell asleep during Sam's second attempt at cakewalk glory. Again, nothing.
We celebrated by heading to City Island. Fried clams, a cold beer, and a baby in shades. Make that two babies wearing shades. Ready to play soccer. Sam wasn't sure if he was more interested in the water. Or the food.
After visiting Eileen in August, I had to get back for more fun times in September. And this time, with a bunch of friends and meat in tow!
Dave Otis and Balgavy Henry and Jen Otis and Anne Sam got too tired out by all the fun. Party time! Henry enjoyed one of the incredible cookies that SHR made. The water was cold but SHR thought that Otis was tough enough to take it. Apparently not. Otis wasn't facing me during his protest but I love SHR's reaction to his reaction. Mr. Cheeks and Yu - the self proclaimed kooky lady that you like. Much different, of course, than simply just the kooky lady. Anne, Charlie, and Alex Time for some mexican corn. Eileen and Otis (photo by Mooney)
(photo by Mooney)
On the way back, we stopped by SHR's family business in Greenpoint to pick up some stuff from her parents.
This picture didn't turn out like I was hoping but I love it anyway. Ahpa gave his daughter a big hug. SHR and her parents. Thanks go to Eileen for letting us use her backyard all day and to SHR for organizing and being the glue of the whole endeavor.
