When being good pays off.

A couple of months ago while on a walk to the neighborhood market for some coffee beans, we were passed by a van that was being happily chased by a dog. We called to the dog, got him out of the road, and checked his tags. The address on the tag was one street over from us, so I pulled some yarn out of my purse, fashioned it into a lead and we walked him home. When we arrived at his house the owners weren't home so we talked to their neighbor (and ours as our backyards meet up with each other). She said that they have been having trouble keeping the dog in their yard and just to stick him in the back yard. As we were putting him in the backyard and shoring up the gate in hopes that he wouldn't get out again, the owners pulled in the driveway. They had been at Home Depot buying things to fix their fence to try and prevent anymore dog breakouts. They thanked us for our help and asked us if we like to go see shows. We said, "Yes we do." Then they told us that one of them manages a couple of clubs around town and if we ever wanted to get into a show, to let them know.

Earlier that day I had read that the "the boy's" favorite performer was coming to one of the clubs this guy manages, so I jumped and said, "Yes! Matt Costa is coming May 28th and we would love to take "the boy" (the boy nodding his head in agreeance). They took down all of our names and my phone number and said that they would put us on the list. As we walked home, "the boy" was in awe...we were going to be on a VIP list!

Two days later they changed the venue for the concert and all but ruined our plans for a free show and being on the VIP list.

Months went by and life got busy and crazy and I had actually considered just letting the concert pass without taking "the boy", then last Sunday I got a call from the dog owners. They said that Matt Costa had been moved from their venue to another but they were going to make some calls and see if they could get us in. I.WAS.SHOCKED. I got a call a little later confirming that we were on the "list" and to enjoy the show.

So last night headed down to the show (stopping by the ATM on the way, just in case). We walked in and said, "We are on a list".....and we were. Right at the top of a special list! D and I were shocked. It isn't often that people do what they say they will these days.

We made our way to the front of the crowd and waited through two bands for Matt Costa to come on. There were some very sweet kids that allowed us to squeeze towards the middle and closer to the stage so that "the boy" could see. It was a very pleasant experience all in all.

Delta Spirit - opening touring band




Mr. Costa


And the best....



I am always looking at ways to set positive examples for "the boy" and this is a great one. Sometimes kind pays in kind, and hopefully that will be recurring theme in his life.

Gang aft agley

Farmer and poet Robert Burns wrote it best after plowing his field one day and disturbing a mouse's nest, "The best laid plans of mice, and men, often go awry".

Our remodel plans for the basement have taken many twists & turns, but things are happening nonetheless. Stress and worry, and time all wash away when I think of the finished product and what it means as we start a new chapter in our lives and chalk the whole thing up as another adventure that we've survived.

The progress thus far, along with my daily coffee:













We hung the first sheet of drywall last night. More big things to come this weekend.

Third

I have devoted the last two days to listening to the new Portishead album "Third"...(that is, whenever the boy wasn't listening to Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" on repeat).

My normal reaction to Portishead is "sexy-time". I could be in the most repulsive, unattractive place on earth, hear Portishead and want to take all my clothes off and make out. Too much information? Ask any random passerby and I bet they will tell you the same thing.

So while listening to "Third" I keep waiting for it, waiting for my head to get all swimmy but it isn't really happening...something different is. I find myself wanting to take my Zune and a pair of big headphones to some southern Utah slot canyon for a night hike under a full moon. I find myself longing for my youth and days gone past. It feels like psychedelic rock more than trip-hop. Hell, Beth Gibbons even sounds a bit like Grace Slick at one point during the song Threads. Maybe I need to read a professional review of this album, or something at all about it, because, honestly I don't know anything about it. What I do know is this:

"Third" feels more like a trip or a story than a orgy. And that isn't bad.