Where's the Music Scene?

Where have all the clubs (cowboys) gone?

When buying a home, I didn't expect to have to consider the music scene in my decision. In fact, buying in Minneapolis, I thought I'd be pretty much covered for all genres. When I lived at the U, there was the Quest, the Fine Line, First Ave/7th Street Entry, Triple Rock, etc. Now that we've moved in the only clubs we can find that play Punk are in St. Paul at the Station 4 and Woodbury (a suburb on the opposite side of St. Paul) at the Myth which is a huge venue and not conducive to punk concerts. So basically we moved as far away from the Punk clubs as possible. WTF!

And where did the Quest go? They had great concerts all the time! Now I am lucky if we get one every few months. Seriously, there are rumors of moving, fires, bankruptcy, where did it go? I didn't expect to leave Cincinnati, which has a strong following of Parrot Heads and country listeners to return to a city with a worse punk offering. I mean we saw some awesome bands while we were in Cincinnati by far the best was MXPX at the Mad Hatter. A rinky-dinky club/bar in Covington, KY where 100 fans basically got to experience an amazing band in a REALLY intimate setting. In fact, NOFX and No Use For A Name are playing at the Madison Theater in Covington on March 7th and I got to admit, I am kind of jealous.

Granted, the Drop Kick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Thursday, Senses Fail, and New Found Glory are coming in March, but they are all at the Myth, which is probably one of the worst venues ever - I'd rather see a concert in the Metro Dome parking lot. We saw Thrice and Alkaline Trio at the Myth and it was awful. I couldn't hear the lyrics, too dang much bass, we were packed in like sardines, it was too big, could barely see the band and did I mention fat sweaty gross smelly people kept bumping into me? Yeah, try getting stepped on and smashed into by a big fat sweaty smelly person for 3 hours we'll see how much you enjoy a concert.

Seriously, I just want a medium sized venue with a long list of good punk band concerts, is that too much to ask? Apparently it is in the cities.

Busy

Sorry I haven't updated this lately, we've been well, busy. We're in the middle of removing wallpaper, refinancing, contesting our property taxes, both of us are busy at work and did I mention we're removing wallpaper? We're also periodically looking for furniture and dogs. I've been so busy I didn't even realize that I am almost out of my orientation period at work - February 24th. I think I might take of the 25th, buy a 1/2 gallon of ice cream and veg out on the couch with some girly movies.

Thanks to Angie's family we have gotten a lot done. Her brother's steamer is EXCELLENT! We've removed the 4 layers of wallpaper in the dining room. We removed the fake brick in the kitchen. We started removing the wallpaper in the upstairs hallway/stairway - despite the fact that its painted - its slow but its moving. We found a patch in the hallway that doesn't have wallpaper - just paint. We were able to remove the top layer of latex, but not really the layer underneath - we're not quite sure how were going to get that off. All I know is I am looking forward to it all being gone.

I am also getting pretty anxious for it to be warm again. Not because I can't stand the cold - the cold is the cold, you deal. I am anxious because I know we will be stripping wood, painting, creating a yard, and doing other fun projects that are more easily done outside than in the house or done with the windows open.

No mice since the first and only one - not complaining. We bought a digital SLR - better to document the house changes with. It's pretty sweet. There was a going out of business sale for a Tiffany glass store - so we bought one ceiling fixture and two Tiffany style lamps. We went to Twin's Fest and got Tony Oliva to sign a ball. We had a mini Super Bowl Party, I might have made too much dip. Now I have too many dishes. :) When are we installing that damn dishwasher? I tried to fix the toilet, but shortening the chain didn't help much. I'll be better about updating this, I swear.

We might be getting a sewer system today!

Ok, so it might take them all week to install it but it appears that our block might finally be getting a sewer system installed which is awesome because that means we might soon get curbs, a driveway and a walkway from the curb! Wohoo! I had to share because I was excited. I will post a picture later, but I don't want to take one now and seem nosey.

Let's see what else - I am bored, needed to take a break from applying to jobs. I might have an interview next week. That's all I am saying because I am no longer getting excited about these because I have been let down too many times.

I made homemade apple sauce yesterday. 1st time ever! It is really good its like apple pie filling. Although, its no Grandma B's applesauce though - best applesauce ever. (I remember inhaling it, sometimes not pausing long enough for it to thaw.) I will have to try that some time soon too but I think she purees it and uses McIntosh apples and I didn't have those on hand.

I was exchanging emails with my sister yesterday and today, you have to see what her kitten (My nephew kitty: Luca) did! He's a tad bit on the naughty side, although I hear he's not as naughty as his twin brother. He's aggressive around food, despite the water spritzing he gets, and he may have burnt off his whiskers while he was trying to get at the soup she was cooking on the stove. Ha, if you click on the picture you will get a better look at the curly Q's. (Apparently, someone doesn't like the paparazzi.)

Mike and I started playing Super Mario's World on SNES. I forgot how much fun it is! We beat 20 levels last night... it seems way easier than I remember it at age 11. I might have to copy some pages out of our top secret book that we have on all the SMW levels. I already think I surprised Jake with some things he didn't know existed and beat a few levels I was never able to beat as a kid! Watch out Bowzer you are next! (I only managed to beat him once.) :(

Apple Picking!

I went with Angie, Angie's boyfriend Chris and Kathy to the an Apple Orchard in Jordan, MN on Sunday (durng the Packer game). It was called MN Harvest or something on old 169? It was so much fun! I wish we had pictures. Wagon ride out to the orchard. The apples towards the ground were all gone so I climbed trees and dropped down apples. It was a blast.

We bought apples, apple cider (YUM!), apple pie, apple pastries, and even pumpkins! Stop by later for pumpkin carving pictures. I am going to try to make Mike and Jake carve one each - I told Mr. Michael I'd de-seed his if it encouraged him to carve it. I am so excited to make my first apple pie in my house today or tomorrow, but I am for sure making homemade apple sauce today for the first time ever - Grandma's recipe! Hooray!

Falls in Minnesota (and Wisconsin) rock! Its so beautiful and it has that smell. The smell of October. The days are warm but not hot. Although today is rainy and cold - 43 degrees, yuck! Which reminds me we turned on the boiler system for the first time on Sunday. Easy and no problems... makes me wonder - nothing has been that easy!

P.S. Is it time to vote yet? I AM SO SICK OF POLITICAL ADS!!!

1st Dead Body

Ha, we did find a dead body in the backyard but it was a mouse. I just had to mess with everyone because that's what everyone keeps asking me about -- Any dead bodies yet? None of the human kind. We found a bird skull too.

This past weekend we were working on the backyard again... we were moving dirt from the backyard to the street. Shh - city doesn't need to know we were getting rid of some of our dirt via their unfinished project. It's what they get for it still looking like they've done anything. We dug up 31 2.5'x2.5' pavers from the South West corner. It was an area about 6' wide by 10' deep and we pulled out 31 pavers!!! Not to mention they weren't visible (like 3-4" deep) nor were they just one deep some of the pavers were 2 and even 3 pavers deep - why would you layer pavers? I just don't get it. But I should know better than to ask questions.

We can't figure out why they were buried. Mike's hypothesis is that the beds were so high with dirt and the walking area was so low that when no one took care of it, due to erosion it just kind of spilled over and covered all the pavers. There were also plastic ducklings buried under the pavers. Its so odd. We dug up dog toys, balls, and miscellaneous garbage. We dug up some kind of gutter system next to the driveway leading up to the garage. We think it was to keep water out of the garage - but it was full of dirt so obviously not working too well. What a mess.

What else did we do? I started removing the rocks from the top of the biggest flower bed - ironically there was another layer of rocks below the top layer. We got rid of some more wood chips. I began bundling the branches from this summer. We removed the sides of the "compost bin" so all that is left is the branches and mess that they had in it. I am beginning to get a feeling for the backyard and I think its going to take us all of next summer to get it to a tolerable place where we can put in grass. *SIGH* For that reason also, we probably won't be getting a dog anytime soon either. I need a job, we need a finished fence and he'll need grass to do his duty on. But the more we work on it the better it looks and its satisfying to see the changes.

We bought a wheel barrel - best purchase ever! I cannot believe how much of help it is. We used it to haul dirt from the side of the house and the back yard to dump in the street. I used it to haul the recycling and yard waste to the street. Mike used it to move the pavers we dug out. It's awesome!

I was talking with my neighbors again. Jerry, next door to the North, thanked us again for getting rid of the pigeons. He seemed pretty happy about it. He said he also cannot believe the changes we have made to it. Said in the summer it just looked like a jungle. Ha, its funny cuz it was true. Also, I talked to the lady to the South - I have been told her name once and already I forgot it. I have to write it down next time. She said he dad used to complain that the city should've ticketed the previous owners. She also said that the husband who died apparently was some kind of horticulturist of some sort. Which is hard to believe but the second time I've heard it. I guess he also worked at the U of MN too. Which might explain the Gopher we found in the attic when we were looking at the house.

It's Official

Today I finally received my new driver's license. I only had to wait 4 weeks and a day to get it lame. I was told 3-4 weeks and when it didn't come in 4 I called and was told that it was really supposed to arrive in two but that mine, for no explainable reason - according to the lady on the phone, got detained and didn't even get processed until 10-10-08 and went in on 9-19-08. Boo. Whatever I finally received it and I no longer have to carry my old license and 3 sheets of paper saying I can drive.

I'd have to say it looks better than the Ohio one, but its sooo flimsy and it has a weird texture to the surface so it collects dirty and grossness pretty easily. You should see Mike's he's got black junks stuck all over it. You can't see them but it has loon (state bird of MN) holograms on it. I also laughed because you'll notice it no longer states what your hair color is... looks like MN caught on to the fact that hair color doesn't really help anymore. It's a bit of a better picture too, but my hair is so puffy on my fore head - they should really provide people with mirrors or allow them to look at their pictures once its taken so they can have the chance to make it look semi-decent come on, you are stuck with it for 4 years! So anyhow, it looks like I am officially a resident - now if only I can find a job! :)

The Destruction Begins

Always got to make a funny face. Oh well, yesterday we randomly got the destruction itch. It started on Saturday I believe when I decided to start pulling down the UGLY brick wall paper. Got a good chunk of it off but its not coming off very easily so its taking some time.

Yesterday, Mike and I were replacing a few more ugly light switches and recepticals. What happened was in the dining room Mike peeled back some of the paper so that we wouldn't have to remove the switch plate cover again when we were pulling the paper off and that's when it all started. The corner was loose and the child in me couldn't help but keep pulling, and pulling and all of a sudden, no more wall paper in the dining room.

It was funny too because while I was reveling in pulling off the wall paper in the kitchen, I over hear Mike removing the ugly plastic (nope not real copper) panels in the kitchen. I caught him in the act and complained because I don't know if I got enough pictures of the kitchen before he had a go at it. But I am glad they are down - although now the kitchen is very yellow. But I think its so much more tolerable now.

The dining room has lots of interesting things to note... like why are there FOUR LAYERS OF WALL PAPER ON THE WALLS!? FOUR! I counted. There's the ugly Blue on top, the ugly pink with flowers below, then there's the shiny gold with flowers below that, then below that it appears to be white with palms and flowers and finally below that is a pastel green paint. Lovely. The top to layers came off easily, but I am not looking forward to removing the bottom to layers - they are really old and brittle and seem to have been made of real... paper believe it or not. Who wants to deal with easy to remove viynl wall paper anyways? (I do!) The pink paper below the blue crap that was patchwork quilted on appears to look like they tried to paint it and it didnt work too well, so they just wall papered over it. I also noticed in some places it was taped (the wide brown almost transparent plastic crap) to the wall because some seams were no longer holding. It at least seemed like it was put up with more care than the top layer. I still can't believe there's four layers.

Then of course there's the radiator... how do you remove wall paper from behind the radiator? Apparently, this was an interesting problem for the first owner too because there's no pastel blue-green paint on the wall behind the radiator - just wall paper on the sheet rock - so that's going to be fun to remove. I honestly think we are going to have to drain the radiators and take it out just so that we can remove the paper and paint back there. Mercy - why did I want an old house with "charm". So, we may paint the rest of the room once all the paper is removed and have to leave what's behind the radiator utnil next summer. HA!