HA! (Albany Part 2)

Am I the only one who remembers Ha?

When Marcia Brady had a sleepover (the one where Peter puts the itching powder in the sleeping bags - always a lot of fun, that Peter…) one of Marcia's friends calls out, "Let's play Ha!"  Within minutes they are all laughing hysterically (but then itching because of the powder and the game is broken up).  So when we hit a lull in the conversation I suddenly called out, "Let's play Ha!"  Of course, no one knew what I was talking about.

Ha is where one person lies down and the next person lies with their head on their stomach…then the next person lies with their head on that person's stomach and so on.  Then somehow you laugh - or I guess you start saying Ha Ha, you know, fake it till you make it - and the sensation makes you laugh and then everyone is laughing!!!

My family was willing to try.  I look like the only one laughing but we did laugh a bit…mostly at how stupid this game is.  I challenge our blog readers to try a game of Ha at their next family gathering and see if they can muster up a good laugh.

Visit to Albany Part 1

It's been almost a year since I've been to Albany to see the family - and even longer for Bill.  So now that (we thought) the weather was settled down we made the trip out.    It snowed, of course but we managed to find our way.

Bill and Gina win for most photogenic couple.

Blog readers may remember my great-niece Lily but now I'd like to introduce them to my great-nephew Andy.  A lot can happen in a year.  Andy is transgender and has been making the transition while I've been away. He still got tons of style - funky t-shirts and red front locks - and a hearty appetite.

We ordered pizza and we all had a good catch up.  Heather is becoming a manager at the local Cumberland Farms where they love her.  This was the weekend she switched from night shifts to permanent days so she was in a bit of a fog while she changed her sleep pattern.

Mum and Bill having a little heart to heart…Bill ikea to ask her provocative questions about family feuds and the man Andy (my bother) is named after.  He had one blue eye and one brown and was killed by a snow plow.  We know there has to be even more to that story….

AJ and Eden's kids are adorable.  They particularly liked Elaine the rat.

Somehow this picture lead to a who-can-open-their-mouths-widest competition between me and AJ.

Hmmm….a tie?

Then the whole family got involved.  Show off your uvula!

Uvula pictures are exhausting.

Bill and Gina just had to show off again how good they look in photos that do not involve uvulas.

But the night wasn't over.  More Albany antics tomorrow...

Museum of bad art

In the basement of the Somerville theater where we saw The Moth is MOBA:  The Museum of Bad Art.

Much of it was religious.  I knew Jesus was an old cat lady all along.

I loved that they made this empty basement space into something that would entertain people who wander down to go to the bathroom.   And they wrote funny little blurbs about each picture but we didn't get a close up for an example.

I remember that this write up was about throwing bread rolls at the dinner table.

So this theater has a stage, a cinema and a museum.  We need to come here every week!!!!

Johnny D's Every Week

In yesterday's post I mentioned dinner before The Moth…here we are wandering around Davis Square in the rain looking for a fast bite.

We only had about 30 minute so we ducked into Johnny D's.  This place has been around for ever.  The T-shirts they wear at the bar say "Where your Nana used to drink".   
Look how happy I am already.

I was even happier to see that they had a pre-show going on (every night is live music) - a guy playing a xylophone.  Now I wouldn't normally rush out to buy tickets to a xylophone show but this guy was really good!!

Since I am incredibly predictable I started saying things like, "Why don't we ever come to Johnny D's?? We need to start coming here EVERY WEEK!!" (This is my mantra anytime I discover or rediscover something good…I instantly set the expectation too high.  I never learn to just say, let's think about this next time we're looking for something to do….)

We're off to Albany this morning and since my mom doesn't have wifi tomorrow's blog may be delayed until we are home again.  Have a good weekend everyone!

A Grand Slam

Bill and I both worked at our offices yesterday so we had to drive from Littleton/Chelmsford in the rain at rush hour…a situation that made us question the decision to head into Somerville on a week night.  I was cranky and frustrated that we weren't going to get any dinner (we did - but we've saved those pictures for another post).  We had tickets to go to The Moth storytelling event.

I heard about it through a friend's web site - and there he is!  

This is a championship slam which means 10 winners from past events will tell stories to compete for first place.  Matthew would be one of them.  I ran down to talk to him and his truly lovely wife Elysha while Bill stayed at our seats and took pictures of us talking.

Matt was up second after a random drawing - he says this is not a good position to be in since the judges tend to hold back their highest votes until later in the night.   But Matt was terrific.  All the stories have to be true and something that happened to you, not something you've heard.  He told the story of being stung by a yellow jacket and having an allergic reaction at home but being able to call his mom on the phone (who managed to get help to him).  He had a great delivery and had me laughing and tearing up…and was in first place for most of the night until another guy told a story about an operation he had on his penis when he was six.  As soon as I heard the word penis over and over I knew Matt was in trouble.  How could you not give it to the penis guy?

And to think that at one point in the ride I was ready to say let's skip it rather than spend so long on the road.  I was really glad we were there to cheer him on. 

10 great stories = 1 great night.

Charter Street

Working on the Atwood house is reminding me of our first condo.  These are the pictures we took as we put it on the market to sell - it never looked so clean and pulled together in real life.  It's funny to see how many things we still have and now many have been sold, thrown out, given away…where is that red apple now?

 Hard to imagine Bret and Joey sharing this little room now.

 We got to enjoy our kitchen renovation for about 5 minutes before we sold it and had to leave.  Now I hate our kitchen so I know eventually we will have to do it all over again.

 Back in the days when our couch cushions were fluffy.

 The people who live in it now have a giant white porcelain horse head in the living room.

 I spent many hours out on that tiny little porch with Noodles.  It looks like she is admiring her own portrait.

That condo was small…and drafty….and the basement had that sewer problem…but I loved it.  

Trivia Tuesday

The quiz is back!  Cancelled last week for St Paddy's Day, trivia night at the pub is on again and this time we have Denise as our secret weapon.

But first, notice anything different below?  That's right - new glasses.  Bigger frames are in again  - funny how these things go in cycles.  Now I can use them to look smart like Bill and Christin below in their "Optical Pondering" pose.

This is Bill's "I'm just happy to be here" pose.

Three cute chicks...

We call this one "Album Cover"…

Doo-wopping in a girl trio…(looks like I'm doo-ing while Christin is whopping)...

The surprise selfie…somehow I'm the only one surprised….

Gossipy ladies (Denise is clearly above it but happy to hear the news)...

Re-enactment of spilling my water.  Yes, I spilled my water AGAIN!

Ok, guys, it's time to get serious and start quizzing!!  Please note that many of the questions are very long and convolutedly phrased so I can rarely jot them down exactly as asked but I'm doing my best to get the gist of them here.

Trivia Questions:

• What TV series anniversary special that aired on Feb 15, 2015 was the most watched prime time show in 10 years? 
• What 2 actors reprieved their roles from a 2001 film at Paris Fashion Week?
• What Wayne's World actress won an award for best hawaiian music album?
• A film with the subtitle Montage of Heck was about this late artist whose band was recently admitted into the Music Hall of Fame.  
• Who was selected as MVP of the season and the playoffs in both 2011 and 2013? 
• Peter Sarsgaard and Thandie Newton were in what TV series based on the 2008 Australian book of the same name?
• Barbara Striesand was married in 1963- 1971 to this actor from the film Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.
• Chris Jones served as the master of this vessel in 1620.
• In 1995 this company joined the National Fish and Wildlife in a campaign to save the tiger.

Christin is the eternal optimist.  She came in expecting us to win.  And at the end of the third round we were actually tied for second place (out of about a dozen teams).

And then….we blew it in the bonus round and came in 5th.  This is a picture from earlier in the day at Bill's off but I think his expression sums it up.

Bill didn't think I would leave this one in….so I am.  

To my trivia rivals, we'll be back next week and better than ever!!

Trivia Answers:

• What TV series anniversary show that aired on Feb 15, 2015 was the most watched prime time show in 10 years?  Saturday Night LIve
• What 2 actors reprieved their roles from a 2001 film at Paris Fashion Week?  Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
• What Wayne's World actress won an award for best hawaiian music album?  Tia Carrera
• A film with the subtitle Montage of Heck was about this late artist whose band was recently admitted into the Music Hall of Fame.  Kurt Cobain
• Who was selected as MVP of the season and the playoffs in both 2011 and 2013?  Lebrin James
• Peter Saarsgard and Thandie Newton were in what TV series based on the 2008 Australian book of the same name?  The Slap
• Barbara Striesand was married in 1963- 1971 to this actor from the film Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice?  Elliot Gould
• Chris Jones served as the master of this vessel in 1620.  The Mayflower
• In 1995 this company joined the National Fish and Wildlife campaign to save the tiger. Exxon