Toy cars

My grandma had one of these toy firetrucks in her retro knotty pine basement for us grand kids to play on. It was fun. The ladders came off, the bell rang and we had tons of space to ride this thing around. You could try to go to the scarier part of the basement, past the old furnace (with real flames) to the boiler area where the light was never on. Oooooooohhh. It was fun being the oldest and riding it first but what stung was when I got too big to fit in it and watched my younger cousins having the time of their lives in a toy I couldn't fit in anymore.

At some point, my sister and got our hands on an FAO Schwartz catalog with this toy sulky cart featured. I know it was really expensive. I think for a few weeks we attempted to save our allowance but then calculated the cost by our meager .25 allowance. It would be years. I had a bike but this was toy and bike. It looked like tons more fun.


Later, My sister and I devised a plan where we'd get our parents to buy us a toy baby carriage and something like Calvin and Hobbes we'd push each other around in it. Did we think this plan out? No, we got the baby carriage, tried riding in it and it tipped over. Shit!

I've fallen in love with too many men who have owned motorcycles. I've been looking for a motorcycle to purchase but with no luck. Besides, I'd be riding bitch and I'm too lazy to learn how to ride a motorcycle myself. But I still wanted a toy to ride around on.

A friend emailed a Craigslist posting for this four person Rhoades bike and I had to have it. HAD TO. Was it my too small firetruck, my never acquired sulky, a toy I could drive? I have no idea. But it looked so fun and your friends would be riding along next to you. I found this exact model in Albuquerque and bought it and I'm having it shipped. I hope it arrives soon. Which lucky friends will ride first? Do I have a contest? Make them sing me a song?

Actually, just sit next to me and let's go for ride, this toy has been a long time coming.

Angst Station

The public phone is right outside my office. I did not know that the angst sign was installed outside my door. Every day, there's one of our workers who makes angsty calls to his girlfriend(s). Holy shit, I wanna get this kid a notebook and a coffee punch card and tell him to get thee to a coffee shop. He has volumes to write in his journal. Everyday, it's these sad, dark calls to someone who won't see him that day, won't see him enough, answer his calls or dissed him in some way shape or form. There's never any bright bits like, "Hey! I saw a robin!" Or "I'm about to eat some ice cream!" You'd think in a place that sells ice cream for the ice cream trucks, you could drum up a tiny ray of sunshine. No wonder that chica don't wanna see you, you're too dark and serious. Lighten up, hon. Oh and hang up the phone correctly so I don't hear that waaa waaa sound of the phone left off the hook. You make me and the phone cry a little every damn day.

Scary Numan at O'Garas in St Paul, MN this Saurday!

Scary Numan at O'Garas in St Paul, MN
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower

Who's all coming?

Happy Easter

Fleer's Dubble Bubble Gum ad, 1960s
Originally uploaded by bayswater97

Enjoy some...gum!

Fun Potato Chips

Nalley's Potato Chips
Originally uploaded by Waffle Whiffer

I was feeling really down and I called a friend. I told them to just talk, read me whatever they had in front of them. It was a bag of potato chips. I was read the ingredients of a bag of chips. It was very comforting.

Some people sing goofy songs from commercials that comfort them. I just like a human voice. It was actually a bag of Old Dutch chips, made in my neighborhood for me.

And you thought they were only for eating.

Promise me

Impossible Dream :)
Originally uploaded by Ben Heine

Promise me this will work.

That this is it, that this is the end of the road.

Promise, pinky swear, with a lawyer, with a witness. In a court, before god on a bible.

Promise me with all your heart.

Promise that everything will be restored as it was. You'll hand me the keys and I'll get my life back. In full. Promise.

Promise me, guarantee it, write it in blood. Promise that I'll get my body back, I'll get me back.

Swear it on the moon, on your mother's grave. "I promise, Debora, that this will work."

Say it. Say that you promise me.

You won't, will you?

Letters

Griffin & Sabine
Originally uploaded by Andréa Branco

This photo is of the book, Griffin and Sabine. Which I won't go into. It's gorgeous. I own them all, come over and we'll read them together. In lieu of love letters, I have been tempted to send the Griffin and Sabine books. I haven't had the courage.

I have a ton of letters I'm aching to write and send. Some are sweet, some are angry. I should send a love letter, I should tell my mom what I really think. I'd like to ask a few friends why they stopped talking to me. What was it, what did I do. What do I need to do to make it right? Letters to people I haven't seen since forever.

I have an even larger stack of the letters I'd like to respond to that only consist of edits. I had a long inner rant about one email I had no idea who it was from, who or what they were representing or even referencing. I actually guessed correctly the person, the company and what they were talking about. Then I got back an even more hideous email. I stomped around the house yelling out, "Dear Debora, I am from X company. I'm writing about the email you sent our company on X date. I would like to discuss the matter with you further. Here are the times I am available. Love and Kisses, Name, company and phone number." I know texting is the wave of the future. And of more crap communication.

I'd love to send letters to those who have died. How is heaven? Can you come back for a visit. Would you get in my dreams more often?

This is the most I can do, write a blog about writing the letters I should write. Or the books I should send.

Surprises

I was recently on a trip and I had a few fun surprises:

Driving out of Kansas City, I found a few more neon signs I hadn't seen. They won't be posted for a while, for me it's November in AZ.

We went to Dover, MO to Terre Beau vineyards. The web site said they were open but the sign on the door said closed. But the door was slightly ajar. We caught the sister of the owner there and we did get to taste and buy some wines. Whew! I have to learn to be social and call. Maybe that's my new month's resolution.

We stayed in the magic city of Moberly, MO. The title "magic" because of explosive growth in 1873. We're members of the Holiday Inn Priority club and we got to stay in a suite - for free! We went back to the Cooper's Oak Winery in Higbee, MO. Yeah, I've talked about the wines, the wine barrels. They recognized us again (I'm going to adopt them as my family - not sure how) and they had a great story about a 17 point buck and a new Deer Beer. And The owner's father, Dale, has his picture on the 2008 Norton wine. Plus, they're about to open a new location. I'm glad to see they're doing so well. I knew their hours because I did call. Funny how that works.

Then off to Ladora, IA. We show up at the Holiday Inn and they had a happy hour going on. Snackies and wine. Yes! And they had upgraded me to a whirlpool suite. It had a kitchen and pull out bed. James and I spreading out all our shit so not needing to call room service (for extra room - zing!) is a bonus. We hurried to the Ladora Bank Bistro. And there was a great cast of characters at the bar. There was a niece of Nancy Drew writer, Mildred Benson, who lived in Ladora and cashed her checks at the Ladora Bank! They have the ledger to prove it. And a hospital CEO charmed us with his skunky wine collection stories. James was impressed by the group of snow mobilers at a big table. The owners have more plans in the works. If I really love a place, I'll call. Maybe it's because I have a recognizable voice and I'm always asked, "Uh did you call before?" I really love the bank bistro.

So James and I are filled with happy stories about to come home. We go past the very cute, St Francisville Toll bridge. I get out James' notebook so we can find out how some bridges can charge a toll. It was privately built. Cool.

We had a really good run of tiny diners. Could we find one last cute ma and pa restaurant open for dinner? We drive through Pine Island, MN. The Historic Rainbow Cafe is open, filled with people. It's a more upscale restaurant, with innovative dishes and wine. Plus historic photos of Pine Island and the interior of the cafe. Joy! It was so unexpected.

BBQ Bucket List

Today, I had LC's BBQ for the first time. It was ok. Just ok. But it's near Raytown, where we're making the ice cream truck menus.

My favorite KC BBQ is Jack Stack. Martin City. I swear there's a picture of my great Uncle Max there. It was the first Kansas City BBQ I ever had. I'm loyal to my first love. Gates was second. Luckily, you can get Jack shipped maybe we can get some to go. I have a cooler currently filled with ice cream for our best friends.

I'm crazy and would even try to cross off four more BBQ joints. Screw it, five more!

I got this list here. Don't mention the "F" word to me. I have eaten at the F word. Past tense.

Hey, Kansas City

where everything is up to date.

Jack Stack, Arthur Bryant, Gates, I am heading your way. Get the smokers ready!

Oh and Valomilk, extra candy to the Hen House - STAT.

Attention the Ladora Bank bistro and Cooper's - be on alert - we'll be rolling your way (in more ways than one!) after all that BBQ.

Is there enough links in this post?

You don't know...

...what the ellipses stand for. For what unfinished thought, I refuse to complete, to admit. You don't know.

You don't know how to ease my pain.

Tonight!!! Scary Numan, at Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, MN

Come spend Mardi Gras with Scary Numan, this Tuesday at 9:30 pm at Lee's Liquor Lounge. No cover!

Address is 101 Glenwood Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403. Need a map?

Scary Numan is a "psycho retro" new wave dance band. The Youtube link shows video used during the performance and has the best sound sample.

Youtube
MySpace
Facebook

Happy Ballentine's Day

Happy Ballentine's Day
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower

Or Valentine's day to you and yours.
love, Debora

Head like a hole

I know far too many smart people. Smarter than me. They're way too knowledgeable on the bible, politics, music, you name it. I have no idea why they hang out with me. I'm mostly a sleepy paperweight. I must make them look even smarter by comparison. Or they're just coming for the BBQ.

I was thinking how I could get these friends more on my level. I thought what about the old practice of trepanning? I'm not sure if it would reduce their smartitude. It's only a guess. I don't even know what parts of their heads I'd drill. Probably just random spots. Or until they start drooling.

This morning it hit me, not the cruelty or pain of drilling holes in my friend's heads. Nope. What if I was with one of these really smart friends and we were trapped in a collapsed building. Sorry, collapsed building near the bar (I'm not going multiple days without liquor - not even a made up scenario). What if this friend could've used their super smart powers to get us free but since I've reduced them to a drooling paper weight, we'd starve or have the DT's.

Time

Time has come today. Not today. Not yet.


COUNTDOWNCLOCK

Tick tick tick to heavy metal

Mom o Gram

Mother's Day Telegram
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower

Get it? Mom o Gram.
It feels like a hydraulic press.

Scary Numan - canceled.

Water Towers

Everyone who knows me, understands (or pretends really well) that I hate HATE the Woodbury, MN logo on the side of their water tower. There aren't many pictures of it (what a shock) How do I hate it? Let me count thy ways:

The "W" looks like a few strips of masking tap and it's too big.
The spacing of the "O"s does make you want to say "woo."
The "db" thing then gets the letters closer but doesn't match the "woo."
The "U" is too big. And dumb. And made again with masking tape.
Then to finally insult you - the "R and Y" are touching. Why?

What is the deal - why is every letter it's own size and spacing? It was sweet to let a small child design and paint the water tower. I'm glad they didn't waste good money on a real logo designer. I guess Landor was too busy working on the old Fortis logo. (Don't get me started on that or even this)

It was this page I stumbled upon reminded me of my own evil water tower. At least I am not alone!

Happy New Year

Whisky ornament
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower

Love, Debora and whisky (I really own this!)