Big Weekend

I need a big weekend
Kick up the dust
Yeah a big weekend
If you don't run, you rust.

This is my big weekend recap. It was actually quite cool.

If you go back all the way to Friday, where it all started. I drove the Falcon to work for a change. (side note: I need to take more pictures of the Falcon!!!) Only AM radio, but it is such a fun car to drive!!! A big part of the reason I drove it is because gas is usually around fifteen cents a gallon less by my work.

On my way out from work my phone rings. It's my wife. She says she has a surprise for me, turns out one of my boy's friends mom invited both of the boys to spend the night with them, so we've got a kidless evening. My good friend Sammy (who I sadly don't see that much these days) had called, and turns out he's got a couple of extra tickets to the Dodgers-Cubs game!!! Nice seats, looking straight down the third base line. Straight home, then straight to the stadium. Dodger dogs for dinner!!! It was a good game, even though the Cubs lost. Dodgers dominated at the beginning, Cubs rallied to take the lead, then the Dodgers had to play catch up. Won 9-8. I think it's probably the best, most action packed live game I've ever seen.

Saturday I finally deposited the tax refund checks in the bank. That's a story in itself, suffice to say that my bank has made its way onto my short list. I wasn't going to let 'em bring me down, tho. Picked up some oil and filters for the cars and did oil changes, then did a little modification on my irrigation system. Both of the hose bibbs were leaking around the valves, and the south one I've got one of those Y adapters for two hoses on, so you can turn off one or the other. Never worked that well, so I bought three new valves, a tee fitting and a 90 degree elbow. Put the tee on the south one, and put a valve on either side, and the elbow on the other one, so now the hoses are actually pointing down instead of out. I'm very pleased with the results. Later on that evening, I saw that "Kill Bill", volume one and two, were going to be on. I had yet to see either, but it has been on my list of movies to watch. They were very well done, but I fell asleep during volume two.

Sunday we went to Carl's Jr. for lunch. I had read an article in the paper that they are bringing legal action against Jack in the Box over their insinuation about the unsavory whereabouts of their Angus burger meat origins. Made me want to eat at Carl's Jr. is all it did for me. Turns out they have a Hawaiian burger on the menu now. I had to try it, and it was pretty decent, but I think I would have rather had a Western Bacon Cheeseburger. After that we stopped by Comics Factory in Pasadena. I haven't been keeping up on the Gunslinger comic books, and two more have come out since the last time I was there. Something cool happened while we were there, too, the sound system in the place played two Counting Crows songs back to back. One of them I think it was the first time I've ever heard it not on my comp or stereo. When I got home, "Kill Bill", volume two was on, so I got to see the last of that.

Monday we went to Sammy's house and barbecued. The boys really like his cat, Tyson (Pictured above, a big Cubs fan, too). Played Frisbee football, did a bool hunt with the kids, and went for ice cream. Good times.

CSI-Legoland

"Lieutenant Caine, I found this decapitated head in the bushes next to the motorway..."

(This was the "more fun with this guy" I referred to in the Legoland post)

The Return of Magnet Letters

Welcome to the first installment of my magnet letters since I got a whole new set of funky cardboard ones to add in. As you can see, my creativity is expanded...

Disneyland After Dark

Cuz it's after dark now
And Disneyland is closed
We've been served
Ice cold beer
And Walt is our host

It's after dark now
And Disneyland is closed...
The party is over
The night is here
Let's bring out a toast...

Well, here it is, the recap of our Disneyland trip!!! The event was on Thursday night from 9 PM to 1 AM. We left to get there early, and it was a full half hour before that we arrived. Good thing, because there was a HUGE line to get the tickets from will call. By the time we made it through that and got from the tram and through the security check it was around 9:45. There was also a bit of a line to turn in some recyclable plastic bottles to get a Mark and Brian treasure map.

Upon arriving in the park, there was a touch of the surreal. Disneyland after dark is usually somewhat strange anyway. I remember one time when I was probably around ten or so, we went to the theatre in Fantasyland to see a play while the park was closed. Very strange. This was also strange, we got into the park, and walking up Main Street USA, they have the broadcast of KLOS playing. Tying into the Stones reference once again, the song playing upon our entrance was "Paint it Black".

Our first area that we wanted to visit was the New Orleans Square area, because last time we were there the Pirates of the Caribbean ride was closed, as they were re-tooling it to add in Jack Sparrow. On the way we passed by the Indiana Jones ride, and I asked the firstborn if he wanted to go on that. He did, so I left him and momma in the line and set off with the younger to find something to do in the meantime. On our way through, we came across the first of the treasures that we had to find on the treasure map. Five different lands were specified to have a treasure hidden in them, and we needed to write down the color for each. This one was a projected image on the ground right outside of the Golden Horseshoe Revue. Cool.

The Sailing Ship Colombia is one of those attractions that I have seen for years, but have never been on. It was docked a bit from there, and he wanted to go on it. The attendant invited us aboard, but informed us that it wasn't sailing that night. It was very cool, anyway, great detail, and the boy enjoyed playing pirate for quite a while, until I got the call that they had gotten off the Indiana Jones ride. Met up with them, and they had spotted another treasure projected over a shop opposite the ride.



After that we went to the Pirates ride. I have to say, they did a great job of adding in Jack Sparrow while retaining the original feel. The cannon ball shots are much better than they used to be, and they added in a really awesome Davey Jones effect.

We had figured that going on Splash Mountain would probably be a very short line, because who wants to get wet at night??? That was our next destination, but it was closed when we got there!!! Bummer. OK, what next??? Space Mountain, pretty much on the opposite side of the park. OK, we'll catch the train from there to the other side. Got to the train station, and it's closed, too!!! Fine, we'll walk that way, and ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds on the way. Guess what, those are closed down too!!! Looked like they were working on it, though. Onward to Tomorrowland, and surprise of surprises, Space Mountain is actually open!!! While standing in line, we saw the third of the treasures projected on a wall. I was a bit surprised that the younger wanted to ride it. On the last part of the ride, I looked around to see how he was doing, and he's shaking his head "NO". Guess he didn't like it so much.

We headed back towards Fantasyland, and the Matterhorn is up and running again. Once again, the oldest and momma get in line while the younger and I head off to see what else was of interest. He wanted to go back to the pirate ship (not the Pirates ride, but the Sailing Ship Colombia) but on the way there I spotted the Jungle Cruise (with a very short line), and he was up for that. I'd never been on that after dark, either, and it was cool, with a whole new set of their famous corny jokes.

As we were getting off that, I got the call that the other half had finished up their ride (actually got to go twice) so I told them to make their way to Sleeping Beauty's Castle (which has gotten a whole new pink and purple lighting scheme, looks pretty nice) and we'd meet up there. Wandering through the castle, I spotted the final treasure projected on one of the back walls of the castle.

There was a bit of a line to turn in the completed map for the prize, but took care of that, too. The prize was a VERY cool Mark and Brian pirate flag. I now have a new most valued possession.

The boy was getting hungry and momma was thirsty. None of the pretzel or churro stands were open, so we ended up going to the Royal Street Veranda for some of their AWESOME clam chowder and gumbo in sourdough ball bowls. That was the only part of the evening that cost us a thing, even parking was free for this night.

By the time we were done eating, it was a few minutes until closing. We weren't too far from Thunder Mountain Railroad, so we headed that way. We made it in time for the last run of the night, and got to choose our seat and everything. The younger boy was a bit unsure about it, and wasn't going to go until he saw that it was a train. Afterwards, he wasn't so sure about that ride, either!!!

So, we only got onto a few rides and were out until well after 2 AM. Still, last time I went to Disneyland I was out $228 by the time we got into the park, so this was still very cool. And I got a new centerpiece for my Mark and Brian shrine!!!

Fire

Perhaps you heard of the fire that was burning today in Griffith Park.



Or maybe not, I know the one that was up by the Hollywood sign got a lot of coverage.



Anyway, it's not too far from my home, and on my way home tonight I took these shots.



They say that it is contained, but still...


Worrisome.

11 Years

11 years ago today my firstborn was born.




His desire was to go to Legoland with his friend, so that is what we did on Saturday.



It's great that there is a Legoland in the southland now, back when I was his age the only ones they had were overseas, and all I could do was read about them.



The Las Vegas mini land is new, I may do a full post with nothing but pictures from there.





That is a Lego alien coming out of a Lego toilet... on the way to the bathrooms!!!


I think any parent with Lego maniac kids can relate to the mural!!!






Police brutality!!! (I've got more fun with this guy to come...)

Like A Family

One of the guys I work with has made some observations over the course of several weeks that I thought I would share here, for lack of anything else of interest having happened recently.

One of the other guys we work with comes out to the outside tables where we usually take our breaks one afternoon. "Hey, does anyone have any change they can spare???" A couple people gave him some, and he thanked them and scurried back inside to the vending machines for some snacks and soda. As he got back inside the building, this guy made the statement, "He's like a little brother, always hitting everyone up for change!!!"

Another of the people in our crew is a young lady. She has a mouth on her like a longshoreman, and plenty of attitude to go with it, but she's sweet and endearing, too. Most everyone gives her a hard time at one point or another about something, always in fun and to get a reaction out of her. One day after she went back inside, this guy observed, "She's like everyone's kid sister, everyone picks on her, but you can tell they like her!!!"

Another day, we were eating lunch. He had his fill, but had a nutty bar left over. He asks if anyone wants it. Everyone turns him down. He turns to me (I happened to be sitting next to him) and starts going, "Come on, Aye, you know you want it..." I had really had my fill already, but it did look good, so I took him up on it. As I was indulging, he says, "He's like my kids, you can tell when they want to snack something, even if they say they're not hungry, and you can talk them into it... easily!!!"