Duly Noted

This post is a tribute to Miles and Laurel and all other bloggers who participate in the Marvelous Monday phenomenon. 1) The McCarthy parents visit.  In addition to playing cards and drinking Slivovitz , we decided to pack a little entertainment into our presidents' weekend itinerary. Friday: Fame, as performed by my high school students! Saturday: Sherlock Holmes, Part I.  Everyone fell asleep except Dad. Sunday: American Teacher at Bryant Lake Bowl AND Cat On A Tin Roof at the Guthrie Monday: Breakfast with Downton Abbey.  OMG. Each of these showings could really be a post on their own so I will leave it at that for now, but prepare for a critical review in the near future. 2) At Bryant Lake Bowl, a poster advertised Orange Mighty Trio's spin off group, NES.  They are performing this Thursday along with an 8-Bit beer release.  I quite enjoy seeing my husband's photo in the window! 3) Speed workout!  Tried and true running partners, Rebecca...

For the last 20ish days, Mike has been traveling the west with Orange Mighty Trio . As professional musicians, touring is incredibly important because, as I understand it, there is no better way to get your name out there, grow a fan base, and make a few dollars while you're at it. Touring goodbyes have always been tough for me. A committed adventurer of sorts, the lifestyle of the touring musician has generous appeal: new places, new people, fresh perspectives. Yet, at this point in my life, I've needed to stay home. Over the last couple years, I've realized that, if we are going to last, I would need to make peace with the idea that Mike will continue to tour and travel for as long as he can! I can deal with that reality if I discover and create passion in my own work, projects, and daily toodling. As Mike returns home with a list of wild stories and inspiration, I can also look back on the last weeks and offer some of my own: -Canoeing seventeen miles down the St. ...

As promised, here are some stills of the making of Orange Mighty Trio's first music video for their new album, Infrastructure. What a funky looking word. Joe and Kris Swanberg , independent filmmakers and our good friends, directed and filmed the shoot in sunny Chicago. In spite of a few piano-moving mishaps (okay only one really- a piano toppling in the moving van that occured within in one mile of leaving Mike's house en route to Chicago!), the band and crew had a blast. There were some beautiful shots of Zack on the roof of Joe and Kris's building but unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me. Kris also has a successful little rooftop garden. The basil plants seem very happy as they look out on the cityscape.

This fourth, Mike and I are on our way to Naperville to visit the Vasich fam. Our parents are in tow on interstate 294 headed south after a night in Milwaukee watching fireworks down at the lakefront with old neighbors. Highlights from our Milwaukee rendezvous- *Lunch at an small outdoor bistro in the third ward (man, I would definitely live in that district if we were in milwaukee. So cool.) *breakfasts at the mueller's- fresh fruit, scones and cinnamon rolls, coffee, and guava juice *dinner at a new "french" restaurant in wauwatosa *a fabulous green dress Previous to our Milwaukee jaunt, Mike and I spent more than a few days in the Chicago area. Although I plan to blog more on a few of these experiences soon, here are some brief highlights- *rooftop Orange Mighty Trio concert in Chicago proper *multiple graduation parties *36 hole mini golf extravanganza *cool evenings playing bags out on the Vasich patio *shopping with Mike's cousin Diana * learning the prowess...