I heard a great song on the radio this morning which described how I feel about America. That’s right – the United States; my other country. Greg Brown is a folk/blues singer/guitarist with a rich, deep, rough voice. He was singin’ a song called “Eugene” – in sort of a John Prine talking-style – about wandering around the US from the Northwest through Utah, to North Carolina, and all the wild, diverse places in between. I’m not going to rephrase the song; you have to hear it for yourself, but here’s to you, America, and your color, your amazing variety of people, places, and music. I’m glad that I got to know you a little. And Good Luck in the election.
Nick and Dave are looking forward to the vice-presidential debates tonight, for some reason. Dave was born in the States and is pretty hard-core Republican. Nick is a Nader supporter but loves a good mud-slinging argument nonetheless. I will not be listening in as I am still working down at camp.
Yes, just two more days. That will make seven mornings of 3:30 am. Getting out of bed is hard, but I still love mornings, and that dark, starlit walk almost makes it worthwhile. Nick lent me Sirius radio for the week (very generous), so I have tunes. I usually get home in the mornings in time to finish breakfast with the kids, then go back at their naptime. I have the kitchen to myself. It’s been fun. I haven’t fired up the fryer yet. That’s tomorrow – fish and chips night. It’s been LOTS of meat: stews, pork chops, chicken, meatballs… How is it you never see a guy get excited about a salad bar, but when he lifts the lid on a big pan of spaghetti and meatballs, there is an actual groan of appreciation, “MMMEATBALLS,”? I will be honest though; I haven’t learned how to make a good gravy. I mean that rich, brown, entirely artifical, MSG-loaded gravy that guys love. I served chicken the other night. It was chicken with sausages and peppers, onions, with a lovely sauce, and I served mashed potatoes with it . The guys were looking for the gravy. “Sauce” just didn’t cut it. I can make a great meatloaf; don’t balk at cooking a heart attack’s worth of sausage and bacon for breakfast. I even made some pretty decent bacon-cheese-egg McMuffins with homemade biscuits the other day. But I don’t think I’ll ever make that gravy.
