Friday, December 08, 2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RANDY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! How many days are you?

Hope the pheasant is delectable!

103 comments:

Anonymous said...

Would that be Randy?

Have a great Birthday!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes!

It's Randy. But the pheasant isn't tonite! It's his office party in Omaha. The bird will have to wait.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Randy. Many happy returns.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Randy! :-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Randy
Lisa says you're so handy
You're such an awesome Father
You do the chores and it's not a bother
Hope your special day is sweet as candy!

Anonymous said...

Oh Randy you're so fine, you're so fine you blow our mind...hey Randy...you're fine and dandy.
Oh Randy you're so fine, you're so fine you blow our mind...hey, Randy...you're oh so handy.
Oh Randy you're so fine, you're so fine you blow our mind...oh Randy...you're sweet like candy!

Anonymous said...

ok I saw Randy tonight...he was pretty fine, he did not blow my mind, but, hey he was Randy, and he was sort of dandy! Happy birthday Randy!

Anonymous said...

Ok...where's Randy?

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Randy! Do you get lots of Birthday/Christmas presents?

Anonymous said...

HI Randy. Happy Birthday. I hope your pheasant is pleasant.

Anonymous said...

On a personal note~
Mary Ellan?! You out there? I am curious about your plans in the next few days. I will wait a few minutes to see if you respond. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi all!

The girls' Christmas pagent at Randy's church was Sunday. He dropped them off for practice Saturday morning and they all found out Emma was going to be an angel. When we went back three hours later, Mary was an angel, too.

She came home and told me, "Congratulate me, I'm an angel."

We wondered how she managed that! So I said something to one of the teachers after the pagent on Sunday. She told me that Mary had asked quite sincerely, "When I'm big as Emma will I get to be an angel, too?" So they found another costume for her.

She's a wiley one, that Mary.

Anonymous said...

FOR SALE:
My friend, Jackie's, mom died this fall. She has a car that Jackie would like to sell.

Chevy Tracker
Year 2001
Great condition
59,000 miles
White
Asking $7,900

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Randy! You're a lucky guy - to be the father of 2 angels. Or 1 angel and the Archangel Machiavelli.
Tonight we go to hear Catherine in concert playing the violin. I remember the first time we went to hear Molly, also after only 2 months of lessons, and how unprepared I was for how (ahem) not-melodic it sounded. I started laughing (silently) and found I couldn't stop until tears were running down my face. I'm sure people thought I was weeping sentimentally. I hope I don't do that tonight. Catherine - or Catie, as she now wishes to be called - has prepared me by playing her songs solo for me.
Brian's gig at Sokol wasgood, although I think they were disappointed at the crown. There was a big heavy-metal, heart of darkness concert in Sokol Auditorium and Brian's band played in Sokol Underground. So Stevo dropped me off and went to park and I went into the wrong one, and it was packed with people with 27 face-piercings and shaved heaqds or spiked Mohawks, guys with no shirts on, guys with obscene shirts on, beers already flying around before the music even started. I wanderes around, fighting my way thru this crowd looking for Molly, and decided she would be near the stage so I went up there. Suddenly the curtains opened, a guy with shaved head except for a topknot of long dreadlocke coming out of the top of his head like snakes started roaring/screaming into his mike while the others played and flailed around, and here was middle-aged Church Lady in her matching maroon/pink corduroy outfit and nice little purse in the middle of the mosh pit. Prteey funny. I was laughing at first but by the time I got out of there, I was ready to snarl and kick a little. Stevo had much the same experience, but we finally met each other by the bar. When we figured out we were in the wrong venue, they actually gave us our money back (I think they thought we were aliens or narcs or something). We only missed the first song of Brian's set. They sounded good. Brian's a really good drummer. That's my funny, self-deprecating story for the day.

Anonymous said...

That's crowd, head, dreadlocks and pretty, and my name's not Anonymous, it's Cathy. Monday.

Anonymous said...

Cathy~ You tell a great story! I feel like I was there...glad I wasn't! :-<>

P. Rose said...

So was it fun? Would you want to go back, or would you recommend it to others? Sort of a circus side show?

Anonymous said...

We saw "Little Miss Sunshine" last night...very good, I think you would all like it, but don't watch with kids especially teenagers...Randy will be in Omaha tonight so I have a caramel apple pie with walnuts for his B'day...Jayjacks are coming over also, we will sing and toast Randy.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad someone sang and toasted RAndy since his family hasn't yet!

Anonymous said...

"Break down the flesh," now that's just gross.

Anonymous said...

We had delicious caramel-apple birthday pie at LaVelles last night and Randy showed us some of the churches he's working on as well as a vespers service he co-wrote with another composer. Talented guy, that birthday boy.
Catie's violin concert was good - short and sweet and you could recognize the melodies. There was a guy there with a long white beard and Mia thought he was Santa. She walked over to him and was struck dumb, just stood there smiling. He just twinkled at her and said, "You're good, aren't you." Made her night.
Mosh pits: It's fun having been there and escaped unhurt. Wouldn't go back. They're a place where young males with an excess of testosterone can go and jump against each other like young stags and peel off the veneer of civilization without actually doing much damage. (I did sort of shove back a couple times, all in fun, but it's no place for a lady.) The music, if you can call it that, just plain sucks. Good sideshow if you can take the decibels. Some day they'll all be in their fifties and hard of hearing. Stupid. Stevo's appalled at the idea of throwing a perfectly good beer, but the savage in him could probably understand chugging the beer and throwing the plastic cup. My question is, if you've embraced total nihilism in your early twenties, where do you go from there? Answer: Courtney Love. Don't go there.

Anonymous said...

Randy, go here: http://autos.aol.com/article/general/v2/_a/2007-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-rubicon/20061206165909990001

Anonymous said...

Tom -

Since we're having that German red cabbage (with vinegar, brown sugar, onions, apples, ground cloves, spices, etc.) I think the cattiatorre recipe may not be the best combination.

Randy also suggested a good German, chocolate cake (but not your regualr german choco cake) so I may attempt a yule log!

Anonymous said...

I am not hell-bent on the red cabbage, Randy is.

I will have to eat salad for a week to make up for this dinner.

Last spring all I wanted was chili and cinnabons for my birthday. I even made and froze the chili ahead of time so that it would be there at birthday time.

Anonymous said...

Jeez-now I won't be happy until I have cinnamon rolls and chili. Thanks a lot.
Tom-maybe every now and then you could run a retro hot lunch special. Tater tot casserole or chili and cinnamon buns. I loved both.

Anonymous said...

If it's St. Joe hot lunch you have to have mashed potatoes and gravy as a side. Even if the potatoes are sweet potatoes. even if the main dish is tacos.

Anonymous said...

I always found lunch lady hair in my fav lunch food, "crispitos." I would eat around it

Anonymous said...

are you serving shark steak at the bar association dinner?

Anonymous said...

Ah the paradox. Bill as many hours as you like. The problem is collecting.
I haven't had hot lunch goulash in decades. You know, elbow macaroni and hamburger and some kind of a tomato sauce.

Anonymous said...

Hey Joe3...Tom's having that, tonight, for dinner!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you never cook goulash. First boiled eggs, now this. Are you even from the same childhood?
At least once a year I cook chili for our religious ed program. Every time someone asks, "Are we having cinnamon rolls?" with an excited, hopeful sparkle in their eyes. When I say no, the plain old chili becomes a bummer.
Tom, I love the Lunch Lady idea. Somewhere in the promo, you could say, "Take it or leave it!"

Anonymous said...

You could even serve the drinks in little milk-carton containers.

Anonymous said...

No, the hook is that you can throw away anything you want!

Anonymous said...

Crispito recipe:
fried meat burritto, smothered in cheese sauce from a can. Sprinkle a few gray hairs near the top, but be sure to cover them with more cheese so they'll be a suprise after the crispito is already half eaten.

Anonymous said...

What are you serving at the Bar Assoc. dinner? Have you done an ice sculpture this season, yet? A gavel would be good, or the scales!
Mom,Dad and Joe are you all going? Mom must be running out of outfits, this is about their 5th fancy party!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm...crispitos

Anonymous said...

There is a meteor shower tonight. You're supposed to be able to see over a hundred meteors an hour starting around 8 tonight and continuing until early Thursday morning.

All of the cafeteria lunches mentioned sound yummy - sans hair. I usually make tator tot casserole a couple times a year. I don't know how to make crispitos though.

Anonymous said...

I loved Taco day. Two hard shell tacos with a yummy lump-o-diarhea looking meat product...some weird sweet white sauce they gave you for dipping...a frosted cinnamon roll and buttered kernel corn. Mmm...so good! All this for $1.05!

Anonymous said...

Tuna Surprise!

Anonymous said...

Bad lunch: turkey tetrazini. I just drank milk on those days in high school.

Anonymous said...

Frank, have you seen the ads on TV for some drug to treat RLS (restless leg syndrome)? You are a leg shaker/bouncer. I didn't know that was a disease.

Anonymous said...

i am just disease ridden, i suppose. my leg shaking days are long gone... just don't have that kind of pent up energy any more.

ellen, i can get most of the ingredients for the crispitos, but am not sure where to get the grey hairs... do they sell those at the piggly wiggly?

i make the goulash and the tater tot casserole a couple times a year each. usually in the winter. great winter meals.

P. Rose said...

I make goulash, there is nothing better for comfort food.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM goulash. My spouse is not as enthusiastic.

Anonymous said...

Frank, If you grow your hair I bet you'll find a few grey ones you can pluck. St. Michael's had great lunches. Mae made homemade bread everyday. I also loved the rice pudding. Warm,sweet rice with warm raisins and cinnamon.

Anonymous said...

Hey Tom,

You can get flights to West Palm Beach out of Omaha about $30-40 cheaper than the flights out of Minneapolis. I saw some for $239. I am sure Mary or Cathy would happily take your fam to the airport.

Anonymous said...

Tom~ What? 18 inches??? Try seven. Geesh...men!

Anonymous said...

Hey ya'll! Where is everyone. I usually wake up two hours after you and have at least a handful of comments to read.

Scott and Jude and I are driving up to Fresno this weekend to watch the Bluejays play. Hopefully they've pulled themselves together.

Anonymous said...

Em~
Have you made my Healthy Egg Salad...that I mentioned earlier...yet? Sooooo good! :-)
What days will you be in Whittemore?

Anonymous said...

Emily...the Jays were awesome against Xavier...but, they're hot'n cold. Have fun, does Jude have Creighton gear?

Anonymous said...

Caitlin just finished finals!!! Studying and writing papers every night till 7am at the Notre Dame library...at Midnight on Monday everybody rushed out of the library, dorms, etc to watch the boys from Dahm hall play naked football! She said they are the "naughty" dorm! Cait said she was too busy to go watch!

Anonymous said...

What???? C-R-A-Z-Y!

Anonymous said...

Frank- you can probably substitute cat hairs for gray hairs.

I made my favortie comfort food, shepards pid, last night. But we put chunks of homemade sour dough bread in the bottom. Yummy! Andy had never had it until he met me, but now it's one of his favorites, too.

Anonymous said...

and i have a gray cat. perfect.

i had to be at work at 5:30 this morning, working with a field tech to move some equipment. i woke up at 5:12. i made it on time. i stink and need a shave, but i made it.

Anonymous said...

Nance, I haven't make the egg salad, as I too want to go through life without boiling an egg if possible. Plus, how do you boil just the whit part ot the egg?

Mary, it's sounds like Creighton did have a good game against Xavier. I hope they reward us for making a five hour drive with a "W". Did Caitlin think she did well on her finals?

Did JoeIII live in the naughty dorm? Sounds kinda gay to me, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Ellen, I want your recipe for shepards pie, but I won't be making any homemade bread. Hopefully store-bought will suffice. I'm sure I can supply cat hair though because our 10 year old cat, Pablo, is like a wooly wookie and we can't keep him off the counter tops so we get extra protein in all our food.

Ed, where have you been?

Anonymous said...

Em~ Poke a tiny whole in the egg...suck out the yolk with a bar straw (be careful not to ingest yolk)...cover the whole with tape...boil.

Anonymous said...

Frank~ You used to have a manly dog...whadupwihdahcat?!

Anonymous said...

Can't leave a dog home alone for a weekend. at least, not without coming home to a mess.

Anonymous said...

I, too, was wondering where Ed is. Surely you have a favorite hot lunch memory to share, or a healthy idea for what to do with the egg yolks once you spit them into a bowl.

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, I see. :-)
Yah, we used to leave our two cats home, for a week, and they would be just fine when we returned...very cool.

Anonymous said...

yeah, where Ed at?

Anonymous said...

WhadupwihEd?

Anonymous said...

Oh, I just want to re-point out that Tom said he had EIGHTEEN INCHES of his intestine removed...and, it was only SEVEN. Hello?

Anonymous said...

Emily...what do you mean traveling with "W"? Do you have one of those stupid W stickers from the election?

Anonymous said...

Oh Emily I just realized the W means a win!

Anonymous said...

I must be the only person in the world who doesn't associate cinnamon roles with chili. What are you people talking about? Here's another combo I never heard of before - spaghetti with applesauce. WHAT? When someone talks about that everyone in the room nods their head and smiles wistfully.
I had finals this week, too, but alas, no naughty naked football. I missed out.

Anonymous said...

I have NEVER heard of Chili and Cinnamon Rolls nor Spaghetti and Apple Sauce.

I HAVE heard of Chili and Corn Bread and Pork Chops and Apple Sauce...maybe, it's an Iowa thang.

Anonymous said...

We usually do chili and corn bread... the cinnabun is a special thing.

I remember when we were growing up Dad talking about one of his favorite dinners from childhood: spaghetti with potato pancakes and perhaps applesauce. No wonder diabetes runs rampant in our family.

I made a Yule Log last night for Randy's birthday cake! It rolled without breaking, I'm so excited. At this point it could taste cruddy and I would still feel like I was a baking studette. (Diabetes scores another point!)

Ed X said...

Everybody wants a piece of Ed to finish thier End of Year projects so that when they have thier final review they can say "look what I did" when in reality Ed did it for them.

Ed X said...

On the plus side - there are ordering in for lunch. Getting Catfish and Ribs. Yum.

Anonymous said...

On the German side of Stevo's family they all talk about "schmada" (or something like that) which is some fried-in-butter combination of noodles and potatoes. Maybe with cream.
Hot lunches in Iowa always had grrrreat big cinnamon rolls on chili day. Yum. You could buy extras for a dime. I also remember corn bread with beans over it, and SOS. I guess that was before they started appeasing the fast-food-raised nation.
Spagetti with applesauce. That must be a Pekin anomaly. At college, lots of students used to mix applesauce with cottage cheese at the salad bar. A couple of them used to have cottage cheese with catsup. It looked so appetizing.

Anonymous said...

There is an inordinate amount of space on this blog devoted to discussing food. I know, I'm one of the worst. Still, safer than politics.

Anonymous said...

And isn't it funny how kids run the gamut from not letting the different foods on their plate touch to mixing their cottage cheese with their applesauce, or their mashed potatoes with the canned peas (the only known way in the universe to render canned peas edible, by the way!)

Anonymous said...

Although, Liam dunks his grilled cheese in ketchup...God forbid the sandwich touch the Ketchup on the plate!

Anonymous said...

A note from Dad regarding his favorite meals:

You got my favorite meals from childhood mixed up. One was potato pancakes, applesauce and potato soup. The other was spaghetti, fish cakes and brown beans. Both were Friday meals. I'm salivating as I type this. Maybe you should correct this on the blog so that the others don't think Grandma Straub did not understand good nutrition.

Anonymous said...

Em- I don't even know if I made the shepards pie correctly, I just put in what I remembered it having from my childhood. I soaked the chunks of bread in milk and gravey. Then I browned hamburger and 1/2 an onion, mixed it with half a bag of frozen mixed veggies, gravy, salt and pepper, and some balsomic vinegar.

Cover that with garlic-y mashed potatoes, with some butter on top. I baked it in a covered casserole half way, then took the lid off to let the potatoes brown. I don't remember what I cooked it at, maybe 350, for probably about 45 minutes.

Anonymous said...

The girls probably have less misbehavior to confess. Second-graders have a little trouble comprehending the sinfulness of instinctive mob behavior like being mean to the class victim. They are more likely to offer a laundry list of not doing homework, horsing around in class, etc. - all violations of the incomprehensible adult code of conduct. Boys break more of those rules than girls do. Girls are also more socially adept and confident of their ability to survive a one-on-one with an authority figure. And yes - giggling is a defense mechanism. Haven't you noticed how women laugh and smile all through labor? (joke)
All first Reconciliations are like that now. At ours we offered the choice of a traditional reconciliation room or three more public spots, but it doesn't seem to make too much difference to the kids - they go to the priest they like the best. Kids these days have very little of the sense of constant inadequacy (guilt) with which we were instilled by our beloved nuns. Now all our children are above average. Catholic guilt will soon be a thing of the past. Reconciliation is taught as a joyful sacrament of straightening things out and getting right. I kind of think second-graders are too young to get what sin is, beyond breaking the rules. But hey, what do women know about spirituality?

Anonymous said...

OK short answer - boys are naughtier so of course they're more scared.

Anonymous said...

I never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever wanted to go face to face as a child. I think they made us once and after that we had a choice.

Anonymous said...

Last year there was a little girl who is from a family of five children all with different fathers. She started crying uncontrollably during her confession. I think it was the first time an adult male ever looked into her eyes, listened to her seriously and talked kindly to her.

Anonymous said...

That last post made me cry.

Anonymous said...

I picked Father Howard. He looked like Kojak and he was an alcoholic. He was fine. Way better than Father Vincent...he was reaaaaaaaaaaaaally old, skrawny and scary looking.

Hey, any of you Church Choir participants ever heard of Marty Haugen? He's a popular church song writer. He was our choir director, for many years, at St. Bonaventure.

Any of you remember what YOUR First Confession was about? I do.
I confessed that due to my jealousy over my friend, Ann Koopman's, ability to play the piano...I always pretended to NOT be interested in her playing.

Anonymous said...

What's the "Confessional type church music"? Does it sound like the March of the Storm Troopers from Star Wars?
This is interesting. Days straight of mostly food stuff followed by Confession. Of course, in Catholic school, food could be penance too.
Last time I went to confession I felt great. It's one conventional accepted way to temporarily (cause you start offending God all over again the second you're done) ditch the Catholic guilt.
Tom-did you go to confession? I know that the opportunity for the parents is provided. You probably didn't out of consideration for everyone else (why make the ceremony an hour longer on your account).

Anonymous said...

Bythe way-I think all of you should go to confession before you commence holiday travel.
St. Cecelia took out the confessionals years ago. I looked in one a while ago and they had some boxes stored in there. Nothing but a closet! In a lot of ways, the Church is leaving behind a lot of icons. It made me feel a little sad and old. I remember kneeling in there going over my well-edited and rehearsed list of transgressions. I could hear the murmer of the guy on the other end of the confessional going through his litany, then a pause, and a different toned murmer as the priest started working him over. Then WHOOSH the panel would slide open (it always startled me) and off I'd go.

Anonymous said...

See, Nance, your first confession was way more sophisticated than any of the boys would have been. Unless they hit someone over the head they wouldn't have perceived a sin taking place.
I think good Confession music would be the Hungarian Rhapsody, the first sinister scary part that's all on the left side of the keyboard... "dum,dummmm...doom doommmm...dum, duh duh dummm...doom doommmmm...duh duh da duh, dum dummmm.....doom doommmm...." and then maybe after absolution, the happy, Bugs Bunny tripping merrily along throwing flowers part.

Anonymous said...

Sophisticated? I like that! Thanks, Cathy! Okay, I'm outta here...tah tah!

Outta here.
Off like a prom dress.
Catch yah on the flip side.
Make like a baby and head out.
See yah...wouldn't wanna be yah.

P. Rose said...

Would someone go get me a beer? It's Friday, I'm home, and we're out.

Anonymous said...

Tom, I agree that we should carefully allow women to be ordained. No sense allowing any arrogant, insensitive or troubled women to be ordained. Oh, wait... never mind.

Anonymous said...

Pat~ I think Liquor Stores, in the cities, deliver! Yummy! :-)

P. Rose said...

Oh, my husband just went out to get some. I was laying in bed and couldn't get up.

P. Rose said...

He could be whipped. I'm fine widdat.
Or maybe it's because he's done with school and gets to sit at home all day for the next 3 weeks.
Either way I got my beer, and italian sausage papa johns pizza with extra sauce cut in squares and chicken strips with buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing.

That is a beautiful meal.

Anonymous said...

PAT PAT PAT, I carry out pizza for the first time in ages last night, too! I think it's 'cause all the parties and food, I'm just gonna have fun till new years!
Beef, onion and green peppers! With beer, and then an hour later popcorn with butter and "The Devil Wears Prada" on video...and then an hour later a couple ginger bread men cookies (frosted in white chocolate!)!!!
I never do this!

Anonymous said...

I carry out pizza, I good girl.

Anonymous said...

Fish cakes, brown beans and a pasta on the side...what a great combination. Tom that would make a great special during Lent!
I think Lisa knows meal like that had NOTHING to do with diabetes in our family. Plus, we ate SO much healthier than all of our classmates. Never any processed foods, soda or store bought desserts.
Now, what we brought for cold lunch back then, is the "in" healthy lunch now. Hard boiled eggs (we had individual salt and peppers) peanut butter sand. milk and fruit!

Anonymous said...

Caitlin was hanging out with ND player #6 and #92 at a party thursday night, she said of all the football players she has met, so far #6 Ray Herring is the nicest!

Anonymous said...

Does she handle money? If she's pretty and friendly, put her up front, where she can see the specials board.
You can fill her full of republican ideals...
John Edwards is running for pres.

Anonymous said...

You should be happy that Obama is taking attention away Hillary!

Anonymous said...

I read that Vilsack could actually be bad for Iowa, if his numbers are strong in his home state, the other candidates will spend their time and money in New Hampshire

Anonymous said...

I know that waitressing ain't no stinkin' brain surgery...but, yah just can't be dumb. One needs to be an organized thinker, multi-tasker, able to handle money and do well under pressure...all this while being friendly, exceedingly thoughtful and possessing a keen ability to anticiapte a persons needs...whether it be a Guest or a co-worker. Not an easy job to do well. :-)

Anonymous said...

Pat once told me she did her grocery shopping at the Tobacco Hut. Is that where Josh went to get you the beer?

We watched "A Prairie Home Companion." Very, very funny!

Anonymous said...

I could never be a waitress. I'd get too pissed off at people.

Anonymous said...

Yah, it ain't easy to kiss people's butt and cater to their every need/whim for a living...for less than minimum wage and hoping for a tip that may or may not come regardless of their dining experience. This being said...I, mostly, enjoyed taking care of people and making them feel pampered and special...sometimes entertained. However, once in a while I would look at the human form walking into my section and think, "Ugh...go away...I can't stand you...whoever you are..blech!"

P. Rose said...

mmmmmmmmmmmm tobacco.

Anonymous said...

Sloth...my favorite sin.