I had another wonderful, busy weekend.
The weekend started with an enjoyable leap day. (Is that what February 29 is called?) Caitlin Riddell turned 20, yet it was only her 5th actual birthday. That is so weird.
Unfortunately, my morning Bible Study was postponed due to scheduling conflicts and the ill health of BE. Please keep him in your prayers.
The cancellation allowed me to spend the afternoon with KJW and KLTW. I got to play with KJW while her mother showered. This entailed tracing her hand on the modern-day Etch-A-Sketch, applying the Von Erich Iron Claw to her forehead, watching her "cook" on her stove, etc. We also threw balls at each other. My arsenal was comprised of balls designed to be soaked in water. As such, less the water, they are very light. In contrast, she threw golf balls at my head! I repeat - the child threw golf balls at my head. On the plus side, I take great pride that my coaching has proven useful - she hit me more often than not.
One of KJW’s new favorite expressions is “Woo Woo.” Since long before she was born, her mother has said this whenever anyone shows skin of any kind. KJW has adopted this policy and even attempted to pull up my shorts just so she could say “Woo Woo.” This sheds a whole lot of light on the whole nature vs. nature debate. Her using the expression is very much nurture, but the great pleasure she derives from this is all nature. She is definitely her mama’s girl.
I must also note that one of KJW’s favorite toys is the “Parents Rev and Roll Bus.” The toy school bus holds four students. Ever politically correct, the bus comes complete with a Caucasian boy and girl and an African-American boy and girl. Not to be outdone by the makers of the children’s toys, KLTW noticed one day that the two African-Americans occupied the back seats. Having grown up with a racist stepfather, she immediately upgraded the black girl’s seat to the front. I have dubbed this toy “Rosa.” Excessive or good parenting? I vote amusing either way.
We ate lunch at the Horn of Plenty Market. It is located in a wooden building located on Middlebrook Pike. Its sign says it was established in 1985 but the look of the place would lead you to believe it has been around at least one hundred years longer. We have wanted to try the place for a long time as restaurants where the roof could potentially cave in at any moment are either going to be a total hit or absolutely atrocious. We were lucky, as it was the former.
On this day, there were two options - barbeque chicken and catfish. I ate the chicken and KLTW ate the fish. We were both pleased. For $6.50 you get an entree, two sides, and a cheese biscuit. Any place that serves cheese biscuits is alright in my book.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this establishment. It is located at 9132 Middlebrook Pike and open Monday-Thursday from 11-6:30 pm, Friday 11-2, and Saturday 8:30 am - 2. Tell them I sent you. Note to reader: They will have absolutely no idea who I am if you do.
After lunch, KLTW and baby went to Bulls Gap to pick up her mother. I really wanted to make the trip as I have not seen KLTW’s mama since December, but we calculated that I could not be back in town in time for my evening plans in Oak Ridge.
Friday night was an evening of high culture as only Oak Ridge, Tennessee, can supply. SMA, MWD, her boyfriend B, and I ate at Big Ed’s Pizza and then viewed the play Moonlight and Magnolias at the Oak Ridge Playhouse.
MWD had never been to Big Ed's which is a crime for a lifelong Knoxville native. As a minister, I try to absolve sins whenever an opportunity arises. After the typical wait at Big Ed’s, we were given honorific seats next to a picture of 1983 Miss USA Pageant winner, Julie Hayek. She is one of many international superstars that have dined there. She signed her photo, "Love with everything on it.” Evidently, she is not just a pretty face.
I had never truly met MDW’s boyfriend. I liked him from the moment that he referred to SMA's beer mug as a "goblet."
We then drove the two blocks to the theater. For the record, had we known it was only two block away, we would not have driven.
The play we watched, Moonlight and Magnolias is playwright Ron Hutchinson’s satirical look at the making of the movie Gone with the Wind. The premise is that legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down production on the epic as he is discontent with both its writing and direction. He hires Victor Fleming, then working on the Wizard of Oz, to direct and Ben Hecht, to write the script though he has never read the book. The scenario derived up from these facts is that Selznick locks his new director and script writer in his office for five days, nourishing them with only bananas and peanuts, while he acts out the script. The title comes from the working title of Gone With the Wind.
The play honestly fell flat. The original script entails a three-hour play and the version we saw was two hours. I doubt that would have made a difference. James Richardson plays Selznick very similar to the “Seinfeld” character George Costanza. He carries the play well. Unfortunately, many of the zingers are given to Hecht (Spencer Gross), who simply comes off flat and out of place in Hollywood.
The play also beats the viewer over the head with Hecht’s and Selznick’s Jewishness. While it is interesting to note that the movie was done during the Holocaust, this fact is overdone.
Still, I enjoyed the play. I even almost watched the film. Then I remembered that is 222 minutes long, the longest running of all movies to win the Best Picture Academy Award.
On Saturday night, I considered going to see the Blue Man Group at Thompson-Boling Arena. I considered it until I discovered that the cheap seats were over $160. It is for the best. A Tennessee fan should not see a Blue Man Group the weekend of the Kentucky basketball game.
Instead, I spent the evening at SMA’s parents’ new home on the lake in Louisville. Can you say “mansion?” This is the first time I have been to the house furnished and I must say that it is impressive. There is seemingly a flat screen televison in every room.
SMA’s favorite room is the working theater. I preferred the game room, complete with poker table, pool table, etc. We spent minutes playing on this game system that is at the bar. It has hundreds of games and we vied in trivia for quite awhile. We learned that, unbeknownst to even him, SMA is a food expert.
That night, his father cooked steaks and we ate while watching a boxing match. I cannot tell you the last time I felt so masculine.
I had not watched a boxing match in aeons and I was very impressed by Showtime’s presentation of the Israel Vasquez-Rafael Marquez bout for the WBC Superbantam championship. It was a star-studded event with Jack Nicholson and Sylvester Stallone at ringside to watch the two fight for the third time. By the time I figured out which guy named -Ael -Quez I was for, the match was almost over! Vasquez won a split decision 111-114, 114-111, 113-112.
On Sunday morning, WAM, PAT, KJW, MPW, RAW, and I congregated at RAW’s house for Sunday School. We did this primarily because the Kentucky-Tennessee basketball game was at noon and RAW has a big screen television. We played Bible Trivia and I taught off of the questions. It went very well.
From what could be categorized as the Cruel and Unusual Punishment department, we (and by we, I mean RAW) amused ourselves by sticking KJW in a couch. While she does not look very amused in this picture, after we got her out, her first word was “Again"!
Afterwards, we (sans PAT) watched the Tennessee-Kentucky game while eating food from Pizza Hut. I am not sure whose attention span was shorter in relation to the game, WAM or KJW.
It was strange watching a home game on television. MPW sold our seats to help cover the costs of season tickets. We were both pleased with the deal we got. Now, had we lost the game, I would have blamed it on our absence. My thoughts on the game are (ironically) posted under a "View from 315A.”
I spent the afternoon with RAW and KJW. We took advantage of a beautiful day by getting smoothies and playing outside with KJW. One of her new routines is yelling “Ha Ya” while throwing a chop at the sound of the word “karate.” Evidently, she picked this up from SpongeBob Square Pants. This may be very well the show’s greatest contribution to society.
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