The Who ROCKS!

Link to a column about The Who here ....

Unstuffing stuffed animals

Lucy is the queen of unstuffing stuffed animals. That means Bella The Destroyer is learning from the best.

It's hilarious when they both grab a leg and growl ferociously at each other.

Anyway, mom went to the Salvation Army, bought $2 stuffed animals and let the girls go nuts. One of them was made of beans and was rescued just in time from Bella's powerful grip.

Big. Dumb. Dog. Not you, Lucy.

P.S. if you look carefully you can see plastic eyeballs strewn about as well.

Smith Boys Rock - UPDATE

Aaron and Brendan Smith ROCKED the Blessed Sacrament School talent show today.

Video coming shortly, or when Sheryl gets up from her "Unemployment Nap."

UPDATE: Video didn't work. Will solicit help from Mother Smith ....

Swiftly off key

Apparently Taylor Swift was off-key at the Grammy Awards the other night.

No. Gasp. Shudder. Unbelievable. Really?

I didn't see it and won't watch it. I have much better things to do, like consoling Bella the Destroyer, who is still mad about not being a border collie.

Apparently Swift couldn't hear in her monitors, leading her to sing off-key with Stevie Nicks.

I'm not saying The Funions are on par with anybody else, and we're just a bunch of goof balls playing music for fun. But I have almost never played a show where I've been able to hear well. Sure, we want to sound good, but the energy is just as important, sometimes even more important.

If you want to see a great band play live, a band that doesn't worry about being on key but more about energy and projecting the song, check out The Who this Sunday at halftime of the Super Bowl.

Maybe Swift will watch and learn a thing or two so when she sings off key again — I'm sure all those studio fixes and Pro Tools can't save her on stage.

Job Hunting

Shey Fey lost her job today. The official phrase was "We are eliminating your position." She worked for a large Quincy manufacturing plant doing Internet technology and computer stuff.

She is not sad about it all. Always the optimist, Sheryl finds upsides for everything. She won't have to deal with the daily grind of her job and she was in a great mood today.

On the downside, this puts a crimp in summer and other vacation plans. If she doesn't find another job soon, and in this economy it won't be easy, we'll have to be very careful with our finances.

I think you are defined by the way you deal with the crap life throws at you.

I define her as a saint and the best thing going for me today.

Moon pic, forgotten growler

The top pic is Lake Michigan in late January ... massive chunks of ice. I tried imagining an August beach day instead and couldn't do it.

The other pic is what they refer to in Hudsonville, Michigan, as a "Front Porch."

Hose Head on the right is drinking a Founders Pale Ale. Hose Head on the right bought a 64 ounce growler of Founders Pale Ale, and left it in Hoser on the left's fridge. Hoser on the right is ticked off and will reclaim growler this summer. Hoser on the left is presumably finishing contents of said growler as we speak.

A great weekend up north, and it's nice to be home.

Mars Hill, Family Jamming

Went to Mars Hill this morning and was blown away how not-church like it is, and how almost every seat in The Shed was filled.

The band got up and rocked out five songs in a row, a pastor made a few announcements, and the speaker got up and spoke, and boom, an hour and 15 minutes went by just like that.

It's uncomplicated and to the point and no wonder Mars Hill is bursting at the seams.

A great stay with Brother David and family, followed by a Hart Boyz jam session on the Lake Michigan bluff.

Back tomorrow. The first thing I'm gonna do is .... HOT TUB!