that's a silly reason to not like going to the opera. next you'll say you don't like going to the opera because of all the fat people in funny costumes.

Well, yeah! Plus all dos doggone subtitles. It's like watchin' a friggin' foreign film, except ya can't go to da 'main menu' and switch languages!

Maybe if dere was an opera dat consisted only of singin' da 'best of' collection of arias. And maybe den ya have Charlize Theron up dere mouthin' the words with some real opera chick, like dat Deborah Voigt, behind da curtain, doin' da actual singin'. Kinda like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.

Or maybe I should just go for the overture, then BOOM, out da door. Everyone's wonderin' where I'm at, and I'm outside drinkin' beers.

But den hey, what do I know? I'm just a regular guy.

Edited July 3, 201114 yr by jvlgato

Day trip to the Stellenbosch winelands with the kids. They got to pet a cheetah and feed tame barn owls. We got to eat a very nice lunch and pick up a trunkful of good juice.

And, apparently, the pot of gold really is right outside the winery door.

Nice, tall man. Sound like a true win-win day complete with rainbow ending. Great photos!

Looks fun. Stretch, How do you manage the dichotomy of Charlie Brooker's cynical world view whilst living the dream? More Wine?

Al great pics from Berlin, gotta love a Ramones Museum!

Stretch great pics looks like it was a beautiful day.

Edited July 4, 201114 yr by jp11801

Started the day by trying to get reservations for our first class train to Munich tomorrow only to find it is only second class. Oh well, rubbing elbows with the plebes will have to do.

Since breakfast we have gone to the Museum of Communism, the Alfons Mucha Museum, and now we are at the Municipal House of Prague. Thanks to Ric, I made my way downstairs to the awesome art nouveau Ameriky Bar and I had a quick Manhattan cocktail to stave off the teenager parent angst that was afflicting me. It was beautiful.

Now, we are having cakes and coffee in the upstairs Kavarna Restaurant. Good stuff, and the best slice of cake Claire has ever had ("traditional Czech honey cake with nuts and almonds").

And now, Alden has a [Czech] crown on his head.

Edited July 4, 201114 yr by Voltron

Those are absolutely beautiful pictures Stretch.

The Prague travelogue has been great Al. That Manhattan looks great as does the bar. Looking forward to your Munich impressions. You may want to check out the Andechs monastery/brewery to "refresh your spirit".

Those really are beautiful shots, Stretch, especially now that I am seeing them larger than my iPhone screen.

The monastery looks great, Jim. Probably more uplifting than a trip to Dachau. Did you visit and quaff their Benedictine brew?

Wow, nice pics Stretch and Al.

We finished our second Bone Marrow Drive today, collected another 57 registrations in ~4 hours. Son Andrew and his friend Jake are just amazing kids, so very proud of both of them. The entire experience is one we'll relish, and we'll surely volunteer at other drives.

I drank quite a few of their brews. We walked up the entire way and only after we had arrived did Karen inform me that there was a bus that went up and down the mountain. The doppelbock is excellent, but really they are all very good as is the food.

Wow, great pics, stretch and Al!

Drove back from the in-laws after spending the last two days there for the annual 4th of July cookout. Great food and great time were had by all, though we're happy to be back in our own place relaxing.

This picture doesn't provide the full effect of Santa in the off months wearing hot pants lederhosen, a tube top dropped down below the nipples, and a weight lifting hernia belt, but that is how he looked six hours earlier when he walked into the shop we were in. He did adjust his tube top up a bit to chat with the shop keeper, but otherwise he was quite the same vision. Rockin' good times in Munchen!

Wayne, are you getting ideas?

I'll have to file that one with my "Santa dont's" list.

Been thinking about getting some lederhosen for an authentic looking elf costume but not something that I would wear. In the old days, I could switch from Santa one night to Buddy the Elf the next night if I just wanted to putz around for a while. Won't be able to pull off the elf this year with a real Santa beard, so I'll have to leave that for someone else. along with Miss Claus, Mrs. Claus and my reindeer mascot.

Edited July 6, 201114 yr by Wmcmanus

the reindeer can wear the lederhosen!

I hate it when I miss posts.

Yes! Lederhosen!

Anne wore a Chinese dress for our wedding rehearsal dinner to honor my heritage. ( She said it was quite an adventure shopping for it!). She looked great, imho. She asked me sarcastically if I'd wear lederhosen and shorts, out of respect for a part of her heritage. I told her that I, um, wouldn't look so great. I just wore a regular suit.

Visited couple more daycares in the area now that my better half won't have the luxury of at-work-daycare. They were both nice but one was completely out of our price range - I'm really starting to hate living in the state/area with the most expensive daycares.

To make me feel better, we took a trip down to a local ice cream/mini-golf/bumper boat/etc. place to eat some unhealthy food for dinner.

Good luck with the daycare. They are pretty expensive around here at 12 to 15k but nothing like some other areas of the country.

Haj, where specifically are you looking? Yes, it's expensive, but I can ask a couple folks from my old workplace (Kronos) for recommendations if they have. May not be anything better than what you've seen, but who knows.....

And by your description of the food/entertainment place, sounds like Kimball's

We've been mostly looking at places in/around Chelmsford. We've found couple of places that we like so it's just a matter of figuring out pro/con list for those places, but I still wish they were cheaper.

Yes, it was Kimball's. It was nice to go there for once when it wasn't ridiculously crowded.

Packed the car for a spontaneous trip up to 'Gold Country.' Booked hotel based on its bar. Crossing fingers.

Good luck with the bar and the spontaneous trip Ric!

Took the day off and did a 28 mile ride on the Prairie Path (W Chicago burbs). On my way back, a lady walking two dogs came from off the path (wooded) with her dogs leading her by 10 feet. She of course couldn't see me (and apparently does not listen as she should have heard me). Glad I still can do a track stand as I stopped just short of the dogs, couldn't get my feet unclipped, but managed to stand and then take off when she pulled the dogs back while saying "Sorry...". The ever popular "Fuck this is going to hurt..." was going thru my mind at the time, just hoping I didn't break a collar bone or something. Good times