LUDO's Space Dracula Basketball Expo 2011.

LUDO's Space Dracula Basketball Expo 2011.

Tucson drew the luck of getting to dress up with the Dracula theme.  Here we were, we must be crazy, in our 30's dressing up like Dracula?  I'd do it for LUDO!  We did our best to mix the Dracula theme with rock concert look. These pictures span getting ready in our Dracula outfits before the concert to the concert venue and afterwards.

This is me me getting ready for the concert.  We tried to put on fake fangs but they didn't work out.  It was endlessly hilarious trying to wear them because when you tried to talk with them, "ewe thouded a bit ike isth."  That would make us laugh even more.  It's a miracle we got dressed in time to go.  

  Next we had to eat a good meal before the concert, so what do vampires chow on, well hamburgers of coarse.  I just had to sink my fangs into one.  Check out my bite marks on my neck.  "Ouch," they look like they hurt. 

 You would think getting my skull tennis shoes on would have been easy, but it was not.  I swear it took me 10 minutes to get those those bright yellow laces done up correctly. We were a bit late to the concert because of this.  Sorry everyone. 

LUDO performs at the Tucson's historic Rialto Theater July 28th, 2011.

  The Rialto Theater has a beautiful stage set up with a proper back stage area for the bands.  The stage is pretty small though, and it was very hot, but we packed in for a full house to sing out little hearts out.  Everyone there loved LUDO as much as I do, so it was a blast. 

Andrew Volpe tuning his guitar before the show started.  The crowd was going wild screaming, I have no idea how he heard anything with all that noise.

Matt Palermo warming up. 

Andrew Volpe of LUDO dressed as Dracula, starts the show off.   

LUDO did perform an acoustic version of "LOVE ME DEAD" after having us all sit on the floor and sing along.  

Tim Convy and Tim Ferrel

 Tim Convy making a face.

  We caught Tim Convy in the hallway afterward and he said, "Wow, great job you guys," in reference to our outfits.  I was a bit star stuck and only managed a "Thanks!" in response.  I wish I would have said, "Great job, loved the show, thanks so much! Tucson loves LUDO!" Or any number of things like this.   As well, you often don't ever get to say anything to your favorite band at all, so I'll just count myself lucky to get out a small word.  We didn't get to chat much with the members of LUDO like we had when they played the Rock, because it was just too crowded, but it was still a fun time. 

 Andrew Volpe was cool enough to let us take a picture with him after the concert.

 

I really love this flier for the "Space Dracula Basketball Expo" from the Roxy in LA.  It makes me laugh, the look on Dracula's face is priceless.  I love that he is wearing a LUDO tank top and has a space bubble on his head.  How is he going to bite anyone with that bubble on anyway? 

Classic Coney Island Hot Dog Recipe

My husband's family has been trying to duplicate these Dirty John's hot dogs for as long as I have known them. They were pretty close on their recipe, but Rachel Ray has shared the original Dirty John's Hot Dog Sause for us all. Finally I can try this famous recipe for myself. The natives call them Coney Islands, or from New Way Lunch they called them Dirty John's Dirt Dogs. If you mixed my Mother-in-law's and father-in-law's recipes you would almost have the perfect Dirty John's hot dog. I used to think of them as chilli dogs without the beans.

Ingredients:
8 hot dog buns
1 pound ground beef
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder (Sometimes I use only 1 1/2 tbs)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon yellow mustard, plus more for topping
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar8 beef hot dogs in natural casings

Directions:1.Preheat the oven to 300°. Wrap the hot dog rolls in foil. In a large skillet, cook the beef, half of the onions and the garlic over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until the onions are softened and the meat is cooked though, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, the tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes.

2.Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cover the hot dogs with water and bring to a boil. Cook until heated through, about 8 minutes. Place the rolls in the oven and heat through. Place the hot dogs in the rolls and top with the chili, the remaining onions and extra mustard.

Note: Sometimes I just steam the buns on a rack over the hot dogs, but my husband likes the buns toasted, like on a grill. He tells me that is how New Way Lunch serves them.


Classic Coney Island Hot Dogs Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

Chihuahua takes care of baby bunnies.

This story just warms my heart. This little guy was at a shelter and adopted these little baby bunnies who were rescued. What a good papa. His favorite thing to do is "clean" the little ones. You know, a chihuahua's favorite activity is licking.

Funny Cake!

I find this cake mix up quite funny. I usually get a laugh out of the cakes where the baker takes a cake order, but mis-understands the customer's request and is too literal about it. This cake is a good example. Obviously the cake text was only supposed to say, "Best of luck in Windy City" but the directions from the customer also got included. May I also just say, the person who decorated this cake has some really nice writing text skills. I find that when I try to write text on a cake, it looks like some 4 year old tried to do it.

This cake is from CakeWrecks: Post...Blowing In The Wind.

Snow, I can't believe it.

It snowed! It hardly ever snows here. What fun. This is a picture of my back yard. We went out a played in the snow all morning. We didn't have gloves though, so our hands got very cold.

Crazy Bike

I snapped a pitcure of this home made, instseresting, crazy looking bike parked outside today. I love seeing things that are unusual and hand crafted like this. It had tapestry fabric in two different patterns on the seat. There was another metal seat attached in the front, so it was a two seater. The handel bars were every wide apart and high, like a motor cycle.

The year in review: 2010

1. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Author: Jenny Blake) I think it would be a good idea to invest most of my time in learning everything I can about raising a hearing and visually impaired child. Next, to invest time in creating similar parenting styles with my husband. Focus on the people in my life who care about us the most, who want the best for our family, who help me become a better person then I am now. Forget about the rest. I should take some time to relax and read a book now and then and let my creative side out sometimes.

2. How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? (Author: Tara Hunt) I didn’t travel many places this year and mostly stayed home due to strict financial reasons. It’s such a contrast to 2009, since I went to Disneyland and also to Carlsbad, CA., to the beach and Sea World all on summer break. In 2011 I would like to travel to St. Lewis, MO and see LUDO perform in their home town and visit some friends that live there. I have been there before and looked at the all the tourist stuff, but I think the city is very interesting and would enjoy visiting all the arts they have.


3. Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why? (Author: Becca Wilcott) Kat would be my choice of another name. Kat is short, keeps the first three letters of my name intact, is cute and much less complex then Kathleen I suppose.

4. What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead? (Author: Kate Inglis) The moment I got to take my new baby home from the hospital after he was born. Even though we have many struggles to go through with him, it feels like it is going to be alright when I hold him. I will live my life and try to enjoy every moment I have with him because it is a gift.

5. Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you. (Author: Tracey Clark)




At this moment it would have to be this shot of myself. I took it with my cell phone to try to capture the new color of my hair, but this auburn/gold/red color is proving more difficult to capture on film then I thought. It is an amazing shade in person, but in photos the lighting can change the way it looks dramatically. It best reveals that I am in a new place in my life. My eyes are open now and I will not and can not go back and my red hair reflects this aspect of my life. I think I look a bit spunky in this shot.