Queen and Green

THEY WILL ROCK YOU: Friday night, as soon as we picked the kids up from Ground School, we pointed the Honda southbound, destination Tacoma Dome.

This is the third time that we've seen Queen + Adam Lambert in the past couple of years. (I can't help but note that now I've seen Queen with Adam more times than I did with original frontman Freddie Mercury [sadly, just twice].)

My photo below is not great, but it's a part of the show where Dr. Brian May sings "Love of My Life," and concert footage of Freddie is projected on a screen. Always very touching. 

Less touching and totally annoying were this awful duo seated in front of us for more than half of the show.

The guy was profusely sweating the whole time. Definitely not 'just' drunk. And he fancied himself a videographer, his phone out nearly constantly 'filming' the show. Problem was, he never did hit the record button. He'd be zooming in and working the angles ... but never once hit the button to actually record the show. Obviously, he was too impaired to realize he wasn't recording - even after Christian pointed it out to him!

And sweaty video guy was LOUD. Fortunately, he was in front of me, not behind, but the people in front of him finally couldn't take it any more and mentioned they didn't come to Queen to listen to him scream. The woman with him challenged the guy to a fight. Isn't she lovely, standing up for her man that way? (I should mention that the guy she wanted to fight was 500+ pounds, I kid you not.)

Sweaty Loud Guy eventually went and stood in the aisle to film, blocking my view, CJ's view, etc. I had had enough.  Christian pointed him out to security and asked if people are supposed to block the aisles. Of course, the answer to that is no, so the nice young security woman went and politely ask him to move back to his seat. Naturally, Sweaty Guy was a jerk about it, and was TOTALLY belligerent, yelling at her. 

And then it got worse. A few minutes later, Skanky girlfriend went over to CJ and draped herself over him and starts chatting him up. I immediately motioned to security behind me and said, "Why is this woman sexually harassing my minor child?"  

That got their attention. I also warned security that  based on my observations, these people were definitely not "just" really drunk, they were clearly on something(s) else. Within minutes, security marshaled a small army, surrounded the lovely couple and told them they were being removed. 

I guess in one respect we were lucky in that we were in the top row of the lower bowl and there was security behind us all the time. It could have turned out much differently.

So, once the jerks were gone, the last part of the concert was super enjoyable.

BLOCK HEADS: Saturday afternoon was our neighborhood's annual block party. For the occasion we made a couple kinds of deviled eggs (an "all American" bacon and cheese, as well as a Japanese inspired daikon and furikaka.

Naturally, some cookies were also on the bill. I decided to go with a local theme. I made apples (Washington is the apple capital!), some SKY 'bumperstickers' (our neighborhood is Skyway), some evergreen Washington states, the obligatory Space Needles and even a few salmon, like the ones they throw around at Pike Place Market.

I really liked the speckling technique that Annabelle used when decorating the fish. It made them look very authentic.

GARDEN GROWS: I thought it time to put in a little update about our growings on around MPA.

We're happy to report the spaghetti squash that we started from seeds is now a network of enormous vines sprawling alongside our clover lawn.

Little squash can be spied underneath the big leaves.  I like the one below - the squash blossom atop it looks like a bouffant hairdo!

Tomatoes are coming on, albeit slowly. We haven't had a ton of sun so far this summer. 

 I'm hopeful that we'll have a sunny August to push these guys toward red.