Happy Birthday, Becky!

Today is Becky's birthday. I asked her what she wanted and she had two requests. A photo printer and a cake.

We went out and bought the photo printer...and I decided to make the cake. I've never made a cake before, but I was ready to give it a try. I'd seen my mom do it a hundred times, so I figured I would go for it.

Becky chose chocolate cake, which I'm not very fond of, but it's her cake, so whatever.


(Super Moist!!)

Following the instructions on the box, I mixed the ingredients together in a bowl.


(Ingredients, pretty self explanatory, I know.)

I decided to be bold and make a two layer cake, instead of your normal, ho-hum flat cake.


(Cake times two!)

I let my cat lick the bowl a little, just to make sure the mixture wasn't poisonous.


(Dakota...no animals were harmed in the baking of this cake!)

Dakota didn't pass out, or keel over dead, so I took a turn at the mix!


(I also didn't keel over, in case you were curious.)

After 24 minutes, the cakes came out of the oven, and I promptly allowed them to cool for 10 minutes, as instructed.


(Getting close!)

After the required 10 minute "cooling time" I popped a cake out and slapped it on the plate. It was at this point, I remembered hearing a story about putting the icing on while the cake was hot.

It was a bad idea, let's leave it at that.

So, I let it cool completely, (actually, the icing container told me, in big scary letters to LET THE CAKE COOL!) Then, I put the icing on.


(Voila!!)

Happy Birthday, Becky! I hope you enjoy the cake, and it doesn't make you keel over dead!

Autograph Pics

As previously promised, here are the pictures of the autographs that have come in the mail.

First, is Big and Rich for Tyler.



Tyler,

I read in the comments something about you "kicking my butt" at Tiger Woods Golf...well, you better practice up, because next time I come over to your house to play some X-Box, the first game is with you, and I don't plan on losing!!

T

Next is Willie Nelson, for Nellie...



Beautifully (but sloppily) inscribed: To Nellie, Happy Birthday

Isn't that sweet!!

More to come, hopefully!!

Hey, Oates

For your amusement, a conversation between my cousin, Scott and me.

Me: "You know what sucks about writing a song?"

Scott: "What?"

Me: "I had these great lyrics I was working with...I was so excited about this song that I had the drum beats in my head, the guitar parts, everything...then, as I'm listening to the radio, a song comes on that was written 20 years ago that has the same title AND a curiously similar hook."

Scott: "That does suck."

Me: "That's not the worst part...not only was this song written 20 years ago, with the same title and a curiously similar hook, BUT it was also written by HALL AND OATES!"

Scott: "Ouch! I don't even think I know any Hall and Oates songs except Maneater (note: my song was not titled Maneater, it was a different H & O song)...my dad told me a story once about seeing Hall and Oates in the airport. He wasn't sure if it was them, so he went up to Oates and asked him."

Me: (laughing) "Oates, that's just a funny name...hey, Oates!"

Scott: "It's John Oates, right?"

Me: "Yeah, John Oates...just sounds funny when you just say 'he went up to Oates.' At least he didn't go up to him and ask if they were Wham."

Scott: "I bet Oates changed his name..."

Me: "Like it's a stage name?"

Scott: "Yeah, I bet his real name is Johnny Oates."

(NOTE: John Oates did not change his name, it's always been John Oates...ironically, Daryl Hall was born Daryl Hohl...who knew?)

More Autograph Winners!!

I have two new autograph announcements!!

First, I will apologize up front that I don't have pictures to show you. Soon, I will...I promise. But for now, I will congratulate two new soon-to-be-autograph owners!

1. March 30, 2007

Congratulations, Nellie!! Mr. Willie Nelson has sent a signed 8 x 10, inscribed "Nellie, Happy Birthday." Like with Hank's pic, I don't know when your birthday is, but I used that on a lot of the letters, just to ensure they didn't inscribe the pic to me.

I predicted over a year to get Willie to sign, so you were in luck, he signed for you in 25 days!! I'll get the picture to you...um, somehow. Email me, we can work it out.

2. April 5, 2007

Congratulations, Tyler!! Big and Rich sent a signed 8 x 10 photo...not inscribed, sorry. It's still pretty cool, and it's starting a little trend of country signers being more attentive to their fans than other genres of music. Maybe country stars are just nicer and more generous...or maybe they don't get as much fan mail...either way, congrats!!

Unfortunately, it took 33 days...I predicted 14 - 21. Close!!

Keep checking back, I will have pictures up soon...and hopefully more autographs to report!!