Housekeeping Hints for the New Millenium: Live Better Electrically!

What with the abundance of electricity here in Seattle (Which is bought to you by those gracious and tireless public servants of The Major Concern), why not give yourself a break, and "Live Better Electrically"? (as the folks at the General Electric used to say)

This week, the Colonel and I have enjoyed a Rottisserie Chicken from the Sunbeam Carousel Rotisserie Broiler



And tonight we'll be grilling Salmon indoors on our Farberware Open Hearth Grill!



So don't slave over a hot stove or messy BBQ grill in the dark and wet. Live Better Electrically!

Housekeeping Hints for the New Millenium: Rearrange Your Doorbell Chimes!

During these long, cold winter nights we need something to keep us amused other than just gin. So why not rearrange the chimes on your doorbell?

The doorbell at Chez Vel-DuRay played the traditional eight chime "Westminster" tune. Appropriate. Tasteful. Perfectly suitable for a home of distinction in one of Our Better Neighborhoods. But I was in the mood for a change.

Did you know that, appropriately rearranged, the notes of the Westminster song will play "How Dry I am"? Well, they do!

It's not something I'll keep forever, of course: Things like this tend to get The Colonel all tense and nervous, but it's a nice change. Try it on your doorbell. Maybe there's other songs it can sing!

another one bites the dust....

Darlings, lower your blinds and get out your black armbands. Andy's Diner is no more.

I was in there on Friday night, and had no idea. It's a damn shame, that's what it is. A damn, damn shame.

I think I'm starting to get bored with Seattle. Everything interesting is going away.

Housekeeping Hints for the New Millenium: Make use of your Champagne Fountain!

If you're like me, you're probably wondering what to do with that champagne fountain you have laying around (besides using it as a gracious entertaining utensil, of course) While champagne fountains are delightful, they do tend to take up valuable storage space. Besides, why keep all of that glamor hidden?

I was at sixes and sevens about this issue, as I cleaned out my entertaining pantry, for I try to think always of you, my dear readers, as well as myself: How can we conquer little problems like this? Keeping a well-regulated, tasteful home can be taxing - every little thing we can do to make it easier allows us more time to spread our "Gospel of Good Taste"

Well, I have the answer. Incorporate it into your decor!




Here you see the ladies relaxing by a restful fountain. What could be more delightful?

If you like Housekeeping Hints for the New Millenium, do let me know, and I'll make it a recurring feature.

The days are getting longer....

I took this picture as I left The Major Concern last night (sorry for the poor quality - I was using my cell phone).

The days are starting to get longer, which I welcome. If it weren't for the holidays, with all the festive lighting, the dark days of December would force me to stick my head in the oven.

It made me forget all about that dreadful Republican co-worker.

God, Republicans are stupid, Example 3,948,545,657,897

Two of my co-workers are having a discussion. It's all I can do to keep from strangling one of them.

He just said "I'm against the death tax. I don't want the governent taking my money when I die"

(He's a city employee. We don't make enough money to qualify for the inheritance tax. We barely make enough to qualify for income tax.)

Before that he said "The middle class is doing great. Look at the linemen and their cars and boats"

The linemen are highly specialized craftsman. They make a lot of money because of their union contract. They also have a lot of credit.

Speaking of contracts, Our contract (for traveling electrical service hostesses) is getting us a 12% raise (retroactive to two years ago), AND keeping our health care premiums at the same price as the last contract, plus a cost of living raise each year for the length of the new contract.

Earlier, he said that low taxes for the wealthy means more money for us all.

In the decade of our greatest prosperity, the 1950's, the tax rate on the rich was around 87%. Most public colleges were free, or charged almost nothing, by the way.

But what really got me worked up was when he said that big government was inefficient, and that government projects never work.

We (the major concern) ARE big government. We get a big chunk of our power from Roosevelt-era, government-owned dams on the Columbia River, the balance of our power supply coming from dams owned by the city. Those dams helped Boeing become the success it is now, which lead to our region's prosperity, and helped the US win the second world war. They also insure that Seattle has the lowest electrical rates of any big city in the United States. Also, when Mr. Brain Trust leaves work tonight, he will take the government ferry over to his place in Port Orchard.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Republicans are stupid. But this one's old, and he'll retire soon (on a government pension) and then die, proving that there's always a bright side to things, right?

That's all. Thanks for reading. It kept me from committing workplace violence.

I have as many pots and pans as I need....

But not as many as I want.

Like Noah's Ark, I have two of everything, kitchen-wise: Two cast iron skillets (one ugly but functional, one glamorous and functional), two cast iron dutch ovens (one smallish and one hugeish) Two Dansk "Kobenstyle" sauce pans (one small and one big) and two Copco saucepans (one big and one huge)

But when I'm feeling label queenish, there's nothing like All-Clad.

I have an All-Clad Stockpot, Skillet, and Roaster. They were purchased new (an oddity in and of itself at Chez Vel-DuRay), and they were hellishly expensive. But they are great to cook on, and are made here in the good old USA by union members, so they are politically correct.

What do you like?

surgery! and Iowa!

Darlings, you would not believe the goings-on around here. The Colonel had a surgery! His discs ruptured, or something like that, and he was in quite a bit of pain until I rather insisted that he go to see the doctor, who slapped his ass into Swedish Hospital, and cut out some stuff, and put in some other stuff. He is recovering quite nicely, but all the resulting activity has left a body quite drained.

Plus, there is nonsense at the homeplace back in Iowa. Nothing serious - quite the opposite, actually, just the gosssip of a small town - but it has been distracting me to no end, as Mother Vel-DuRay keeps calling me with updates, as she defends a young woman's honor.

The only way I can possibly do the situation any justice is to give you this clip from "The Music Man" (which is an uncanny portrayal of life in Iowa, right down to the clothes) It contains the timeless Hermione Gingold (playing the role of Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn), who always brightens my day.

Ah, now that's more like it.....

Here's we have a cozy welcoming corner for the ladies. A trip to the attic yielded some old drapes and a swag lamp, and a trip to the St. Vincent de Paul got this great little outfit and suitcase.

Now I can see it. Mrs. Dan Langdon got up this morning and drove the station wagon to the station to meet the morning Empire Builder, where he niece arrived from Muncie. What more are we missing????

Oh yes - a name. Whatever shall we name her?

Special Report: Save the Ballard Denny's!

I interrupt our current series, on the transformation of that corner in the basement, to say a few quiet words about the old Ballard Denny's building.

With the announcement that the Sunset Bowl is slated for demolition, it becomes apparent that SOMETHING in Ballard should be saved, and I vote for this building.

Development and density is all fine and good. I fully understand the economic realities of Seattle's real estate market. I'm just voting for some more pizazz and local flavor than what is overtaking Ballard. Why not build condos to the north and west of the Denny's, and put a fine dining restaurant in the Denny's building? Some sort of Tom Douglas-y, Asian fusion-ish place to match the vaguely Norwegian-meets-Polynesian design. I mean, just look at this place - the Ballard Denny's, circa 1968.




I know there's the dreary bean counter set who are tapping the pencils and muttering about cost per square foot, revenue, and other assorted blah blah blah, but surely something can be worked out. Perhaps a height variance can be granted to allow for more salable space on the lot, to take up for that is lost to the Denny's airspace? I'll leave that to the technocrats.

While were at it, why can't the developers who are building on the Sunset Bowl site do something innovative - like put a bowling alley in the new complex? (It's owned by something called Rhapsody partners, so I don't see that happening, but one can hope) Or must we always conform to some eastside developer's vision for what Seattle should look like? A vision that seems to incorporate the worst of Tuscany with a few Gables and eaves thrown in for that "northwest" feeling?

Arise, ye members of the Seattle Architectural Community (both north and south end) and demand innovative new design that incorporates local flavor AND maximizes land value! You have nothing to lose but yet another Walgreens and Starbucks! Let's not let Ballard become west Omaha!!!

An Idea is born....

As most of you know, I seldom do anything original. It's really an awful lot of bother, after all, to do all that thinking, and I can't afford the wrinkles. But I'm really quite good at taking someone else's idea and running with it. This is one of those days.

Darling Sylvia commented on a recent post that the ladies looked like they'd "just stepped from the Tiffin room at ZCMI". (Which was evidentially the dining room at some sort of Mormon Macys. I don't know where she comes up with these things) and that got me thinking. Well, not thinking - you know how I feel about that - but considering the lady's environs.

The little corner they occupy is one of the dreariest corners of Chez Vel-DuRay: It had a big lunk of a freezer in it for a long time, then the ironing machine, but it really needs some glamour. So I've an idea or two. I'm out to create my own little Tiffin Room type experience, right there in that dreary little corner.

Here, for the record, is that dreary, dreary corner. Seriously, don't you think that it looks like one of those Soviet prisons, only without the campy lithography? The best thing I can say about it is that it has an electrical outlet. That will play an important role in our visual leitmotif (I've been listening to NPR again. Can you tell?)

Salvation!

The lady arrived, safe and sound, and is finally decently clothed. I was in a terror all the way home, lest I get stopped and they'd see that naked girl in my car.

And girl she is. I think that she is a refugee from the Juniors department. I was concerned that might cause some friction between her and Mrs. Dan Langdon, but so far they seem to be getting along swimmingly. You can see where she even loaned her an outfit to wear.

I did decide that perhaps Mrs. Langdon should go black (haired) and the new one blonde, and it seems to work better. Now Mrs Langdon looks like a Russian mail order bride.

And speaking of black-haired beauties, here's Mr. Kramer.

Happy New Years, Darlings!!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful New Years. The Colonel and I entertained, and then watched the fireworks from the deck. I must say that the south end knows how to do it right - much better than the Space Needle this year, as it turns out - and I was surprised to not see a bunch of fire reports on my desk when I returned to work yesterday. But my people know their fire safety.

Today is the day of the Iowa Caucus, which has me waxing nostalgic. I attended several caucuses as a child, where I was under strict orders to be seen, but not heard. But it was fun. Since my part of Iowa is dominated by the boneheaded Republicans (They're the people that brought the odius Rep. Steve King, who recently squandered taxpayer money with a resolution enshrining Christmas, or some such nonsense) our caucuses were always full of the smart, interesting people in town: Librarians, teachers, union people, doctors, the handful of Jews in town. It was an interesting and sophisticated gathering, which is very unusual in a place like Council Bluffs, where social events tend to begin with either a prayer or a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and end with the same.

In other news, We have a few new additions to Chez Vel-DuRay. Kramer is a new Dachshund that some dreadful people abandoned. He's a very cute little dog, but having some problems with the powder room issues, if you know what I mean. But with time and patience, that should resolve itself.

But most exciting, to me at least, is the new lady in our life. Here she is!



(The bars are in place for the sake of modesty, of course. This is a family site, after all)


She started life at our late great Bon Marche Department store (now - ugh - Macys) and has spent the last several years in Edmonds, Washington. We are taking suggestions for her name, so feel free to leave a comments.

Also, I'm wondering about hair. I think she should be a brunette black-haired beauty, since Mrs. Dan Langdon is a blonde. What do you think?