In non-rude guest news, a neighbor/friend's daughters have been telling me about their bad for a couple of years and I did the usual 'solicitous old lady neighbor thing' by asking them to let me know when they were next to perform.

Today, I stumbled onto them at Eastern Market.

They consist of twins and an older/younger sister set. 8th and 6th grades.

I must have had pretty low expectations, especially since they said they perform original songs.

I was gobsmacked. They are terrific. Immediately reminded me of 10,000 Maniacs and someone else compared them to the Donnas.

I bought the cd and am really enjoying it. They can be found on iTunes under 'Crashchord'.

What was I doing in junior high? Not making a cool album, that's what.

Cool, bonny!

I went to the Farmer's market today, and am going to transplant the few things I bought -- rosemary, thyme, basil -- into a cool watering can planter i got at a garage sale for three bucks!

Then shower and getting ready for our anniversary date.

BTW, I have some new posts up at my blog, after a hiatus. One is password-protected, but anyone here who wants to read it can e-me.

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bonny, I listened to the previews of them on iTunes, and they do remind me of 10,000 Maniacs. They also remind me of someone else I used to listen to a lot in college, but I can't think who.

I may have to buy this album.

Anne, the lead singer's voice has an unusual, lilty effect that reminds me of someone else...but I just can't think who.

Very cool that you liked it. I'm sure their college funds would appreciate the purchase!

eta: It was so cute when the dad of the girls I know fretted to his wife that they really needed an additional mic on the ukelule for a new song they were debuting today, the mom rolled her eyes, "I can NOT buy one more thing!" she wailed. How nice to see parents being so supportive.

I wish the new song was on the cd. It included the uk and one of those old-fashioned play pianos.

Brad Roberts, late of the Crash Test Dummies, has done an album using toy instruments. Crashchord is clearly following in those bold footsteps and I was amazed at how good they sounded.

"Can you confine your dog and block the tv for the convenience of our baby?"

"I'm sorry, were you under the impression this was *your* house? This is my dog. This is my tv. This is my house. You're all welcome, but the dog lives here and the tv is on when the people who live here want it on."

Oy vey on the inconsiderate guests. Ridiculous.

I have a date with a girl! I've forgotten how to dress for dates with girls. Will ponder in shower.

I know where there's a dogless, TV-less environment. Your house!

"Why, didn't you know? I live to corrupt your child with mindless broadcast twaddle and infect it with numerous doggy germs that will never ever wash off and render them incapable of ever attracting a mate."

Ok, having neither dogs nor children, I am a firm believer in careful supervision of any interaction between pets and babies. And I get that some parents prefer to keep little ones tv-free (a valid choice, and one that I might make if I ever had a kid). But that, of course, brings us back to getting either a babysitter or a playpen. If I were playing a game, I imagine it would be somewhat difficult to provide the level of supervision (at least as much to protect the animal as to protect the kid) that I see as optimal. Put the kid in a playpen, and that should at least slow things down between pet and kid enough that I could pay some attention to the game at hand. What's that? The only place there is room to set up the playpen is in full view of the tv? Horrors, what shall we do? Say, host, would you happen to have a blanket or sheet I can drape over the side of the playpen facing the tv? Next time I'll have to remember to bring one myself. Oh, thanks ever so.

Seriously, these people are pushing it.

Andi makes an even better point about the potential for split attention and inadequate supervision.

It gripes my gizzard when folks at the park get more wrapped up in the social interaction than they supervise their dogs.

So yeah. How focused can you be playing a strategy game when you also have a baby to look after. This is not to say that parents can't do everything they want to, but I don't think I could pay attention to both.

But, in truth, I'm rubbish at splitting my attention.