Tracie's World

Faster than you can say "It's just Manny being Manny", my man, the braided one, departed from Dodgertown and made his entrance in Chi-town with that team from the south side.  I can't say I'm surprised, or even disappointed.  A relationship that began with so much potential totally tanked once the cat, or should I say estrogen, was out of the bag (hmmm - I think there's a lesson there).  Basically, he's been a shadow of his former self ever since he came back from his suspension.  In all this, my loyalty to the boys in blue has never wavered.  Not even with the messy and scandalous divorce the team owners are going through right now.  We've had a rough year, but for a true baseball fan, there's always next year.   So farewell to the braided one and his guaranteed salary that we dumped on the White Sox. I wish him the best, and may he be able to endure the verbal abuse he's sure to receive from Ozzie Guillen.  For my boys, it's on to bigg...

One of the great things about my new neighborhood is this yummy little bakery called "House of Bread".  I finally went there for the first time back last month, and fell in love with their scones.  Not long after that, I had to go and try their Cinnamon Apple Bread, which I have to say was divine.  Then, I had to go back again and again.  A couple of weeks ago it was a package of day-old scones.  Needless to say, I'm a bit obsessed. For weeks now I've been hearing about how good their turkey sandwiches are, so since I took today off, I figured it was a perfect day to treat myself to one of the said sandwiches.  I walked in and the owner was working the counter.  I ordered my lunch, and she said "would you like a half-price cinnamon roll to go with that?"  Um - HECK YEAH!  Got the lunch home and it was indeed as yummy as I'd heard. So I received my Community Ed catalog this week, and I see that my beloved bakery is offering Bread-making Clas...

For several years now, I've been trying to solve a problem.  For some reason, my church wardrobe is pretty much nothing but your basic black.  Black top, and some version of a black skirt.  Frankly, I look like I'm on my way to a funeral.  My ward members must think I'm a walking dirge.  For years now, the only skirts I've been able to find that I think look even half-way cute are black.  Not that there's a total lack of color out there in the stores, but none that seems to work for me when I try it on. The other part of my dilemma is that I finally found a more colorful skirt a couple of years ago (ok, so it's brown, which is not much better, but at least it's a start), but then for the longest time, I didn't have any matching dress shoes.  And let's face it - no woman feels quite right unless properly accessorized and all matchy-matchy. So - today I finally bit the bullet.  Unable to find a more colorful skirt, I finally went and bought myself...

Well, it finally happened.  It was bound to, really.  Tracie went for a bike ride this morning and boy - she bit it big time. To set the scene: It was a beautiful morning, and I'd already been for a walk.  I did a few things around the house, and then thought it seemed like a nice morning for a bike ride.  Now, I've had the bike for awhile now.  But I'm not that good on it.  I still haven't figured out how or when to shift gears, and hills are a big problem for me.  It doesn't help that my neighborhood is at the top of a small hill.  So lately I've taken to loading the bike in the car, and heading over to the old neighborhood and Liberty Park.  Basically I ride around the park for a few laps, load the bike back up and then come back home. So today, it being a beautiful morning, I followed my usual process, loaded up the bike and headed over to the park.  For some reason, along the way, I thought to myself "You know, you really ought to...

One of the really fun things about summertime here in Salt Lake is the many outdoor concerts and events that are available.  Several of the local parks offer free concerts and/or free movie screenings, and others offer these activities for  pretty cheap cost.  This week I got to participate in two different outdoor events.  The first was at the Brigham Young Park across the street from Church Headquarters.  The Church puts on these free summer concerts as part of their Temple Square Concert Series.  Diana, Marianne and I went down to listen to a group called "The Other Three Tenors".  The music was fun, and it was neat to watch how everyone got into the show, and even the little ones were dancing on the grass, or playing alongside the creek bank. Then last evening, Marianne invited us to go and see a community theater production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" down at Murray Park.  It was held in an outdoor amphitheater, and was really quit...

You all know of my love for golf.  But let's face it, I'm not very good at it, and the prospect of me ever getting a hole in one is nothing if not remote.  Thankfully, there's this little game called "miniature" golf.  Last evening I went with friends to a place called "Mulligan's" to play said little game.  And for some reason, I really kicked butt (sorry guys).  Not only that, but I got my first ever HOLE IN ONE!  Here's the set-up:  I approach the green.  My date says "watch this be a hole in one".  Unbeknownst to me, his brother (who we were doubling with) says the same thing at the same time from the other side of the green.  Tracie takes a breath, putts, and sinks it!  YES!  The date was good, but a hole in one, now that's memorable.

Dear Mr. Ferrell, Saw your new movie last night, and all I have to say is "What a load of crap!"  I can say that truthfully because just about every other word in the movie was a vulgar term for feces.  Not only that, but the rest of the time it was all raunchy sex jokes, none of which were funny.  Also, I hope you know that there is nothing about a "Pimp" that is even remotely funny.  Ask the many exploited women in the world, and I'm pretty sure they'd agree.  If I'd had the courage to do so, I would have walked out.  I rather wish I had. Now, I know you have talent.  You were brilliant in "Elf", and even better in "Stranger Than Fiction".  Those movies were intelligent, sincere, and extremely funny, plus you got rave reviews for them.  So my question is: Why waste all that talent on school-boy humor and cheap gags that are nowhere near funny?  Really, does it take talent to come up with that lame stuff?  Seriously - it's bene...

"The Fifth Element" was on the other night.  For some reason I really dig this movie.  I watch it whenever it comes on.  The story's a little convoluted, the acting's not all that great, and Bruce Willis doesn't completely work as a blonde.  But the production design is awesome, and it's a fun, witty movie.  For me, it's a modern-day movie classic. 

The only downer about any concert here is this annoying habit that Utah audiences have with leaving a show early.  Unfortunately I've seen this happen at practically every show I've ever been to here.  Frankly, it's horribly rude to both the performer's and the rest of the audience.  Here's these performers singing and playing their hearts out to give the audience a few minutes of joy, all while the thoughtless masses are trekking down the mountain just to get a few minutes jump on the traffic.  For a state that prides itself on friendliness, this is really the ultimate in disrespect for other people.  For shame.

Yesterday was time once for again for what's starting to become my annual jaunt to Park City and the Deer Valley Music Festival for Bravo Broadway.  Angel, Janeen and Bridget went with me, bless them, and we all had a terrific evening.  Along the way, we stopped off at Squatter's to pick up some take-out, then made our way up to Deer Valley.  I have to say that I really enjoy the concerts there.  They're very casual, and there's a great cross-section of people who attend.  You can bring in chairs, and food and drinks, plus it's a great mountain setting. The music was absolutely awesome.  The Utah Symphony was in fabulous form, and the Three Broadway Divas (Susan Egan, Jan Horvath, and Lisa Vroman) were incredible.  And as usual, I say along at the top of my lungs.  The weather was threatening, but it never really did rain on us, which was most fortunate.  Outdoor concerts just aren't all that much fun in the rain.  We ended the evening...