Girls Just Wanna ... Let the Dogs Out

Madonna, Margie, Me, Cyndi, Marie

I'm quite certain as each of us girls were getting ready for a mid-week get together, Cyndi Lauper's song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" was humming through our heads.

This morning, I woke up still smirking at the six middle-age women hitting Big Fish to see Big Will and the 360 Band, only now the song "Who Let the Dogs Out?" is running through my mind.

Over the years we've all enjoyed our local live bands. There is nothing like live music to dance to. Unfortunately, many clubs have submitted to having DJ's. I guess when we find a great dance band, our zealous excitement kicks in. (Ahem, to say the least!)


Big Will and the 360 Band is just what this metro-Detroit area needs. Not only are they an extremely entertaining band, individually and collectively they have a plethora of background experiences that have brought them to this point.

So who DID let the dogs out? I'm thinking being a Wednesday, a smaller crowd, one or seventy-eleven glasses of wine, an awesome band, and fun women getting together ... well, there 'ya have it.

What happened at Big Fish, stays at Big Fish! *Kinda, join us next girls night out and I'm sure you'll have fun too.

Big Will & Sandi

"Luuvvv yaaaaa Wiiiill"

Whew, 2009, I Made It!

It's a few days into 2009, and a few days of recouping!

I had so much fun "ringing in the new year."

I started out with Captain Don at MacRay Marina. He wanted to stop in at a party that was on his friends boat. Hu? Ummm, isn't it going to be cold and if I recall, the water in Michigan is ICE.

Obviously, I'm clueless about storing boats. I thought you pull them out of the water, winterize and shrink wrap until spring. That's what I've seen my nephew do with his boat.

This "boat" was in a heated slip,(is that what its called?)like a big frickin' garage for huge ass boats (um, yachts?) that are still floating on the water.

This wasn't a "boat" to me. It had a fireplace, cable TV, bedrooms (are those called berths?)bathrooms ... this was bigger than my house.

We headed to Royal Oak for a private party at Memphis Smoke. This is the same place I went last year and had so much fun. The Regular Boys were again, the band singing in the New Year.

Margie and John, having a great time!

My sister Margie and her boyfriend John, Tiffany and her husband Robert, Cyndi, and Madonna were already there. Cyndi had reserved two tables front and center to the band and dance floor, so our seats were great for the evening.

Hel-ooooo 2009. The first was a wee-bit rough, but I survived.
The second of the month was better, I did get my tree down.
The third, I'm doing just fine.

My project for today was getting my wireless router working so I could get up close and personal with my new laptop. I am going to like coffee in my bed, with my laptop, a little too much on these cold days.


Don Pietrykowski
Cyndi, Madonna, Margie

Oh Bama!

OK, just a little background on my obsession ability to manipulate schmooze my way around events and crowds.

I have always been able to get good tickets to concerts, sporting events, etc. Once there, I start looking around and usually decide I need closer seats. I get them, don't ask. It's always fun and legal.

Arriving at Troy High School just a little past 9AM was good. Our place in line was maybe 200 people back. The doors opened at 10:30. Just like a concert, T-shirts and buttons were being sold. The other 1,800 people were lined up behind us and the end of the line looked like it was flowing over into the next city.

By 10AM, my brain was on overload. How could I possibly be back in line this far and how will I ever get a close seat?

Hummm, who has authority around here?

It couldn't be as easy as flirting talking with the security men ... or could it?

Don't ask.

So ... we are on the main floor. Before 10:30. The first row is saved for VIP's. Who ever they were. The second had some saved and some available on the end area of the platform Barack (oh yeah, we're now on first names ... read on) would be holding court.

We opted for the third row pretty much front and center.

Barack spoke and reiterated everything that we have all heard, not bad, just nothing new. Or maybe he was saying something new, I don't really know because I was watching all the secret service men in action. I was impressed with their good looks and suits attention to detail and professionalism.

So, here are a few grainy photos. I though it was my crappy photo skills, but my sister's came out like this too. I think all the media flood lights funked up my shots. I should have adjusted the settings, but I was too busy being in awe.

He a youngin! He's well spoken. He has great teeth.(That's a fetish must for me.)


Then it came time for questions from "the peeps".
I raised my hand.
He gave me "the look" because I am thinking he may have been forewarned about me.


I could have told him how Bossy was on her Excellent Road trip when he was at Bossy's son's school and how she was bummed she missed the chance to see him. I may have asked if he would give a shout out to Bossy.

He did better, he send out this kiss to her:


Now the best part, (for real). At the end, he was making a sweep past the front row, shaking hands. People began to move forward, and so did we. I saw him politely shaking hands, smiling, and secret service strategically moving him along strolling our way.

He reached out to shake my hand, and as I took it, that "one more thing" instinct kicked in. I asked for a hug. He smiled and said sure. As he hugged me, 007 removed my hand from his back as quickly as I embraced him. I know he was just doing his job, but man oh man, I was hoping for a longer hug. Why? Because that suit! It was the finest suit I have ever seen or felt! It had to be 100% silk. It was so light weight and tailored to perfection.

And the photo of my hug? I'm sure some stranger has one of me. My sister had us all framed and when she clicked the button, the asswipe guy behind her thought his position for a photo would be better if he moved her over.

It was an awesome experience.

Hu? What's that?

Nope, not going to tell how we got in before 10:30 and got such good seats. It was legal and no clothing was removed for the cause!

Goofy Girls Night Out

Sue, Me, Cyn, Brenda, Madonna (yes, her real name)

Last June, my cousin Cyndi and I decided to meet in Royal Oak for dinner. Afterwards, we ended up at a club that had a live band. A few bottles glasses of wine, and we were reminiscing of the days in our early 20's, when we shared an apartment together ... and our unbelievable partying habits. ( another post, or ten )

That's how our Saturday, girls night out started. Cyndi works in an office with quite a few single women. Her telling stories of our Saturday nights made her a Pied Piper and one by one other's began to join us. We have a rotating group of about eight now. Of course Cyndi and I are ever present (shocked look here) and the rest come out when they can. There's always 4-5 of us.

It's so different being in the night life at an older age. It's all about having fun and not really caring what anyone thinks about us goofy girls. We aren't real approachable, but for the brave ones that do, we have made a pact. If a man asks one of us to dance, she accepts. As they turn to go to the dance floor, the rest of the table gets up and all dance with the one guy. No complaints yet. As the night goes on, and our dancing agreement becomes obvious, we end up as one continuous party out on the dance floor. ( great workout ) Because this doesn't work for slow dances, it's a polite excuse to decline.

Since we have been going out dancing, we've attracted a wide range of guys. GQ, Fabio, charge card waivers to the all American, goofy, lamp shade wearing type guys and they all just want to have fun.

Best Nights of My Life

The lovely Ev at My Life Is Murphy's Law, tagged me for an interesting meme.

I am supposed to write about five of the best nights of my life. This one was harder than I thought it would be. Not that I have had so many great nights, it's more about defining great memories.

1) I loved all the summer nights when I was under 10 years old. Playing outside with the neighborhood kids. The days when we all played tag, hid-n-seek, red light / green light on someones front lawn. The 'skeeter bites. Swimming in the pool at night, the water was so warm, you didn't want to get out. Making tents out of blankets to sleep outside. Yeah, those are some favorite nights.

2) During my early 20's, my cousin Cyndi and I became roommates. We were both in full tilt party mode. We had a favorite club on the lake we called our own. It was back in the early 80's and this club had a line each night like a quasi Studio 54 where the doorman would pick and choose who could enter or not. Cyndi and I would show up after 10 and walk straight up to the front door. We'd enter the packed wall to wall club and proceed right to the bar. There would be our two seats reserved for us with drinks waiting. We thought we were the sh*ts and ya know what, we were! We would never get "picked up", never got drunk, was always the life of the party and every night went out on someone's yacht or huge boat and partied until the sun came up. We'd haul as*es home, shower, go to work, come home, sleep until 8PM , get up and do it all over again. Yes, those were some wicked fun nights!

3) Before I had my kids, their dad played full time in a band. Every summer the band booked two weeks at a rock bar on Mackinac Island. Those nights were some of the best partying nights I can remember.

My favorite story to tell is one night in particular. My sister and her husband had come up to spend a few nights. It was after the band was done playing and we all were relaxing in a room at the club. Someone had cut a few lines of coke *gasp* onto the lid of the player piano in the room. My sister Sandi, innocent as can be, came into the room. She saw the player piano and in a flash, lifted the lid, slid it back, and was going to check it out. ( She and I could play a mean "Heart and Soul" duet) My ex and I (non coke users) couldn't stop laughing because we knew she was unaware what happened, and the druggies were freaked out at the loss of their crapola.

4) My children. Of course those delivery nights are the best, but maybe not in terms of having fun! Bryan was born at 2:02 AM and Caitlin at 9:34 AM. I wore blue socks into the delivery room for Bryan and pink for Caitlin. I still have them, never wore them again afterwards. They were my lucky socks. Not quite my usual party memories, far from it, but the most important nights of my life.

5) My 5th best time of my life ... has yet to happen, but I look forward to it.

I am supposed to tag four people. Because I think their nights will be interesting, I'll tag:

The divine Ms Bossy at I am Bossy
Lori at This Just In
Mary Alica at From the Frontlines
Jami at Not THAT Different