May 30th


1539: Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay, Florida with the goal of finding gold and cheap real estate in foreclosure.


1879: Madison Square Garden opens to the public. Luckily, the Knicks don't use the venue to terrorize the public until 1949.


1967: The Nigerian Eastern Region declares independence, sparking a civil war and thousands of suicides by map-makers across the world.

May 29th


1848: Wisconsin is admitted as the 30th U.S. state. Settlers rush in to line up for Packers tickets.


1942: Bing Crosby, the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra record Irving Berlin's "White Christmas"... originally titled, "Whites-Only Christmas."


2001: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that disabled golfer Casey Martin can use a cart to ride in PGA tournaments... as long as Tiger Woods can stash his extra condoms and sani-wipes in the trunk of that golf cart.

We'll look at the sky from beneath this tree today...

We may get our faces wet when we do as the forecast is not predicting these blue skies from the past.

SkyWatch Friday is here.

Brookwood Hills Brad Heppner Renovation

We swim at Brookwood Hills pool. So for three glorious months every summer I get to drive around this beautiful intown neighborhood that was developed in the 1920's by Benjamin Franklin Burdett and his son, Arthur. Besides my own neighborhood (Peachtree Heights East also known as the Duck Pond neighborhood), Brookwood Hills and Ansley Park are my favorite Atlanta neighborhoods. I like the dense urban feel and the lack of yard work!

All of last summer I watched the progress of a Brad Heppner renovation in Brookwood Hills. The house has special meaning to me because my aunt and uncle lived in the house most of my childhood. The best wedding party we had was at this house after our wedding (if you're planning a wedding I highly recommend this idea - which is to keep entertaining the out of town guests). Everyone is so relaxed and all of the pressure is gone.

Anyway, back to Brookwood Hills. Yesterday, I drove past the renovation and it was complete. I couldn't resist taking photos. The house began it's life as a modest four over four with a center hall. When my aunt and uncle lived there it had an addition on the back with a kitchen, family room and master bedroom. Today, there is actually more usable outdoor space than before the renovation. There is a grassy courtyard that you can see in the pictures below and also another courtyard behind the new garage. The kitchen, keeping room and new family room open onto it. Despite the fact that the house takes up a good bit of the lot, I think it is well situated and blends in nicely. (Full disclosure, they have more green space than I do now).

iPad, New RAV4 - or only a new Painting

Yesterday I posted a blog about the new iPad my daughter Trine (and her family members) started to use. Maybe I will get one here too when Apple decide to open the sales in Norway. I thought the promotion made by our Prime Minister during the Ash-problems would give us a better rating, but we are not on the primary distribution list for this summer.That´s why I start to evaluate the possibilities around using money on a new car instead. Toyota has presented the new RAV4 on show at Skøyen today, and why not use money to swap my 2005 RAV4 to this new delighted SUV.
Times will show. A visit to the shop and possible try the car may be included in this weekend plans.
However, in the meantime I have finished this painting, acrylic on canvas 54 x 70. Title?
The painting season 2010 (summertime) has started.

Money Man Charged
Money manager Kenneth Starr has been charged with bilking $30 million from celebrities like Wesley Snipes, Sly Stallone and Uma Thurman... which is why I am now a major fan of Kenneth Starr.



Goldman Deal?
Goldman Sachs is reportedly working on a plea deal with the government that would force the firm to pay a $250 million fine... or whatever Goldman's top executives are going to spend on lunch this afternoon, whatever's higher.



Obama to Louisiana
President Obama heads to the Gulf coast today. His new plan to stop the BP oil spill is to fill the the well with all the White House officials he's thrown under the bus in the last two weeks.



DADT Repeal Vote
The House has voted to repeal the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on gays in the military. If this doesn't improve the quality of musicals at U.S. army bases, nothing will.



$200 Billion for Teachers
The White House wants $200 billion to bail out teachers facing layoffs. But the plan faces tough opposition. Republicans won't vote for it unless the teachers unions make cutbacks, and kids will block the bill unless the teachers eliminate homework.





May 28th


1774: The first Continental Congress convenes... then quickly realizes there are no lobbyists to fleece or interns to screw and everyone just goes home.


1964: The Palestine Liberation Organization is formed... in protest of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands that actually began in 1967... wait, that makes no sense! Yep.



1970: The formerly united Free University of Brussels officially splits into two separate entities, the French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles and the school where the coeds shave their armpits.

The first iPad in the family

Living in UK, the Berry branch of the family became the first owner of an iPad in our familly. (not surprisingly)
The photo shows David act like a Formula-1 test-driver using the iPad, while Hedda is sleeping on his shoulder. If you want to watch the test, click on the video.

A playing tool for big children? or a useful IT-tool.