And another thing...

Oh and another one to check out: Okkervil River's Black Sheep Boy. Again, I'm behind the times (they were on plenty of year-end best-of lists) but after finally picking it up, they are impressive indeed. One of those albums that grows on you, in that it's (for me at least) subtle at first, but it crescendos with subsequent listens. Really good stuff.

In other news, the 'rents are coming this weekend which should be nice. Good weather here...70s everyday. I think it's been in the 50s near Chi-town. Definitely going to be doing some BBQing (shrimp and scallop skewers, here we come) as well as try to take them to the enchanting St. Arnold's Brewery in H-Town. Our dogs are also getting along better now which is good news. I guess it's just a learning curve: once they realize they don't have to play (read: bite each other's necks and limbs) constantly, they coexist much better. It's pretty cool having them, though our house and yard are much the worse for it. Muddy paw prints marr our floors and the lot is quickly becoming a virtual sandbox. Oh well. The yard wasn't exactly a verdant medow to begin with.