The youngest of my brothers is having a birthday today. Happy birthday, bro!

I still remember my mom being pregnant with him and the night she left the house in a hurry to get to the hospital. Back in those days, new mothers were kept in the hospital for a week to be watched over and cared for by the nurses. Of course, in today’s world you can leave the same or next day.

He was a good kid - all boy. Loved to get outside and ride bikes, play in the dirt or take a small boat out to the river for hours at a time.

He’s never had any of his own kids, but he’s got a good woman at his side and he’s been a father figure to her two kids for a long time - the only real father those kids have known. I’m proud of him for all he’s accomplished and for being a hard working, loyal man.

The guy across the street has a nice green lawn. I wouldn’t call it manicured, but it is basically weed free and he mows it regularly. If it was a haircut style I wold call his lawn “high and tight.”

Last weekend he recruited some of his guy friends to come over and help him run some extra equipment. He rented or borrowed a thatcher and ran that over the lawn. Then three of them criss crossed the yard pushing seed spreaders. I’m sure there was some type of weed killer applied, too. At the end of the day he ran and edger along the curbs and sidewalk.

I prefer the more natural look. The grass has a huge patch of wild violets that pool near the mailbox. There is also an area off to the side that I let the tree seedlings grow and create a thin underbrush. I cut my grass every 10 days or so rather than every 7. And this year the dandelions are everywhere, so I guess I will have to get aggressive about killing them off.

Well Microsoft is really trying to keep it under wraps that their Xbox 360 has an awful case of cancer. some of the more simple facts that prove this are as follows. one soon every disc you will be able to buy will be blu ray, no one is simply going to make anything else and if Microsoft wanted to do it themselves keeping the same amount of content we’re talking 30 discs. Which by the way breaches a Microsoft legal agreement that would cost millions. Two they have now lost every game production studio that was loyal to them so hello Halo3 on PS3, while Sony still has a very loyal game development list. And 3 the most obvious, when Microsoft is trying to “corner all Internet markets” Sony’s we’ll just give it to you for free theory will win every time. so they claim less lag better online games. but I’ll deal with a little lag on a free online world and think everything about it is still better. R.I.P Xbox

I wish more people wore hats. They are such a cool accessory and a big part of some work gear and uniforms.

Men wear baseball caps to cover bad hair, grey hair, thinning hair and because they think it adds to their casual flair. Women don’t usually have that luxury, although some college girls can get away with it.

Guys have cowboy hats and they used to wear fedoras and berets. Wish they would make a comeback - they make such a great statement of your attitude and state of mind.

Girls have the Red Hat Society - a bunch of old broads with attitude.  What happened to the big floppy brimmed hats of the Kentucky Derby state of mind? Where did the exotic turbans and pillboxes with veil go?

But I do know what I like when I drink it.

We had dinner at the local Olive Garden the other night. Just wanted something different and we out that way, so we pulled in at a few minutes before 5:00. There was already a wait list, so we took a couple seats at the bar and on a lark I ordered a glass of red wine. The bartender brought me a glass and I had a quick look at the bottle. It was Fuedo Arancio, by Nero D’Avola, from Sicily.

It is considered “lively and fruity.” I consider it very good and it goes well with anything Italian with a red sauce. If you have the chance to try a glass, do so at my recommendation. I wrote down the name of the wine and took it to the wine shop the very next day so I  could buy a couple bottles to have on hand.