traditional family

I love that for the past six years or so I have been the escort for my parents to Ensworth Grandparents' Day/Christmas Sing/Winter Assembly. I was so glad to be back in time to go with Mom to Ensworth for this, and this year it's just the high school. The concert included Ellen playing with both the jazz and (to her surprise just seconds before curtain) the rock bands. Ellen is awesome.




And diminutive.

We tried to take a selfie. This is with me slightly crouching.


Honestly, can't get enough of her! I love my niece so much.


As is also our tradition, Mom took us to the Pancake Pantry. It's a Nashville institution. Mom's father built the first one, and my father built the new one. The always hospitable David (who took over from his father) came over to speak and visit too. I wish I could remember our waitress' name too as she became a fast friend. Bradley was able to meet up and it was three generations of Hardcastle hometown love. It was a moment to be treasured. And selfied.


It's not the heart-attack plate, but pecan pancake-y love.


This was the only shot that wasn't (1) blurry and (2) featuring my mother's fork tasting something from the unhealthy array of goodness.

I know who would do this

and I think she should. And she should let me record it happening with my phone.

this one time, at band camp...

This is not band camp. This is crazy talented musical artists' camp. Super Niece Ellen left last week and will be away from the Internet and cellphones and immersed in music, songwriting, and performance with peers from across the country.

Nice way to spend the summer. Wow.


Interlochen Arts Camp: Opening Weekend 2013 from Interlochen Center-Arts on Vimeo.

Now I really need to write those letters!

18 and over

Birthday surprise at the high school main hall for a very special niece.


Rock on Ellen Hardcastle.

do you hear the people sing?

Ah. Fellow Ensworth alumni will remember, hopefully fondly, The Christmas Sing. Long ago it became a "Seasonal Sing." Then I think they did away with it all together. Several years ago, when they created the high school, they merged Grandparents Day, which used to have its own specific musical program into the all school Winter Assembly. So while now non-demoninational in name, is all full of Christian Christmas music. And dancing. And it is wonderful.

As escort and chauffeur to the parents, now grandparents, I have been fortunate enough to attend too. Ellen in in her junior year so just one more after this one.

Love the Ellen.


And y'all know what a music star she is. She plays keyboard with the jazz band and I am told she does not get to improvise or get very colorful as she is the one to "keep the beat for the band." Which is also awesome.


The Franna and the Ellen are pretty great together,


and it is part of the Grandparent's Day.Christmas Sing tradition to take the grandkids to the lunch of their choice afterwards. Which in recent years has been the Pancake Pantry. It was a very cold day and a very long line. While Franna and Ellen parked I waited in line, and could not resist answering the questions pondered loudly aloud by the tourists behind me. I am my father's son. I did include in the story, towards the end, that my grandfather (Franna's father) built the first one and my father built the new one. They asked "and you stand in line like the rest of us?" I admitted that had David (the owner) been inside (I checked) we would have recognized each other and he would have happily seated us, but I wasn't going to say anything to the staff I did not know. I thought that would be kind of dickish. If I saw a manager I knew and they offered, well that's another story.

However, after about five minutes waiting on the curb in the freezing temps, my aged waifish mother decided she might say something and we were seated quickly. I think she's earned that having her father and husband build the place with the family, and her serving on the board of the family company which gives them a long-standing family relationship discount on the rent.

The Pancake pantry is very much a family business, and we are part of the family.


So much in keeping with their personalities that I could have ordered for them by guessing, Franna had the pecan maple pancakes and Ellen had the chocolate chip. My word both were tasty. But also less like "breakfast" and more like "cake." Or perhaps "diabetes." Next time you're there on a cold day as we were, order a half coffee/half hot chocolate. So good. Depending on your server, you may even get marshmallows, which is just an early Christmas.

More of the awesome.


I had already scheduled lunch at Burger Up (of course) with Sinclair and Jonathan before I knew it was Grandparents Day day, so I was happy with a bowl of grits and fork-fulls of their respective pancakes. So good. And oh Lawd the grits. I don't know what she puts ion them, but I was told that they are even quick grits and not the take-an-hour kind. But also people come in for the grits. And once when the woman who prepares them was out sick, people complained that they didn't taste right until she got back. I was also told by our server that she once say her put a possibly impossible amount of butter in there, which I believe. I am also guessing there is some heavy cream, perhaps even some lard, and surely a scoop or two of love.

Man I love those grits.

But clearly not as much as I love the women I was with.

more love for Ellen Hardcastle's album Hank Green

Another creative kid is supporting Ellen's album and charity project by recommending it on his vlog, and offering copies of his book too. Cute promo.

Ellen Hardcastle, well underway

Awesome Ellen is still at it, and picking up steam!

Earlier this year, my niece Ellen Hardcastle released her first album of piano solos, and all proceeds are being donated to build a well for the Ulongwe Model School in Malawi via the H2O For Life program. Another enterprising young person has created an organization which uses youth and social media to crowd source the do-good projects of other youth. Logan Gardner's Kids for Kids program is supporting Ellen's effort and has created a fundraising page on RocketHub. This campaign will be used to support the H2O for Life project, and fund a benefit concert in Lexington, KY to raise more.

Check it out! And click on her YouTube video talking about the project too (never mind the vertical video).



DFTBA indeed!

Ellen Hardcastle, Hank Green

So most of you should know how freaking ridiculous awesome my niece Ellen is. (She always remembers to be awesome.)

Well, her fist album—recorded in Ben Folds' studio—is out now and available as a CD or online via iTunes. Pretty awesome.

You may recall that Hank Green, one half of the famous Vlog Brothers, named his most recent album after Ellen.

In what I consider a stroke of genius, she named her album Hank Green.

Although now a Google or YouTube search on "Ellen Hardcastle Hank Green" is dominated with results from that other album. (the iTMS image came out a bit dark for some reason...)

She thought it was a cool idea and would generate some buzz from the Vlog Brothers, but now realizes she might be harder to find online that she previously considered. However, it is pretty cool to see the results in the iTunes Music Store.



Give it a listen. Give it a buy. All proceeds go to build a well for a village and school in Africa. Seriously. Ellen is that awesome.

Birthday!

So, 42 isn't really a milestone birthday, except now I expect to have the answer to everything.

Brother Mac gave me some sweet Starfleet Academy cuff links and a French-cuffed shirt with which to wear them—and I'm wearing both today.


Awesome Ellen sent me some pens she made at camp in her glass/ceramics class. He handmade some gorgeous color beads and some pig beads and made the pens for me.




I love the pigs. Love.

And then Ellen pointed out: "It's a pig pen!" get it?" Oh dear. Love more.


And here she is making them!


Happy birthday to me! Off for the final performance of Designing Women Live followed by dinner and possibly bowling at Mission Bowling Club.

Hardcastles are awesomer

My niece's first album will be coming out soon. From her Tumblr feed:

"I’ve already had multiple people come up to me (IN PERSON) and tell me that they were going to illegally download my album. It’s gonna be like 8 freaking dollars and all profit is going toward building a well in Africa. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I’M GOING TO BE OKAY WITH THAT?"

DFTBA.

tip o' the hat

Shopping with Niece Ellen:

Me: ‎"I think this hat is too small"
Ellen: "My Dad can't wear hats."
"His head is too big?"
"No, he just looks ridiculous."

We Wiss You a Merry Chrissmiss

They may now call it the All School Winter Assembly, and combine it with Grandparents' Day, but we know it's really still The Christmas Sing at the Ensworth School.  Although it's now less singing and more band and even some impressive dance.

  .  



Niece Ellen played the jazz keyboard for their electric version of Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas.  And while the absence of Papa John was keenly felt, it was a heart-warming show for Franna. And she so loves (as have I in my recent years as escort) taking Ellen out afterwards as the kids begin their winter break.

.

Pancake Pantry!

Ellen Hardcastle, the Album

So cool. Shout out to awesome niece Ellen for becoming her own sort of internet celebrity!

Sadly, she's at camp now and missing all this online fun!



Happily, she's at camp having all sorts of actual, off-line fun.

Here's the background info from my nephew/Ellen's brother Bradley:

For Christmas, my aunt and uncle gave my sister a raffle ticket for a chance for her name to be the title of  Hank Green's next album. She won.

Ok so, who is Hank Green? Hank Green is one of the most famous vloggers on youtube. How did get famous? He is the brother of bestselling young adult author John Green (above). The two share a youtube channel called vlogbrothers. The channel is this month's 69th most viewed world wide and has 150,000,000 upload views. They refer to their fans as nerdfighters.

Sweet.

My super awesome and diminutive niece turned 16 in May and I flew in just in time for her family birthday dinner.  She is so non-materialistic and charmingly low key, so shopping for her can be a challenge—so after she opened her presents, I offered her a shopping trip of her choice in case there was something she really did want.  It was a present for me too as I got to spend some quality time with her and talk about her life, school, boys, what's the what these days.  She broached the topics of teen drinking and gay-friendly attitudes herself, both topics of keen interest to me.  Some of her friends, and a lot of kids from another high school, got up super early to protest outside the State Captiol against the "can't say gay" bill (can't mention any sexuality other than heterosexuality in Tennessee schools) which just passed a TN Senate committee.

I loved taking Ellen shopping, but felt awkward at Forever 21 trying to manage the "I'm your fun uncle participating in the teen fashion selection" and not looking like "creepy guy in the teen girl store in the mall."  And not looking at the high school boyfriends of these girls who were little A&F models.

Family dinners are always fun and I loved it, and how little Leland bowled past Franna and Papa John to run into Uncle Wilson's arms.

Ellen is very musical, plays piano, writes her own songs and such—and for her birthday asked for a ukulele.  Franna gave her a nice one, and reminded us that growing up, Mom used to play the ukulele all the time.  So awesome.  Had I had the known, I might have asked Seattle Bill if he could have gotten his good friend Charo to sign it for her.

Happy birthday Ellen!




And, while I'm at it, here's some mockery of the above mentioned Tennessee Republican "Can't Say Gay" nonsense:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
We're Here, We're Queer, Get Newsed to It
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

return to sender

My niece went to summer campy for about a month and wrote me a letter when she first arrived.  As "cool uncle" (suck it Mac!) I usually send lots of letters and care packages to the kids when they're away.  Last time they went to camp there was a prohibition on food/cookies/candy as it caused all sorts of pest problems.  I wasn't planning on any contraband, but at the boys' camp all packages have to be opened in the presence of a counselor.  In my day, the worst you might get were Snap-N-Pops, and cookies were totally allowed and made you a rock star for the afternoon.  These days I'm guessing they are checking for food, fireworks, or pot. (really?  drugs?  Things were sooo different in the 70s.  Some of the counselors may have blazed up, but we had no idea.)

I spent a couple of days and about a hundred bucks picking out little fun things for camp care packages for Ellen, and then bought lots of shipping supplies.  I got things like lightsticks, plastic snakes and mice, glow in the dark things, mini LED clip, inflatable beach balls, San Francisco ball caps and t-shirts, things to share with friends, small fans, feather boa (you never know—they have dances and talent shows)— little bits of silly camp fun.  I bought enough supplies and postcards to send her a package and a letter every other day for her camp session.  Every time I dropped another parcel in the post I felt a little swell of happy knowing I was sending something fun to Ellen, and imagining that lift we always got when the cabin mailbox had a slip in it indicating you got a package. 

So imagine how completely pissed off I was when weeks later I stared getting "you've got a package at the post office" slips at my own door and had to take to time to deal with my local post office only to be receiving these every few days.




Holy fucking shit, the camp refused all care packages and "large envelopes" under a blanket "no package" policy.  And of course I only find this out after I mailed over a dozen of them.  I was livid.  I can get wanting to avoid contraband and any "have versus have nots" spats among the mean girls, but such a blanket policy regardless of knowing what is being sent just made me angry and exceedingly frustrated.  I got into one of those sort of deep arguments in my head, imagining myself yelling in these censors faces, then imagining myself sneaking into camp and defiantly leaving the packages on her bed, then deciding just to send all packages via owl like Harry Potter, only this one would claw the eyes out of anyone who interfered.

Clearly, this struck a nerve.  Anyone who censors anything, particularly mail, pisses me off.  And yes, while I suppose the camp is in fact operating in loco parentis, it still bothered me that they flat out refused mail that was not addressed to them without the recipeint's consent.  I wasn't entirely sure how legal it was to interfere with the federal mail addressed to someone else, even if they are considered a tenant on their property.

Perhaps I was thrown into such a tizzy because the "refused delivery"stickers were so fucking smarmy.  I'm sure the intent was to inform and placate the sender but it has the opposite effect.   



.

Do they really know she has everything she needs?  Perhaps this insulin would have been helpful.  Or certain knowledge of the love and affection of her family.  Or news from home.  Or a connection with her far-flung and rarely seen Uncle?  Each of these had letters inside, which were denied delivery to their addressed recipient.  Are baseball caps and a feather boa so scandalous that any possibility of such must be guarded against?  Regardless of the other contents, should personal correspondence be denied?  Clearly I'm on "no."

What annoyed me most was the amount of effort and attention I put into a month-long campaign of affection for my niece away from her family (and with whom I am trying to bond as she grows up so far away from me), but as far as she knew, she was sending me letters but I was ignoring her.    That's what really sent me over the edge on this one.   To the person who refused delivery:  Hey, this isn't addressed to you.  Back your shit off. 

Okay, okay, I get it, I get it.  Nanny businesses often have to enact blanket policies, but more often than not this manifests itself in idiocy, indicating that if employees don't have enough good judgment to make good decisions without a blanket policy, they are going to make really bad ones with it.  Typical example:  That girl who was expelled from school under a zero tolerance for drugs policy because she had Midol in her purse for PMS.  Or the four-year-old expelled for sexual harassment because he kissed a girl.  Or the TSA and the Bush administration's persisting war on moisture.

Fashionista

My sister-in-law just sent me some pics via her iPhone. My niece Ellen is going to a Halloween party. She's going as a fashionista.

Ellen is made of the awesome.

Ellen smokes a tootsie roll:

I'm finishing my costume now. With all the Batman and Joker costumes this year, I'm going The Dark Night.

But with an "N."

Happy Halloween!

learning to love the camera phone

Niece Ellen sent me this quick pic of her and my new nephew Leland (born New Year's Day). I'm a sappy uncle and I eat this cuteness up!


I'm headed home first weekend in September for the Christening. Can't wait.

all up in her grill

Living the iLife, my niece Ellen came home today, fired up the iMac, opened PhotoBooth, and e-mailed her new look to her uncles.


Although she is a little blue in the hue (blame the monitor), she digs the new braces.

Our little girl is growing up!

A daily dose of cute

One of the things Ellen asked for Christmas this year was a lap desk, which she got.

Jay/Steff sent me these pics from a camera phone tonight.



"Ellen gets some help with her homework (using her new lap desk) from Scout & Bogey."

My GOD that kid is adorable. So sweet she's eating through my enamel.

Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Ball

My cool little niece Ellen is turning 11 tomorrow. Discussion of gift ideas and wish lists has been circulating amongst the fam via e-mail. Among the suggestions were one or two games for whatever super-high-tech tiny touch screen Nintendo thing she got for Christmas. The suggested game title was along the lines of "Super Monkey Ball."

Mom just e-mailed the crew to say that she had gotten Ellen the "Super Monkey Ball" (so that others would not duplicate the purchase).

I had to e-mail back to the list: "Why does the phrase Super Monkey Ball make me uneasy?"
Fran replied: "Singular. Not plural."
Honestly, I don't know which is worse. Having Super Monkey Balls, just one Super Monkey Ball, or [shudder] a monkey with just one Super Ball.

All things considered, I just hope they are all going to some sort of formal party.

At which I hope they will be having more fun than a barrel of themselves.








Update: Mom wrote back. And it's pushing midnight in Nashville. My Mom is freakin' hilarious. I read it to Kevin who said he wished he had such a funny mom. I told him that my mother always said that "Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your children."