Music Monday: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

When are you gonna come down?
When are you going to land?
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man
You know you can't hold me forever
I didn't sign up with you
I'm not a present for your friends to open
This boy's too young to be singing the blues

Chorus

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough

Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road

What do you think you'll do then?
I bet that'll shoot down your plane
It'll take you a couple of vodka and tonics
To set you on your feet again
Maybe you'll get a replacement
There's plenty like me to be found
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground

Chorus

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough

Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road


Speaking of howling old owls, I've been howling along with Elton John when he comes on XM Satellite Eighties on 8 on my way home from the Bernardsville train station after work this week, so I thought I'd share with all of you. The video is a real classic... Enjoy!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Eeew.... Rabies!

An animal control officer has encountered two rabid raccoons in the Borough of Bay Head, NJ, within the past two weeks, said Sgt. Geoffrey Barger of the Bay Head Police Department.

One of the raccoons was found in the area of Evergreen Drive and the other was found rummaging through a trash bin on the 500 block of Lake Avenue. Both were tested by animal control and have been confirmed to be infected with rabies, according to a release from the Police Department. Residents and visitors are urged to avoid attracting raccoons and other wildlife by keeping all trash in covered containers, Barger said.

Unattended small children and pets should not be allowed to play near wooded areas where there could be a potential to come in contact with rabid animals. Anyone who comes in contact with an animal that appears to show abnormal or aggressive behavior should contact authorities immediately. The Bay Head Police Department can be reached at 732-892-0632.

We had trouble with raccoons last summer and again in the beginning of this season in Bay Head. They were getting in through our chimney and leaving their paw prints all over the house. I'm sure glad we had our beach house "raccoon-proofed" by Muskrat Jack. If you have raccoon trouble, I'd recommend giving him a call at (732) 295-1618.

Rent Roxy's Beach House in Bay Head, New Jersey

I'm writing to you from up north in the Roxiticus Valley tonight, getting ready to spend the next two weeks away from the beach in Bay Head, New Jersey while we rent our beautiful beach house to another lucky family.

If you've been enjoying the beach adventures of London and Maddie, Rex and Roxy from afar and would like to see for yourself, I wanted to let you know that we're open to renting our beach house for one more week from Sunday, August 16th through Sunday, August 23rd. We're in a quiet but convenient location between the ocean and the bay, two short blocks from the beach, with a traffic light to help you and your kids to cross the highway with a wagon full of beach toys. The price is $4,000 per week, and you can add on a few more days beyond the 23rd at $500 each. We're keeping the week before Labor Day for ourselves. I'll try to post some photos over the weekend. In the meantime, if you're interested in renting Roxy's beach house in Bay Head, NJ this summer, please call or visit Diane Cornell at Van Sciver Realtors, 431 Main Avenue, Bay Head, NJ, phone (732) 898-0038 and be sure to tell her Roxy sent you.

Melissa's New Baby Is Soooo Cute!

My high school BFF, Melissa, just missed our 25th reunion for the Somerville High School Class of 1984, but she probably had the best excuse of anyone in the class... and plenty of others didn't make it to the Green Knoll Grille tonight, either! So what was Melissa's great excuse? She just had a baby girl three months ago. Back at Christmas time, Rex, London, Maddie, and I were all thrilled to learn that after years of "working at it," Melissa, her husband, and their three year old son were expecting their second child... and it's a girl!

As soon as I knew she was pregnant again, I reminded Melissa, and I'll tell all of you now, about the miraculous benefits of collecting and "banking" your child's umbilical cord blood. Unless you read a lot of baby and parenting magazines, you may not know that U-Cord blood stem cells are known to treat over 75 diseases, and have been used in over 12,000 transplants worldwide.

Cryo-Cell, the industry's family cord bank leader with more quality accreditations than any private cord blood bank, has an exclusive premium family service called "Protect Baby, Protect Mom" where expectant parents can get the a $725 discount by using the promotional code 995PS to enroll online with Cryo-Cell by midnight this Sunday, July 26th. You'll receive special UCORD pricing of $995 for processing, testing and your first year of storage, and the cancellation fee will be waived. You may also choose to enroll in the Signature UCORD Service and Exclusive C’elle Service for one low price of $1299 by using promotional code P2PS. So why not take advantage of this special discounted offer from Cryo-Cell and enroll now.

Roxy's Mermaid Swim Team On Vacation at the Anchor & Palette in Bay Head, New Jersey

I think I've mentioned that we're renting out our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, for a couple of weeks at the end of July into early August. Since we're away in the Roxiticus Valley, it made sense for our Mermaid Swim Team to take a vacation as well. Coinciding with artist Wendy McCarthy's updated Mermoments show at the Anchor and Palette gallery on Mount Street in Bay Head, our beautiful mermaid painting will be on display there through August 8th. Rex, London, Maddie and I were over at the Anchor & Palette for the opening on Saturday night, when Wendy debuted a new painting, Mer-Mom. I snapped a few photos but left my camera and disc at home this morning, so I'll have to give you an update on this great new Mermaid piece when I get home from work tonight.

If you missed the opening the other night, Wendy will also be participating in the Anchor & Palette's Sunday afternoon "Meet the Artist" series. On August 30th, meet artist Wendy McCarthy, who will be on hand to unveil her latest painting and talk about her new ideas for her fantastic mermaid series.

Rental Homes At the Beach in Bay Head and Elsewhere

I've mentioned that, for the first time ever, Rex and I have decided to rent our beach house at the Jersey Shore for a few weeks during the summer. We've listed it with the local realtors in our little town of Bay Head, New Jersey, and I've also blogged about it in the hope that a nice family who loves the beach as much as we do will make contact through our realtor.

If you're searching for an apartment or rental home for the longer term, there's a new, free application available for your iPhone that enables you to search more than six million apartments and rental homes nationwide... whether you're searching for a beach rental in Bay Head or anywhere else all the way across the United States. You can use it to find apartments nearby using GPS while you're walking around the town you'd like to live in, or search for your dream home by city, state, and zip code. Filter your search results by what's important to you: number of bedrooms, bathrooms, price range, pet policies, or amenities. The Notes and Photos section keeps you organized by letting you store your thoughts about and photos of each possibility right on the listing.



www.mynewplace.com is one of the biggest apartment rental sites on the internet, a three time Business Week "Best of the Web" winner, and an innovator in the field.



So for access to more than 6 million apartments and rental homes nationwide on your iPhone while you're out in the street and on the hunt for a new place to live, check out and download MyNewPlace in the iPhone app store

Music Monday: Miley & Nick All Grown Up & Singin' Before the Storm

My loyal Bay Head Blog and Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know all about my embarrassing weakness for the Disney Channel, and this week's Music Monday is no less sappy than you might have come to expect. With no apologies to those who waste their time complaining about Miley's teen "scandals," I just enjoy watching the girl grow up. I can't help thinking about London and Maddie, my two singing Butter Bites, and hope that their young romance might be captured this way...

Miley:
I know this isn't what I wanted
I never thought it'd come this far
Just thinking back to where we started
And how we lost all that we are

Nick:
We were young and times were easy
But I could see it's not the same
I'm standing here but you don't see me
I'd give it all for that to change

And I don't want to lose her
Don't wanna let her go

Miley:
I'm standing out in the rain
I need to know if it's over
Cause I will leave you alone
Nick:
Flooded with all this pain
Knowing that I'll never hold her
Both:
Like I did before the storm (yeah)
Before the storm

Nick:
With every strike of lightning
Miley:
Comes a memory that lasts
Both:
And not a word is left unspoken
As the thunder starts to crash
Miley:
Maybe I should give up

Miley:
I'm standing out in the rain
I need to know if it's over
Cause I will leave you alone
Nick:
Flooded with all this pain
Knowing that I'll never hold her
Like I did before the storm

Miley:
Trying to keep the lights from going out
Both:
And the clouds from ripping out my broken heart
We always say
A heart is not a whole
Without the one who gets you through the storm

Standing out in the rain
Knowing that's it really over
Please don't leave me alone
I'm flooded with all this pain, knowing that I'll never hold you
Like I did before the storm

Yeah
Like I did before
The storm.

Renting My Beach House in Bay Head, NJ...Maybe I'll Go to Branson

This weekend, Rex, London, Maddie and I will head down to our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey to participate in the Rubber Duck Derby to benefit the Bay Head School Foundation. We're hoping for another weekend of terrific beach weather, since it will be our last one for a few weeks. We're renting our beautiful beach house for others to enjoy while we indulge in activities up north in the Roxiticus Valley. We'll spend one weekend at my 25th high school reunion, and the other with Aunt Veg and Uncle Quiet celebrating Grandmom's 84th birthday, and we'll also try to fit in London and Maddie's very first "Double Trouble" slumber party -- one friend for each of them, a double feature movie night, and a double stack of Rex's famous pancakes in the morning.

If we run out of things to do, we can always go to Branson...after all, if we can't be at the beach in Bay Head, what better way to have a great time this summer than taking a trip to Branson, Missouri, and what better place to stay than in the midst of all the action at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing?

Situated within the electrifying entertainment capital of the Midwest, these two hotels offer guests access to shops, boutiques, restaurants, a relaxing river walk and other local attractions. For those about to golf, the new Payne Stewart Golf Club, managed by Hilton, is nearby and features hole after hole of gorgeous scenery. This summer, there's something for everyone in Branson, including the 10th Annual Clown Jam, National Kid’s Fest at Silver Dollar City, live entertainment and plenty of theaters. Take an easy drive out to Branson’s museums, theme parks, lakes and other outdoor attractions.

When we're not at the beach, we just may see you in Branson!

We're Going to the Rubber Duck Derby!

I mentioned last week that Bay Head, New Jersey is having its second annual rubber duck derby to benefit the Bay Head School Foundation, and now I know for sure that Rex, London, Maddie and I will be there with our best trained rubber ducky. Scheduled for Saturday, July 18th, at 11:00am, the Great Bay Head Duck Derby includes a $10 Duck Race, gift auctions and silent auctions. The day's events will begin at 11:00am, with the races taking place, rain or shine, on Scow Ditch in Centennial Park. It looks like the weatherman will deliver plenty of "shine," so we're looking forward to the event...

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Bringing the Bay Head Blog to Life with Charter

Charter Communications is asking bloggers like me the question:



I'm here to tell my tale of the Bay Head Blog and my stolen moments on the Internet at our beach house. Maybe my story will be the one that wins!

Everyone knows that digital tools are constantly changing the way we live our lives, interact with our friends and families, and how we learn and play. Our neighbors at the beach who have cable TV and high speed Internet are able to order movies on demand instead of driving to the video store or watching the same old DVDs and videotapes (yes, we have VHS!). While we still pick up the Sunday New York Times at Curtis' Central Market, our digitized neighbors get their news from online sources. We keep an old-fashioned scrapbook of our favorite beach photos while our neighbors share photos and videos online with their friends and family. We see our friends at the beach and remark how all the kids have grown over the winter, while the neighbors with cable catch up with old friends and Charter on Facebook. While others' lives have changed dramatically due to the digital tools they can use, our beach house has been left behind in 1985 because of stubborn Roxy's refusal to do business with a certain Comcastic cable TV and Internet provider.

If only I could be a Charter Communications customer – phone, high speed Internet or cable. The company wants to know how you live your digital life, and I'd like to get one. Simply “Tell Us How You Do It,” and you can win some great prizes. Each week Charter is giving away either a 15” laptop or a 52” HDTV to one lucky customer who submits their story. At the end of the promotion, Charter will also give away a grand prize package of one 52” HFTV, one 15” Laptop, and a free year of the Charter Bundle with includes Digital Cable with HD and a DVR, Charter High-Speed Internet and Charter Telephone. There it is -- Roxy's very own digital life all rolled up in a big bundle! All I have to do is visit Charter and submit my story with photos or video that shows how I use my digital tools. Wish me luck...

The Great Bay Head Duck Derby Returns -- Saturday, July 18th, 2009 at 11:00am

Bay Head, New Jersey is having its second annual rubber duck derby to benefit the Bay Head School Foundation. Scheduled for Saturday, July 18th, at 11:00am, the Great Bay Head Duck Derby includes a $10 Duck Race, gift auctions and silent auctions. The day's events will begin at 11:00am, with the races taking place, rain or shine, on Scow Ditch in Centennial Park.

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Bay Head Summer Recreation is Back, Starting July 6th

Callie just stopped by my Bay Head Blog post from last year about the terrific summer camp for Bay Head residents, and reminded me that camp is back and better than ever this summer (see her comment below). Last night, Rex and the girls and I came back up north to the Roxiticus Valley after nine days of sun and fun at the beach. We never seem to be down at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, for enough of July to really take advantage of the terrific Bay Head Summer Recreation program, but whenever London and Maddie have the chance to participate they have a blast.

When: Monday, July 6th through Friday, August 14th (I think)
When, Part II: A half day program, Mondays through Thursdays, 9:00am - 12:00pm

Where: Bay Head Elementary School

Who: Children of Bay Head Residents and Renters
Who, Part II: Children Ages 5 through 12. Birth Certificate required at sign-up.

How (much): $50.00. For the whole summer. Not per day, not per week. For the whole summer.

Now, for that price, the nice teenagers who supervise your children at the Bay Head Elementary School are NOT going to teach them to swim, sail, or scuba dive. But your kids will come home with lots of cool arts and crafts and play outside when the weather is nice.

Callie said, "Love the write up! We are having camp again this year at the Bay Head Elementary School Monday through Thursday, 9Am-12PM. Our fee has increased to $50 for the summer, but in my opinion that's still a steal for 6 weeks! We are including more sports and other activities as well.

Thanks for calling us teenagers, so flattering!!,but most of us (there are 4 counselors now) are either teachers or finishing up education degrees. We incorporate a lot of our teaching experience into the development and running of the camp. :-)

Hope to see you at camp!"

Roxy's New Blue Jeans

I know I've let my diet and fitness program get away from me since the Fall, but with summer here and spending more time at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, I'm back to thinking about exercise and getting into better shape... consider the photo on the right to be an "after" shot of Roxy in my new blue jeans from Armani Exchange... the youthful label created by Italian designer and entrepreneur Giorgio Armani, AX is accessible Armani, inspired by street-chic culture, fashionable dance music and everything that signifies freedom and a sensual and unique personal style. Just wait and see how young, urban and sexy I will look in my new blue jeans.

Customers who purchase a full price pair of denim from Armani Exchange, either in store or online, between today (July 7, 2009) and July 19th, 2009 will receive a gift card of $20 off your next purchase of $100 or more, July 30th through August 15th, 2009. So I've picked out my three favorite pairs of new blue jeans from the denim section on the Armani Exchange web site, where they have New Premium Denim starting at only $98. No low rise for Roxy, I'm going straight for the regular rise, classic fit boot cut in three different colors: light wash, dark wash, and destruction wash denim! I should order all of them one size too small (say an 8 instead of a 10) in order to create a little motivation to slim down this summer.

Right now, Armani Exchange is also running a Text AX contest SMS campaign with a chance to win a pair of jeans every day for the month of July by texting the keyword "DENIM2" to ARMANI (276264).

So what are we waiting for? Let's all get to work on those hot summer bods and into some hot new blue jeans from Armani Exchange.

Time to Stock Up On Bain de Soleil Orange Gelee

While London, Maddie and I usually slather ourselves in Banana Boat SPF 50 sunscreen, Rex is the tannest guy on the beach with his favorite SPF4 Bain de Soleil Orange Gelee. I can't seem to find it in grocery or drug stores nearby, but I did find it on Amazon a couple of years ago and ordered up a six-pack. Our nine day beach vacation in celebration of Rex's birthday was so perfect and sunny that we've used up our "lifetime supply" and it is time to reorder.