Beat, but positive outlook with disappointed squirrels in the forecast

Recovering from getting in at 4 this morning. Went to a Brave Combo show at FitzGerald's last night. Lori was with the band for the last week or so and this show was last on a week-long tour with shows in PA & OH. The show was great, but after load out, Lori and I had to go return one of the band's rental vans to the lot at O'Hare. Not that it took a long time, but hey, it was bed time.

Several shows coming up in the next few months that I'm excited early about. Pink Martini is coming to the Hothouse and King Wilkie to FitzGerald's in late September. The Skeletons to the Empty Bottle later this month. And Henry Rollins is doing a spoken word tour this fall. I'm even thinking of the Brian Setzer Christmas show at the HOB November.

I have to clean my gutters today. First, the one in the front IS clogged. I didn't get to it after the second wave of little helicopters fell and they all got stuck. I don't have little trees growing in there yet, though. Dad had foot high plants growing a year or two ago out of the gutters on his garage before he got around to cleaning them out.

My impetus for cleaning out is the squirrel I saw yesterday. I was pulling into the driveway and he was on the roof's edge, reaching down into the gutter and grabbing the little helicopters. It was like his own little snack bar. I know there's a ton of plant former life up there since ol' squirrely wasn't at the downspout end of the gutter, but at the opposite end. It must be loaded up there.