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Welcome!
Congratulations! You have found the Habershons.com family website, started in December 2001. All Habershons and non-Habershons are welcome to wander around. Stick a pin in the Guest Map; leave a message in the Message Book; and if you're a Habershon, please let us know you were here so we can list you in our Branch Office. And if you are looking for stuff on Bikram Yoga or Mini Coopers, click on the pictures in the left-hand column.
We also encourage you to register. This takes less than a minute and will allow you to view and leave comments, chat in the chat box at left, and look at the photograph albums. And if you're logged in you'll never see this annoying message again.
Thank you for coming by!
Catherine Athearn (née Habershon)
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We received our copy of Helen's Found in the Rain on Thursday. As with all new music, I like to listen to it several times before passing judgment.
I have now played it four times and absolutely LOVE it. The music is beautiful, relaxing, melancholy, but uplifting. I think a movie should be made to go with it. My favourite track is . . . wait for it . . . yes, "Found in the Rain." I've played that one about fifteen times. The clarinet sounds so lovely. John likes "Wind in the Grass." He closes his eyes and says that it actually sounds like . . . wait for it again . . . wind in the grass.
If there was one thing we would have suggested, it would be for there to be more clarinet. Such a lovely sound. The piano playing is great, too (is John Lenehan playing the Steinman?).
Helen, we are very impressed. Thank you for enriching our music collection. I'm sure all Habershons are going to be proud.
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| Sunday, June 28, 2009 |
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UK fans, you can now purchase your copy of Helen's CD, "Found in the Rain." Hurry while supplies last.
U.S. fans, stay tuned. Amazon.com will have it soon.
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| Monday, June 22, 2009 |
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The Stables' music studio is bearing fruit. Helen is launching a CD. I'm probably a little premature announcing this, but can't wait. It's going to be available on Amazon (UK) in the next few days. Details here. It'll also be available on Amazon.com soon.
Congratulations, Helen! No doubt that was a lot of hard work. Can't wait to get my copy.
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| Sunday, June 21, 2009 |
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(sigh)
Just got home from a rare trip (in 96 degree heat) to Central Market. It's my turn to cook this week (John and I alternate), and they have boneless ribeye steak on sale for $9.99 a pound. That just happens to be John's favourite steak. He said he likes it cut thick and small -- perfect for the outdoor grill. I braved the crowds, made my way to the front of the meat counter, and asked for the thickest steak they had . . . cut in half.
Didn't notice until I got to the checkout that they'd cut it in half horizontally instead of vertically. No way was I wheeling my cart back there to change it. John will manage.
(sigh)
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| Sunday, June 21, 2009 |
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 Click on the picture for a full view of the mural on the wall of my yoga studio. It was painted several months ago but I've never been able to get a picture of it -- either because I forgot to take the camera with me or because there are always cars parked in front of it.
I like it, and hope it won't fade too much. And whatever anyone thinks of it, it's definitely a traffic stopper.
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| Sunday, June 21, 2009 |
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John has just IM'd me at work to say that George went home today.
We kept him alive. That was our goal.
But golly, I haven't even been home yet and I miss him already.
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| Wednesday, June 17, 2009 |
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It's 5 a.m. in Houston and the temperature is 79 degrees. We've had highs in the 90s all week, and no sign of rain.
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| Thursday, June 11, 2009 |
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 Bit of ongoing excitement outside our house. Yesterday evening I heard what sounded like gunshots but didn't believe it. Very soon several police cars swooped down the street. Two stopped outside our house and blocked the street. Even a helicopter flew overhead. We had no idea what was going on. John went outside to ask and was told to get inside the house.
It appears from this article that a woman shot a retired policeman, ran into a neighbouring house and barricaded herself in. A SWAT team was brought in, and they've been trying to get her out. They've been talking to her through a megaphone all night.
This morning there are still flashing lights outside the house. I hope I can get out, because I have to teach a 6 a.m. yoga class.
See. Sometimes I have some real news. It's not all goldfish.
Update 11:30 a.m. Tuesday: Here's a link to the Houston Chronicle's story. It appears that they sent dogs in and then she surrendered. If you wanted to get me out of a house, all you'd have to do would be to send in a dozen moths or a couple of bats.
We've never spoken to the policeman who was shot, but have often seen his car parked outside when he's visiting his mother. We shared a common bond in that we were the only ones in the neighbourhood with McCain/Palin bumper stickers.
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| Tuesday, June 09, 2009 |
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 My Bikram Yoga studio was featured in a Channel 13 show called "Mirror Mirror" last night. John recorded and edited it (how does he DO all these geeky things?) and turned it into a file and uploaded it to Habershons.com.
So you can watch it. Here!
And now, Habs, you can picture where I teach. Trust me, though, there are a lot more overweight and older and less bendy students at the studio than they show here. So if you're thinking of trying Bikram Yoga, don't be scared off!
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| Monday, June 08, 2009 |
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George the goldfish is doing fine. Yesterday was tank cleaning time and was a little hairier than expected. John got the water filter ready and then put George temporarily in a bowl. Yes, he even picked him up in his hands to transfer him -- eek! We had jugs of dechlorinated water ready. Then John picked up the tank and walked outside with it to hose it down.
It slipped out of his hands.
And broke.
We got in the car and drove to PetCo at full speed. Fortunately they had a tank in just the same size. We were in a hurry (obviously) so didn't have time to browse for fish toys, but I did grab a bag of splendid looking purple gravel.
George was in the temporary bowl for less than half an hour and didn't seem too traumatized. Click here for a two-minute regular update.
And if you'd like to see George in action, watch this video clip. Notice how he swims really fast when he sees a human, knowing he's about to get fed. Then notice how he relaxes afterwards.
We're getting quite attached to George. And, fortunately, Maggie and Condi have shown very little interest in him.
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| Monday, June 08, 2009 |
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He's done it again! David has yet another letter in the Times.
Sir, Train punctuality has arguably been achieved at the expense of speed (report, May 27). The fastest journey from London to Portsmouth is now 97 minutes, seven minutes slower than when the line was electrified in the 1930s.
David Habershon
Emsworth, Hants Well spotted, Ricky.
Perhaps you could direct us to the article that prompted you to write this letter, David?
UPDATE: I found it. Here it is.
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| Thursday, June 04, 2009 |
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Yes . . . we've been following the antics of Susan Boyle over here. I watched the final and the results show last night (thank you for making that possible, John, my favourite geek.) She was very good, but nothing like Paul Potts. Remember him? Diversity was brilliant. And I wonder what the difference in the number of votes was? The choreographer and leader of the group (Ashley Banjo?) tipped the scales for me. He was such a gracious and pleasant young man, whereas Susan probably blew it in the week leading up to the final.
When is the Royal Variety Performance? I haven't watched that since 1974!
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| Sunday, May 31, 2009 |
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We are babysitting a goldfish for two weeks. Our goal is to keep him alive. Please keep an eye on him for us.
I've called him "George." He looks like a George, doesn't he?
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| Sunday, May 31, 2009 |
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If you live in Houston and have nothing planned for this weekend and are reading this (yes, I know that narrows down the number of readers to about one and a half) go and see the A.D. Players' performance of "Last Train to Nibroc". John and I saw it last night. We both agreed that this was one of the best plays we'd seen there. Just two actors. Three acts. No intermission. Man meets woman on train in 1940. They meet again in 1942, and again in 1943. That's all I'm telling you.
There is a performance tonight, tomorrow, and on Sunday. And that's all. Go!
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| Friday, May 29, 2009 |
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 Taught my 300th (and 301st) Bikram Yoga class this morning! Fortunately I'm still enjoying every minute of it and have no regrets about spending all that time and money on the training.
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| Tuesday, May 26, 2009 |
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 We're back from our annual Tahlequah, Oklahoma camping trip. Smallest attendance ever this year. Unable to make the trip and very much missed were Kevin's Mum and Dad, Frank and Louise. John and I drove up on Wednesday. It was a lovely drive. We stopped on the way at Buckees (well known for their "fabulous restrooms"), a Mexican restaurant for lunch, Braum's for a dulce leche cheesecake flavoured ice cream, and a Shell gas station. Why do I name all these places? Well, it was fun! So there. We arrived at the Diamond Head campsite at around 4 p.m. (without getting a speeding ticket), pitched the tent, gathered kindling for the fire, opened some wine, and grilled hotdogs on the fire. The next day everyone else arrived: Tom (and Sonny the pug), Cory, Linda, Kevin, and Callie. Seven humans, one dog, and (fortunately) no kittens.
It was a quieter and more mellow get-together than the last few years. We floated down the Illinois River on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (kayak/raft/raft). It was cleaner and deeper than I'd ever seen it. Only one man overboard this year, and that was Kevin. He was sitting happily on the side of the raft, a beer in one hand and a sandwich in the other, and then suddenly he was no longer there. Something to do with an overhanging branch. John and I bravely and heroically kayaked downstream through the swirling rapids and rescued his hat while he clung to a branch.
The campsite was also quieter at night. Not so many people. And I slept well all four nights. The temperature was in the 50s at night (perfect) and in the 80s during the day (also perfect). We had a sprinkling of rain at dusk on Saturday; otherwise nothing but sunshine.
Whereas last year I remember as The Year of the Snake, this year I'd call The Year of the Food. Probably the rest of the party would call it The Year of the Disco (I'll link to the story if anyone describes it on their blog. Suffice to say I slept through the incident). The food was amazing. What we were lacking in Frank's homegrown asparagus and Louise's potato salad, was compensated for by . . . well, I'll name my favourite three dishes (bear in mind that I'm not a meat eater): Linda's tomato/cheese/balsamic vinegar salad; Cory's paella (check out the pan he brought); and Callie's cucumber/tomato/something else salad. The tomatoes were the best I'd ever tasted. I think they were called "heirlooms".
Of course, food always tastes better when it's eaten out of doors. That's a family quote there. Hope one of my brothers can name the book.
We left yesterday morning. It's never so much fun going home. Five hundred miles is a long way when you're looking forward to seeing your cats and sleeping in your own bed. We stopped at a diner in Atoka for breakfast and a Dairy Queen for ice cream. We were helped through the journey by John Derbyshire, of all people. He is a Brit living in America and writes for National Review. He also has a weekly podcast. John had downloaded all his podcasts from the last three months and burned them to a CD. We listened to the whole lot, which took us to the other side of Dallas. Very funny guy.
So we're home again. The camping gear is unpacked and stored away until next year. The washing machine is churning. And John, bless his heart, has given Wendy a major clean and Q-Tip detailing.
Hope everyone else had a brilliant Memorial Day weekend.
(N.B. You have to be logged in to see the photographs. See box on left)
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| Monday, May 25, 2009 |
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John and I and Wendy will be leaving for Tahlequah tomorrow for our annual camping trip. We'll be back on Sunday or Monday.
Have a great Memorial Weekend, everyone (or whatever your holiday is called).
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| Tuesday, May 19, 2009 |
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| Tuesday, May 12, 2009 |
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| Saturday, May 09, 2009 |
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 It was a gorgeous sunny day on our drive back from New Braunfels yesterday so we got off I-10 and took some side roads. We stopped at the Shiner Brewery in Shiner. No tours on Sunday so we had the place to ourselves. Strangely enough, we couldn't smell any beer.
L has some ancestors buried in Old Moulton, so we also made a detour there to look for their grave. It was a huge, HUGE graveyard, and the four of us fanned out and searched for a long time. L found it first.
John found the gravestone in the picture. Click on it and study it. We'd never seen one before where the people had not actually died yet. Talk about planning ahead!
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| Monday, April 20, 2009 |
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 Hope all Habs had as nice a weekend as we did. We got in the car with our neighbours, L & H, and drove west to New Braunfels. The main purpose of the trip was to attend a wine/cheese tasting at my favourite winery: Dry Comal Creek. It was a lot of fun. $35 per person. They start you off with a glass of wine of your choice (at 11:30 in the morning, mind you), give you a sticker with your name on it, and then give you a tour of the winery. The owner, Franklin, is a retired plaintiff's lawyer. He had some interesting stuff to tell us. For example, you can make a small fortune from a winery if you start with a large fortune. Anyway, everyone was quite merry and we all knew each others names!
After the tour, which also included some port sampling (euchhh!) we returned to our tables (with name cards) where there were six glasses of wine lined up, plus five kinds of cheeses (with crackers), and a dessert, along with a list telling you which ones to pair. We were also given pens and order forms. They were very easy to fill out after two hours. While our orders were being filled, the ladies were blindfolded and instructed to take three whacks each at something called a pinata (sp?). Anyone who knocked a cork out of the thing got a free glass of wine.
Man, it was a lot of fun!
John and I left with 14 bottles of wine. My favourite remains the dry French Colombard. L & H also bought a case of several different reds and whites.
We spent the rest of the day and evening in Gruene where we tasted more wine, drank beer, listened to a band at Gruene Hall, and had dinner at the Grist Mill. Spent the night at the Prince Solms Inn in New Braunfels and returned home yesterday via a graveyard in Old Moulton.
Back to work.
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| Monday, April 20, 2009 |
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| Saturday, April 18, 2009 |
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| Wednesday, April 15, 2009 |
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Wendy hit 10,000 miles this morning.
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| Tuesday, April 14, 2009 |
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We had a good time at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, apart from the fact that the Astros lost. We met up with two of my favourite fantasy Baseball friends -- UMP and Humin'bird. Humin'bird spells his name like that because we only get ten letters and spaces for our online manager names. Here's a picture of the three of us before the game. Humin'bird got us some great seats behind the Diamond Club. The Bush Seniors were there (Barbara had heart surgery quite recently). John got this picture of them as they left around the seventh inning. Those are Pudge Rodriguez' feet at the top of the picture. The NASA STS-118 Space Shuttle crew were also there to throw out the first pitches. They looked very thin. Oh, and the National Anthem was beautifully sung by the lady who's currently playing Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" in Houston.
I won't talk about the eight runs the Cubs scored in the first two innings.
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| Sunday, April 12, 2009 |
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Have I mentioned before that Easter is my favourite holiday? Unfortunately we don't get Monday as well, but I'll go with three days. We have no plans here in Houston. I taught a Bikram class this morning and teach two more on Easter Day. Apart from that we're just going to enjoy staying at home. We've just ridden our bikes to Kroger and found some yummy looking crab legs on sale. The fish man said they were caught in Russia. Long journey. John bought a steak, and we're going to grill outside tonight.
Hope all Habs, loyal readers and lurkers have a good time planned.
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| Friday, April 10, 2009 |
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David, Libby and Charlie are home after an interesting three weeks in Australia.
You can read all about it on Ed's and Candice's blog, right here.
Emsworth must seem very dull after that.
And now, how about a poll, Habs. If you had a choice between attending the Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House and the Frost/Nixon movie at an outdoor cinema, which would it be?
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| Wednesday, April 08, 2009 |
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So . . . I bought an orange at Kroger. The cashier rang it up as a grapefruit at 50 cents. I politely pointed out her error. She credited me 50 cents and rang it up as an orange . . . 78 cents.
(sigh)
I brought the orange into work on Monday and only got around to eating it today. Guess what. It's a grapefruit.
And rather a bitter grapefruit at that.
Where are all the good oranges these days?
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| Wednesday, April 08, 2009 |
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I won't be able to give Callie a hard time any more about her tendency for setting off motel fire alarms. At 13Celsius last night I put the wine menu down on top of a candle and didn't realize it until flames shot up from the table.
John doused the flames and we sat back, hoping that no one had noticed. Unfortunately the smell of burning paper gave us away. The server was very nice about it though, and didn't throw me out.
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| Wednesday, April 08, 2009 |
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John and I got hooked on College Basketball over the winter. we attended most of the UH Cougar games and had a blast. I enjoyed every aspect -- the band, the cheerleaders, the fans, Shasta the mascot, the entertainment, and even the basketball. It brought me to thinking that perhaps we should try attending a Houston Rockets game, where perhaps everything would be twice as large with twice the entertainment. I got my hands on some tickets and we went to the Toyota Center last night with Kevin and Callie to watch the Rockets play the Orlando Magic.
Disappointing. Yes, the players were larger, and we saw Yao Ming, but the whole thing was just annoying. There is constant music. Not the rousing enthusastic Cougar brass band, but loud pop music. And it continues blaring when the players are lumbering up and down the court shooting baskets. They play for a while, and then everything stops and there's a presentation or a fan basket-shooting contest. And then you look up again and the game's already resumed and you find you missed another ten points.
At half time, by unanimous decision, we left and headed to 13Celsius for some wine.
Pro-basketball is not for me, although Callie did say it's better on television.
Back to Baseball tonight.
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| Wednesday, April 08, 2009 |
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Happy birthday, 
