Too Many Pictures! (273/365)

 
“Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them! There is great freedom in simplicity of living. It is those who have enough but not too much who are the happiest.”

Peace Pilgrim (American Teacher and Spiritual leader and Peace Prophet, 1908-1981)

TIME:  8:48 PM
PLACE:  HH’s desk
SUBJECT:  Picasa main menu

Holy crow - 58,540 images on our PC!  No wonder I’m having a difficult time trying to make a slideshow for the upcoming family reunion.  I perused the folders a little more and found the following… 

2005 images:      755
(began in August of 2005) 
2006 images:   1,732
2007 images:   4,995
2008 images:   7,467
2009 images: 11,893 
(this is year-to-date!!!)

Good gravy!  That is a heck of a trend.  I bet many of those images could be deleted.  I’m am really bad about purging.  I need to do it though.  I’ll just add it to my ever expanding list of “things-that-need-to-be-done-so-if-I-die-in-a-fiery-bus-crash-my-family-won’t-have-to-go-through-all-my-crap-and-make-rude-comments-about-how-I-was-such-a-pack-rat-and-then-chuck-it-all-in-a-dumpster.”  I’m not worried about losing any images if the PC takes a dive as we use Carbonite, and I have backed up the images to disks as well.  But I do swear going forward that I shall edit and delete any bad/extraneous images as I download them.  I pinky promise!

Creeping Up (272/365)

 
“Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.” 

Elizabeth Lawrence (American, garden designer and writer, 1904-1985)

TIME:  6:39 PM
PLACE:  The front yard
SUBJECT:  Red sunset maple leaf

Today really felt like fall.  The air was wonderfully cool and crisp.  On my morning drive to work, I noticed that many of the trees that line my route are getting ready shed their green hues and and put on their colorful fall show.  In our front yard, the edges of our maple tree’s leaves are starting to become red.  I enjoy the blaze of colors that fall brings.

Sweet Surprise (271/365)

 
“Said Aristotle unto Plato,
'Have another sweet potato?'
Said Plato unto Aristotle,
'Thank you, I prefer the bottle.'”

Owen Wister (American writer and "Father" of western fiction, 1860-1938)

TIME:  6:10 PM
PLACE:  The kitchen table
SUBJECT:  Sweet Potato

Well, it took another week, but I finally did what I said I was going to do - I planted the mums and pansies that have been patiently sitting and waiting for me to get my rear end in gear.  When I pulled out the sweet potato vines from my planters, I found that I grew potatoes over the summer!  Well, I grew two potatoes.  Think these will be enough for Thanksgiving?  

V For Vendetta (270/365)

 
V: Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.

V for Vendetta, (Hugo Weaving-actor, Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski-(screenplay [as The Wachowski Brothers], James McTeigue-director, 2005)

TIME:  7:17 PM
PLACE:  The Study
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband & “V” Mask

While the girls and I were in the mall yesterday, DramaQueen “needed” to go into Hot Topic to check out the Twilight merchandise.  That’s fine with me, but there is NO WAY on God’s green earth that I will allow her to purchase 99.9% of the clothing from that place!  Halloween items were out in full force.  While I was killing time by checking out the current “hip” items du jour for the teen/young adult set,  I stumbled upon this mask.  I even may have squealed (and for that I apologize to anyone who was in earshot).  This Guy Fawkes mask is from the movie “V for Vendetta,” which happens to be one of HH’s all time favorites.  Of course, I had to buy it for him…that’s the kind of wife I am.  When he came home with MonkeyBoy from the campout late this morning, DQ greeted him while wearing it.  We got a smile out of him.  And he indulged me by modeling it for my picture today as well.

Taste The Rainbow (269/365)

 
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:

William Wordsworth (1770-1850), British poet. My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold (l. 1-2). . . The Poems; Vol. 1 [William Wordsworth]. John O. Hayden, ed. (1977, repr. 1990) Penguin Books.

TIME:  6:29 PM
PLACE:  Longacre Park
SUBJECT:  Rainbow

Busy, busy day.  Up early to travel 33 miles to MB’s football game which had a 9:00am start time.  They won, which made the trip worth it.  Back home to get MB and HH packed up for a Cub Scout campout at the Washington County Conservation area just south of Nashville, IL.  After they left, the girls and I went out for a little retail therapy.  Old Navy, Borders, a quick tour of the mall, then dinner at Fazolis.  It was raining when we left the restaurant and when we looked up, we saw a rainbow.  Since we were close by the park, I drove there to get a photo without those pesky electrical wires in the background.  For a few minutes, we could make out a faint second rainbow that appeared above this one.  It didn’t photograph well…bummer.  Afterwards, we continued on to Target for essentials – kitty litter, dishwasher detergent, some socks, pj’s and t-shirts for SD, and various other sundry items.  An exciting Saturday, don’t you think?

Thin Mints Anyone? (268/365)

 
"C" is for Cookie that's good enough for me,
"C" is for cookie that's good enough for me,
"C" is for cookie that's good enough for me,
Oh! cookie, cookie, cookie starts with "C"!

Joe Raposo, "C Is For Cookie", Perf. Cookie Monster, Sesame Street, 1972.

TIME:  5:42 PM
PLACE:  Outside the Family Video store
SUBJECT:  Girl Scout Cookies

Today kicked off Girl Scout Cookie time.  In our area, cookies are sold in the fall, which is good, because across the river in Missouri, they sell cookies in the springtime.  Therefore, I am able to purchase cookies a couple of times during the year – how convenient is that?  The “Cookie Caravan” is this weekend, when the girls sell cookies with their troops at locations throughout the area.  StellaDella, our resident Daisy scout, DramaQueen, the Cadette scout and I helped SD’s troop sell this afternoon.  Next week they receive the individual order forms to hit up friends, relatives and co-workers.  There is a slight turf war over who gets to send an order form with Aunt Cathy to her place of employment (a hospital in Missouri, always good for at least 100 boxes).  I think we are going to end up splitting those orders between the girls this year.  Does anyone else want to buy some cookies?

Flawed (267/365)

 
“I cling to my imperfection, as the very essence of my being.”

Anatole France (Jacques Anatole François Thibault, French poet, journalist, and novelist, 1844-1924), The Garden of Epicurus, 1894

TIME:  2:50 PM
PLACE:  The study
SUBJECT:  My thumbs

Today you get to see one of my flaws, my thumbs.  HandsomeHusband took this photo for me.  As you can see, my left thumb is not as long and has a visibly shorter nail bed than my right thumb.  It was first pointed out to me during grade school.  My class was working on a project that involved tracing our hands when a classmate pointed out to me that my thumbs were different.  I still remember the hot feeling of embarrassment over my flaw.  Even now, when I get manicures, I always apologize for the shape of my thumb and I still have the habit of hiding it, tucking my thumb under my palm so that no one sees it.

Who Loves Ya Baby? (266/365)

 
“The tenderest spot in a man's make-up is sometimes the bald spot on top of his head.”

Helen Rowland (1875-1950), U.S. journalist. Reflections of a Bachelor Girl (1903).

TIME:  8:27 PM
PLACE:  The study
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband’s bald spot

I’d like to start out by saying that I’m not posting this picture to be mean nor to tease.   HH specifically TOLD me to take a picture of his bald spot for today’s post.  He’s had it ever since we first started dating twenty years ago.  It was slightly smaller in diameter back then and over the years, it has expanded its reach over the back of his head.
I happen to like his bald spot.  
I love seeing the smattering of freckles that his exposed scalp reveals. 
I love kissing him there and feeling the warmth of his skin on my lips.  
I love him. 

No Vacancy (265/365)

 
Norman Bates: “Oh, we have 12 vacancies. 12 cabins, 12 vacancies.”

Psycho (Anthony Perkins-actor, Joseph Stefano-screenplay, Robert Bloch-novel, Alfred Hitchcock-director, 1960)

TIME:  7:58 PM
PLACE:  S. Belt West
SUBJECT:  Terrace Motel Sign

It is dark now when we drive home from cheerleading practice.  On the way, we pass the Terrace Motel & Apartments.  It has a great vintage neon sign.  As I wasn’t happy with the cloud pictures I took earlier in the day, I stopped and snapped some of the glowing neon.  The word “M-O-T-E-L” is stacked vertically to the left with a star at the top above the “M”, unfortunately, that portion of the neon is not lit.   

A Pansy For Your Thoughts (264/365)

 
Ophelia:  “Pray, love, remember; and there is pansies, that's for thoughts.”

Hamlet (Act IV, Scene V, L. 176) William Shakespeare (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet, 1564-1616)

TIME:  6:39 PM
PLACE:  The driveway
SUBJECT:  Pansy Mammoth Big Red

Well, tomorrow is the first day of fall here in the United States.  Hard to believe…just where DID the summer go?  Fall is my favorite season, although I think it is much too short.  I love decorating the front porch with mums, pansies, pumpkins, squash, cornstalks and hay bales.  I bought some mums and pansies last week Saturday and still have yet to switch out the front planters.  I was going to this weekend, but the weather did not cooperate.  Today was busy with work and Girl and Boy Scout meetings.  Hopefully tomorrow, after a meeting at school regarding basketball and cheerleading uniforms (I’m part of the committee to purchase new ones), I’ll be able to get the planters swapped out.  Then it’s laundry and cleaning…whoopie!

On Any Given Sunday (263/365)

Tony D'Amato: On any given Sunday you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is - can you win or lose like a man?

Any Given Sunday (Al Pacino-actor, Daniel Pyne
& John Logan-screen story, John Logan & Oliver Stone-screenplay, Oliver Stone-director, 1999)

TIME:  1:14 PM
PLACE:  Knight’s Home Field
SUBJECT:  #39 MonkeyBoy

MB had his second football game of the season today.  I thought it would be a mud-fest as it rained last night and this morning.  But it ended up stopping in time for the game and the field didn’t end up being really muddy.  We were on our home field (can you tell we live in the Midwest…see all that corn in the background?).  MB had a great ball carry to gain a first down and also made a good defensive tackle.  The girls cheered them on to victory, even though we didn’t have pom-poms.  The Knights won 26-0.

(I used the Seventies Photoshop Action from The Pioneer Woman on this picture.)

Fire (262/365)

 
O delicate walker, babbler, dialectician Fire,
O enemy and image of ourselves,

Louis MacNeice (1907-1963), Anglo-Irish poet. Brother Fire (l. 13-14). . . New Oxford Book of English Verse, The, 1250-1950. Helen Gardner, ed. (1972) Oxford University Press.

TIME:  7:48 PM
PLACE: A Neighborhood Block Party
SUBJECT:  Firepit

We had a family get-together/reunion for a line of my mother’s family from noon until about 4pm today.  I went with MB and SD.  DQ and HH stayed home as DQ was being picked up about 2pm to spend the night at a friend’s house.  When the other 2 kids and I returned home, we ordered Chinese for supper - mmm, beef with broccoli, pork fried rice and crab rangoon!  

My oldest brother has recently started playing bass in a band with his co-workers.   They had a “gig” tonight at a block party/  The party was an annual held one in one of the band member’s neighborhood.  I hadn’t seen my brother play yet, so I met up with Dad at his house and we went there together.  The band sounded pretty good but we gave my brother all kinds of grief between sets anyway.  That is what family is for!  While we were at the party, it rained off and on, sprinkles mainly, but not anywhere close enough to put out the fire pits that were burning.

The Organist (261/365)

“Sing us a song, you're the piano man,
Sing us a song tonight.
Well we're all in the mood for a melody.
And you've got us feelin' alright.”

Billy Joel Piano Man. Columbia, 1973.

TIME:  6:56 PM
PLACE:  The Lincoln Theatre
SUBJECT:  Pre-Movie Entertainment

The kids and I did go to the movies tonight.  “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” was the show we saw.  The theatre that we go to has volunteer organists who play the pipe organ before shows on Friday and Saturday nights.  The kids enjoyed both the music and the movie.  SD was giggling throughout the film and DQ (who has read the book) said she liked it.  MB only went to the restroom twice during the show, a personal record!  I thought that it was pretty entertaining, funny and worth the $20 spent on admission and $13.25 dropped on sodas, popcorn and candy. 

Linked & Twisted (260/365)

 
“What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined ... to strengthen each other ... to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.”

George Eliot (English Victorian Novelist. Pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans, 1819-1880)

TIME:  6:25 PM
PLACE:  Laderman Park
SUBJECT:  Chain link fence

I was very fortunate to be able to have lunch with my HH today (he had 1/2 day off).  We went to a sushi restaurant, and dined at the bar.  The lunch date was a pleasant substitution for the dinner date we were to have with friends tomorrow (Friday).  Due to some unforeseen circumstances, several of them had to cancel.  HH and I were going to go out to eat anyway, just the two of us, but this way we didn’t have to worry about getting a sitter as the kids were in school - a bonus!  Now, maybe tomorrow, HH can get out by himself and visit a good friend of his – HH has had a stressful week and deserves it.  The kids want to go see “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” at the movie theatre, so I’m thinking that is what I will be doing tomorrow evening.

Football and cheerleading practice has moved to a new location, one with a lighted field.  The other park did not have lights and they are definitely needed as it is getting darker earlier each day…fall must be coming!  This chain link fence surrounds the park.  Didn’t we have a lovely blue sky today?

A Little Privacy Please (259/365)

 
“A new father quickly learns that his child invariably comes to the bathroom at precisely the times when he's in there, as if he needed company. The only way for this father to be certain of bathroom privacy is to shave at the gas station.”

Bill Cosby (20th century), U.S. comedian. Fatherhood, ch. 3 (1986).

TIME:  9:43 PM
PLACE:  The bathroom
SUBJECT:  Privacy glass

We live in an older home with windows that need serious replacement and updating to be more energy efficient.  Our bathrooms have vintage privacy glass on both the top and bottom sashes.  I have always liked the texture and pattern on these panes of glass.  Tonight, the streetlight outside was shining on the window, radiating its light on the glass.  I thought it looked pretty cool.

Sinister Ceramics (258/365)

 
“The crow wished everything was black, the owl, that every thing was white.”

William Blake (English visionary Mystic, Poet, Painter and Engraver. 1757-1827)

TIME: 5:45 PM
PLACE:  The front porch
SUBJECT:  Halloween craft

The minute I saw this Halloween idea, I knew what I was going to do on my day off today – go thrifting for some owl ceramics!  I found an owl, a blue jay, and an awful colored blue metal candelabra.  Next, I headed to the local craft store for flat-backed red rhinestones and matte black spray paint.  A couple of quick coats of paint, a little drying time, a little glue to stick the rhinestones on for the eyes and I have the most excellent Halloween decorations!  The blue jay turned into an AWESOME looking crow (or raven, if you prefer).  The candelabra looks good as well.   I am now going to look for a cat and a couple more owls and/or birds to add to the spooky vignette.  Oh, and some cheap Barbie dolls to turn into zombies.  The awesomeness of this craft cannot be described in mere words.  You must go out and make some evil minions for yourself.  I command you!

Doves On A Wire (257/365)

 
“How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have that dangerous beak”

Jack Handy (American Writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1991-2003. Famous for his Deep Thoughts comedy sketches.)

TIME:  7:02 PM
PLACE:  The front of the house
SUBJECT:  Mourning doves

Were the children tired this morning?  Yes they were!  Everyone moved verrrry sloooowly getting ready for school.  The older two had safety patrols this morning and had to be at school 15 minutes earlier than usual.  So I walked SD to school at the regular time.  Then off I went to work.  I was the first one there and after sitting at my desk, I kept smelling something bad.  I couldn’t figure out what it was.  Finally, I look down and what do I see but dog poop on my shoes!  Just great.  But the weird thing was, it wasn’t anywhere else on the floor.  You would of thought that since it was on my shoes, I would have tracked it throughout the office, but I couldn’t find any evidence of it being anywhere else but smeared on my chair protector pad and my shoes.  I was still the only one in the office, thank goodness, so I cleaned up the mat and my shoes and sprayed the air freshener quickly before anyone else arrived at work.  I then deposited the paper towels in the dumpster outside.  While I was out there, I went to my car to see if there was any poop on the driver’s side car mat.  Nope and no tracks leading to the outside office door.  Now just where did this dog poop come from?  Who knows…I guess I will chalk it up to one of life’s great mysteries.

Bring It On (256/365)

“Cheerleading was great!  It was just as much fun as kissing Jesus!”

StellaDella (American, Cheerleader, b2004)

TIME:  6:16 PM
PLACE:  Longacre Park Football field
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

Tonight was the first football game of the season for MB and the first game DQ and SD performed their cheers.  Thank goodness that the girls were assigned to the squad for their brother’s team.  It makes the game-day logistics so much easier on HH and me.  I have been assigned the duties of “CheerMom.”  Basically, I supervise and encourage the girls, making sure that they keep on track during the game.  The girl’s did a great job cheering this evening and MB’s team won their opener, 20-6.  He’s a happy boy tonight. 

BTW, I have no idea what SD meant by her quote.  She had her first day of Sunday School this morning, so Jesus was probably on her mind – that’s the only explanation I can think of!

Mountain Of Mulch (255/365)

“A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely.” 

Pam Brown (Australian poet, b1948)

TIME:  11:50 AM
PLACE:  The front yard
SUBJECT:  Mulch

HH picked up 3 cubic yards of mulch this morning for our flower beds.  We last mulched about 4 years ago.  That was when I first edged the areas around the front and side of the house.  It is definitely time to add some more.  Things always look so much nicer with a fresh layer of tree bark.

This evening I went to a trivia night with some girlfriends.  These are friends I made while hanging out at the bar where I met HH.  We didn’t do so well; we came in second to last place.  We did win the honorary title of “Most Fun Table”...so that was something.  It was the pesky sports category that did us in.  I did surprise myself with my knowledge of the “Presidents” category, coming up with the answers from lord only knows where.  Afterwards, we went out for a couple of beers, some girl talk, and reminiscing about the old bar days.

Lighting The Night (254/365)

There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go.  

Unknown

TIME:  7:37 PM
PLACE:  The Muny parking Lot, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  Light the Night balloons

Today marks 8 years since terrorists hijacked planes, crashed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field and killed over 3,000 people.  It is a day that we will always remember where we were and what we were doing when we first heard of the attacks.  I remember watching the event unfold on television, the horror of the second plane hitting the tower and the collapse of the buildings.  My thoughts turned to the people who were still trapped inside when the towers fell.  I know I will never forget that morning.

Tonight I participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk which was at Forest Park in St. Louis.  This walk pays tribute to and raises funds for people fighting cancer.   It is something my family does to honor the memory of my mom.  Tonight, DQ and I joined my oldest brother and his family and my Dad in the walk.  We each carried a red lighted balloon as a supporter and Dad carried a gold balloon in memory of Mom.  Afterwards, we let the balloons go after we took off the plastic tube that lit them up.  This tube is a small device powered by 2 AA batteries.  Being the frugal people that we are, we all pocketed our batteries.  We were standing at the end of the walk and noticed that many folks dropped their balloons with the tubes in the trash can.  I mentioned, mostly in jest, that we should get them out and mine the batteries from the devices – just think of the money that we’d save.  So my Dad goes over to the trash can and comes back a little later with about 10 batteries!  I kidded him that now I know he’s a cheap old man…scrounging in the trash for free batteries.  He said that he is just doing his part to help the environment – by not letting them hit the landfill.  OK, if you say so Dad! ;)

Crabby Apples (253/365)

“The fear of being laughed at makes cowards of us all.” 

Mignon McLaughlin (American journalist and author, 1913-1983), The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

TIME:  8:55 AM
PLACE:  Outside the office building
SUBJECT:  Crabapples

SD went back to school this morning…woot woot!  I am so glad she is feeling better – she is too and was happy and excited to get back into the school day routine. 

Normally, Tuesdays and Thursdays are my days off of work, but due to SD’s sickness causing havoc with my work schedule, I went in today. There is a crabapple tree right by the entrance to the office building and right now, it is loaded with crabapples.  I felt a little shy about getting my camera out to take pictures (you would think after 251 days of this project, I wouldn’t be!).  I didn’t want any one to see me so I took them very quickly – I didn’t even stop to frame them as nicely as they could have been.  These were my only photos for the day and now I am kicking myself for having such fears and being such a wimp.  Next time I am not going to worry about what people think of me taking pictures and get the shots I want.  

Crossing the Bridge (252/365)

 
“The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.”

David Russell (Scottish, classical guitarist, b1953)

TIME:  2:01 PM
PLACE:  Highway 255/270 heading west 
SUBJECT:  Jefferson Barracks Bridge approach

Well, I thought that SD had FINALLY broken her fever this morning.  She had gone 9 hours without a temperature.  Then her fever spiked to 102 degrees.  So I called the pediatrician and made another appointment.  Our pediatrician is about 45 minutes away, in Missouri and to get there we cross this bridge over the Mississippi River.  Dr. P--- examined SD and took another flu test which was negative again.  She gave SD some ibuprofen, then sent us down to radiology to get x-rays of SD’s lungs to rule out pneumonia.  Her lungs were clear.  Yea!  We went back to the office and discussed our next step, which was…peeing in a cup!  The sample was clear and undiluted which meant that SD was not dehydrated – that was a good thing!  There was a low bacteria count, but a high white blood cell count, so the conclusion was that although SD is over her virus, she now has a urinary tract infection.  Antibiotics were prescribed and I am to call tomorrow and update her on SD’s condition.  I hope this will be the answer – it will be one week tomorrow that she’s been running a fever. 

Mum’s The Word (251/365)

 
“When as a child I laughed and wept,
Time crept.
When as a youth I waxed more bold,
Time strolled.
When I became a full-grown man,
Time RAN.
When older still I daily grew,
Time FLEW.
Soon I shall find, in passing on,
Time gone.
O Christ! wilt Thou have saved me then?
Amen. “

Henry Twells (1823-1900), British rhymester. "Time's Paces," quoted in Alan L. Mackay, The Harvest of a Quiet Eye (1977). Poem fixed to the front of the clock-case in the North Transept of Chester Cathedral.

TIME:  6:38 PM
PLACE:  The front yard
SUBJECT:  Chrysanthemum

So where did the summer go?  I walked outside this evening and I found that some leaves have already fallen from our Capital Pear tree onto the mum planted below.  The mum has begun its fall bloom.  I know it is the day after Labor Day, but geesh, you’d think that the seasons wouldn’t turn so quickly.  I swear, didn’t it used to be more gradual?  Time is flying.  And the older I get, the faster it goes.  HH tells me that it gets quicker every year.  Great – I don’t have enough time now to do everything I need to and he’s telling me I’ll have even less time in the future!  Not what I need to hear.

Zuppa Del Giorno (250/365)

“Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beau—ootiful Soo—oop!
Beau—ootiful Soo—oop!
Soo—oop of the e—e—evening,
Beautiful, beautiful soup!”

Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832-1898), British author, mathematician, clergyman. The Mock Turtle, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, ch. X, Macmillan (1865).

TIME: 5:25 PM
PLACE: The kitchen table
SUBJECT: Minestrone soup

Today was Labor Day here in the USA (Canada and Bermuda as well) where we celebrate the social and economic achievements of the American worker. Normally the family walks in the Labor Day parade here in our town with HH’s union. The kids love it since they get to heave candy (mini tootsie rolls) all along the parade route, but since SD is still getting over her sickness, only HH and MB went to march this morning. I celebrated by doing laundry and going to the grocery store to get the ingredients to make this minestrone soup that was posted last November on Scribbit – Motherhood in Alaska. I loved it and HH declared that it “was pretty damned good soup,” so it will definitely be made again. I like soup and try to have it with homemade bread and salad a few times a month during the fall and winter season.

Definitely NOT Cujo (249/365)

 
"You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says, `My God, you're RIGHT! I NEVER would've thought of that!'" 

David “Dave” Barry (American, Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, b1947)

TIME:  6:48 PM
PLACE:  The study
SUBJECT:  Oreo

Ugly grey skies today.  Mid-afternoon I walked around the trail twice at Longacre Park – 3 miles.  I even had my camera and was planning on taking some photos while I was there.  I might have too if my batteries weren’t dead.  Sigh.  I then tried to take a picture of the dog, but she was moving too much for me.  HH got out his camera and took one shot of her.  Isn’t she a goofy dog?  He took pity on me and is generously letting me use it as my photo for today.  Thanks babe!

Pizza! Pizza! (248/365)

“When the moon hits your eye
Like a big-a pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine
Like you've had too much wine
That's amore”

Brooks, Jack. “That’s Amore.” Lyrics. Perf. Dean Martin. Capitol Records, 1953.

TIME:  6:08 PM
PLACE:  The kitchen
SUBJECT:  Homemade pizza

HH went to “The Hill” in St. Louis and picked up some pizza crusts, pizza sauce, olives, cheese, salami and other Italian goodies.  He had an event to attend this evening, so it was just the kids and me making pizzas for dinner.  DQ and I like pepperoni and black olives, while MB and SD go for the classic cheese.  Mmmm, homemade pizza is a good thing!   

I wanted desperately to take a moon photo tonight, but we had rain and overcast skies today and this evening.  There is no moon to be seen in the night sky.  Drat.

Full Corn Moon (247/365)

 
“Tell me what you feel in your room when the full moon is shining in upon you and your lamp is dying out, and I will tell you how old you are, and I shall know if you are happy”

Henri Frederic Amiel (Swiss writer known for his masterpiece Journal intime, 1821-1881)

TIME:  8:28 PM
PLACE:  The backyard
SUBJECT:  The moon

Well, Miss StellaDella has some sort of virus.  She spiked a 104 degree fever about 12:20 this morning.  She was talking in her sleep a mile a minute with the fever. Tylenol got her temp back down and her comfortable enough to where she could sleep peacefully.  Then about 5:30am the medication wore off and the cycle started again.  DramaQueen didn’t feel well this morning either, but she didn’t have a fever.  So a visit to the pediatrician was in order for strep tests and a flu test for SD.  The tests came back negative for both, so that means they have a virus, but not strep or the flu.  SD threw up in the exam room – right in the plastic trash can.  Poor little thing!  Rest, fluids and Tylenol is the prescription.  Hopefully in about 3 days this too shall pass.  Then I am sure that MonkeyBoy will come down with it as well.  They like to “spread the joy” to one another.  Why does it seem that sicknesses the only thing they really like to share?

Isn’t the moon beautiful tonight?  The Harvest moon (the full moon closest to the equinox) will occur on October 4th.    This full moon is known as the “Full Corn Moon.  Sometimes also called the Fruit Moon; such monikers were used for a full moon that occurs during the first week of September, so as to keep the Harvest Moon from coming too early in the calendar.”  (From SPACE.com).  Tomorrow night (Saturday), the moon is supposed to be the biggest and brightest of 2009 – be sure to go and check it out and maybe even take a picture.  I’m sure I will be out there again. 

Pigskin (246/365)

 
Professor Wagstaff: In case I never see you again, which would add ten years to my life, what would you fellas want to play football?
Baravelli: Well, first we want a football.
Professor Wagstaff: Well, I don't know if we've got a football, but if I can find one, would you be interested? I don't want a hasty answer, just sleep on it.
Baravelli: I no think I can sleep on a football.

Horse Feathers (Groucho Marx-actor, Chico Marx-actor, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, S.J. Perelman and Will B. Johnstone-screenplay, Norman Z. McLeod [as Norman McLeod]-director, 1932)

TIME:  6:26 PM
PLACE: Catholic War Vets – Football Field
SUBJECT:  Football

Football and cheerleading practice again tonight.  But we had a logistics issue tonight.  The practices were at two different locations, both from 6pm-8pm.  HandsomeHusband had a Labor dinner to attend at 6pm, so he was unable to coach tonight.  So here was our problem…how do we get 5 people to 3 different locations at the same time and make sure that there is an adult at each practice?  Why, we call Grandpa!  HH took MB to his practice, then left for the dinner.  I dropped DQ off at her practice, where Grandpa had already arrived, then drove down to MB’s practice with StellaDella.  Why did I have SD?  Why, I guess I forgot to mention that SD spiked a fever in school today and I had to go pick her up at 1:30 this afternoon.  Acetaminophen brought the fever down and she felt better, but we weren’t going to let her cheer tonight.  Just a little monkey wrench in our carefully orchestrated plans!  After MB’s practice was over, the three of us went to Grandpa’s house and picked up DQ.  Thanks Dad, your help is greatly appreciated! 

Clouds (245/365)

 
“Clouds symbolize the veils that shroud God.”

Honoré de Balzac (French novelist and playwright, 1799–1850)

TIME:  3:31 PM
PLACE:  State Street Road
SUBJECT:  Clouds & field

MonkeyBoy had his first band practice of the year after classes today at the Junior High school.  He plays the saxophone and is bused there from his grade school and we pick him up after practice.  I usually take a “back way” to get there, which still has some farmland which hasn’t been developed into subdivisions.  On my way to pick him up, I stopped and snapped this photo of the clouds.  I’m not sure what is growing in this field - last year it was a cornfield.  I don’t think that the field was farmed this year, but it looks like some rogue cornstalks have popped up, reminders of last year’s crop.

Right Up My Alley (244/365)

 
“Your bowling ball's not in the lane,” said Tom gutturally.

Tom Swifty

TIME:  7:33 PM
PLACE:  South Belt West 
SUBJECT:  Bowling Alley sign

I ended up working again from 8:45am-2:30pm today.  As it is Tuesday, the kids had football and cheerleading practice at 6pm.  While the kids practiced and HH coached, I went to a fundraiser for our state representative at this bowling alley.  Usually HH goes, but he had to coach tonight, so I represented him at the fundraiser for our representative.  (Hee hee – that always makes me laugh and yes, I am a goofball!)  The soirée was in the lower level banquet room of the facility.  I had a soothing adult beverage and all manner of appetizers.  It was quite nice.  A trivia note: this banquet facility is the same one where HH and I had our wedding reception 14 years ago on April 1st, 1995.