That’s A Long Bubble (151/365)

“A soul is but the last bubble of a long fermentation in the world.”

George Santayana (born Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás in Madrid, December 16, 1863; died September 26, 1952, in Rome) was a Spanish American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist

TIME:  6:17 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

School is out for the summer – I am now counting down the days until August 18th when it resumes.  To help pass the time until then, I made this gigantic bubble maker to use with the homemade bubble solution.  Made of straws and cotton twine, it appears to work quite well.  Of course when you have the “Bubble Blowing Queen” (as she calls herself) working it, there is no doubt that it will do the job.

Tram-pamp-o-line (150/365)

Todd: Each leap brings us closer to God.
Rod: Catch me, Lord, catch me! [They collide in midair and fall injured to the ground] What have we done to make God angry?
Todd: You did it!

The Flanders children jump on the trampoline, "Bart's Inner Child." The Simpsons. 11-Nov-1993.

TIME:  6:22 PM
PLACE:  My sister’s
SUBJECT:  My nephew, Michael and DramaQueen

Busy Memorial Day – MonkeyBoy was up at 5:30 this morning to help place flags at the cemetery, then he had to be dropped off at the Junior High School at 8am to march in the 10am parade with the band.  I picked him back up at the school at 11:30am.  Finally, we (Me, DQ, MB, SD and my dad) went to Busch Stadium so MB could perform with the band at a pre-game ceremony for the 3:15pm Cardinal game.  We stayed until the 5th inning (after the very ugly Giants grand slam in the 4th) then left to go to my sister’s house for the tail end of a family get together.  The kids were hot and tired while riding in the car, but were able to muster enough energy to jump on the trampoline after we arrived.  That’s my nephew flipping in the air – he’s going to be a senior in high school this fall.

Blueberry Ice Cream Pie (149/365)

“I found my thrill
On Blueberry Hill
On Blueberry Hill
When I found you”

Lyrics by Rooney, John L. "Blueberry Hill." 1940. Perf. Fats Domino. 1956.

TIME:  6:08 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Dessert

Today was one of those days where even though I did many things around the house, I really don’t have much to show for it.  One thing I do have to show for my efforts is this dessert: Blueberry Ice Cream Pie.  This pie has an almond-brown sugar crust followed by vanilla ice cream with a layer of blueberry sauce and is topped with whipped cream and fresh berries.  I made it as a birthday pie for Dad who joined us for dinner.  It was pretty tasty.

Bubble Solution (148/365)

“If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the precipitate”

Stephen Wright (American Actor and Writer, b.1955)

TIME:  9:07 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT: One-gallon container filled with homemade bubble mix

I’ve mentioned before that StellaDella is quite the bubble fiend.  Unfortunately, she is also a big bubble spiller – I had just bought a large container of bubbles the other day and they lasted about 15 minutes before they all hit the ground.  I found this idea here along with a homemade bubble recipe.  SD thinks it is the neatest thing to lift the faucet and let the homemade bubble mix pour into a cup.  She can also pour any unused liquid back into the container when she is done.  The bubble mix (I used the one that called for glycerin) is working quite well.  Now we’ll have to try making gigantic bubbles using a bubble maker made out of straws and string.

My Favorite Son And My Chair (147/365)

Me: “MonkeyBoy, always remember that you are my favorite son.”
MB: “I’m your ONLY son.”
Me:  “There you go.”

Conversation MB and I often have..

TIME:  2:16 PM
PLACE:  School
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

MB’s last full day of grade school was capped off with a ceremony honoring the 6th grade students who are moving on to junior high in the fall.  Certificates were given to students who best represented the district’s different monthly life skills for character words.  MB was recognized for exemplifying Self-Discipline - “..thinking about your words and actions and then making choices that are right for you and others”.  Yes, I teared up during the ceremony.  That’s what mom’s do.
~*~*~
And, because I am excited about it….here is the freshly painted metal chair and an old pillow with a newly sewn cover I whipped up this evening.  That’s one summer project off my ever expanding list – now I need to start on the glider.

Merry-Go-Round (146/365)

“Life's just a merry-go-round. Come on up. You might get a brass ring.”

Mae West (American Actress and sex symbol, 1892-1980)

TIME:  3:46 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Vintage Fisher Price Merry-Go-Round

This was my last day of Thursday freedom from work AND children until August when they return to school – so you know I didn’t spend it at home cleaning like I should have.  Oh no, no, no.  I ventured to the new Goodwill Outlet in St. Louis, where they sell by the pound and new crap goodies are wheeled out in huge plastic containers every twenty minutes.  *singsong voice*  I. was. in. heaven!  I found a nice Pyrex divided dish, some baseball cleats for StellaDella, several books, some vintage Christmas items, and a bunch of other tchotchkes I really didn’t need, all for the low, low price of $15.76.  That price included this toy as well – I remember seeing it in the Sears Christmas Wish Book as a youngster and thinking it was pretty nifty.  Funny, I don’t ever remember asking Santa for it though.  That could be why I never found it under the tree.

How Lawyers Prop Open A Door (145/365)

“Give me a lever long enough, and a prop strong enough, I can single-handed move the world.”

Archimedes (Mathematician and inventor of ancient Greece, 280-211bc)

TIME:  8:48 AM
PLACE:  Work
SUBJECT:  Improvised door stop
(Taken with my crappy cell phone camera because the batteries died in my PowerShot-Grrrrrrr)

When I entered the vestibule at work this morning, I saw this case of Budweiser Select holding open the door.  What you can’t see behind me are many, many more cases of beer (and a few cases of soda).  Why?  The office building annual bar-be-que is tomorrow.  Here’s hoping it won’t get rained out.  Speaking of rain – we were hit with more storms this afternoon.  DramaQueen surprised me by keeping me company on the front porch for awhile…until she saw this cloud formation:

Then she headed for the basement.  The clouds turned out to be more bark than bite – our area ended up with just some rain and a bit of wind.

The 80’s Are Calling (144/365)

What’s black and white and hot pink all over?
…A sun-burned zebra

Really bad joke

TIME:  9:16 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  DramaQueen’s newly refurbished desk chair

Warning!:  Don’t look at the photo too long, or you might go blind.  I highly suggest that you fashion one of those eclipse viewers to view this post. 

Wow. Florescent pink and zebra stripes. I’m having 80’s flashbacks just looking at this photo.  Think Zubaz Pants.  Just wow.  *closes eyes and shakes head hard to clear image of those pants featured in that link from my head*  Ok…way back when, my mom purchased this chair at an estate sale for a then 3 year-old DQ.  Until this evening, it had the original white frame and faded pink velvet tufted upholstery.  Now, thanks to the wonders of spray paint, new fabric, foam cushioning and an electric staple gun, DQ has the chair of her dreams.  Here are before and after photos to help you better appreciate the transformation:  

She loves it.  It’s not my style, but then again, it’s not my chair.

Anybody Got A Quarter I Can Borrow? (143/365)

“I like vending machines, because snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it so that is achieves its maximum flavor potential.”

Mitch Hedberg (American Comedian, 1968-2005)

TIME:  11:13 AM
PLACE:  St. Louis Zoo
SUBJECT:  Peacock at vending machine

The 1st graders (along with the kindergarteners) had their field trip today and StellaDella insisted that I go with her.  I had her and two other girls in my group to chaperone.  I think this was the highlight of the day – we stopped to eat our lunches and the resident peacock sauntered by and started pecking at the vending machines.  It looked like he wanted Doritos, M&Ms and water to eat.  The kids thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen.  More than likely, he saw his reflection in the front panel and was letting that other peacock know he didn’t appreciate him being there.  A storm with high winds rolled into the area right after we entered the Insectarium.  After it settled down to slightly less than a downpour, we sloshed our way back to the bus.  I do believe that I’ve had enough of wet, rainy field trips for now.

Chippy Patina (142/365)

“Fewer and fewer Americans possess objects that have a patina, old furniture, grandparents pots and pans / the used things, warm with generations of human touch, essential to a human landscape. Instead, we have our paper phantoms, transistorized landscapes. A featherweight portable museum.”

Susan Sontag (American Writer, Activist and Critic, 1933-2004)

TIME:  7:43 PM
PLACE:  Back yard
SUBJECT:  Iron table legs

More front porch furniture prep work today.  I bought this glass-topped iron table from a neighborhood estate sale before DramaQueen was born.  It’s been on my front porch for-ev-er and was looking pretty sad.  So I wire brushed all the loose paint this morning.  My plan was to spray paint it a navy blue, but after I was done brushing it, I changed my mind.  I decided that I’m just going to apply a clear coat so all of its glorious, chippy patina shines through.  It will provide a nice contrast to the freshly painted yellow chair, which is awaiting a final coat of paint and some new bolts before re-assembly.  Next up – the metal glider.

Dirt Pile (141/365)

Grandpa Lou: In my days, all we did was throw rocks at each other. Big bag of dirt clods- that's what the kids want.

The Rugrats Movie. Perf. Joe Alaskey. 1998. Nickelodean Movies.

TIME:  1:21 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  Dirt

To StellaDella and the other siblings of ballplayers, this is the best thing about coming to baseball games – the gigantic pile of dirt used to dust the infields.  They love climbing, sitting on the top and playing with cars and other little toys that they bring with them on it.  Unfortunately, today, SD had a birthday party to attend at 2pm and therefore, much to her chagrin. she was not allowed to approach this dirt mountain.  (And did you notice…BLUE sky!  Amazing.)

Scissors And Glue (140/365)

Homer: This is Thanksgiving, so glue friendly or else I'll take away the glue and then nobody will have any glue to glue with!
Lisa: Dad, this isn't about glue, it's about territoriality. He only wants the glue because I'm using it.
Bart: Oh yeah, prove it (she hands him the glue) Hey man, I don't want your stupid glue.

"Bart vs. Thanksgiving". The Simpsons. Episode no: 20. Prod. code: 7F07. Orig. airdate: November 22, 1990

TIME:  6:45 PM
PLACE:  School gym
SUBJECT:  Craft supplies

StellaDella’s Girl Scout Troop had a “End Of The Year Party” this evening for all the levels of the girls: Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors.  We had nachos and burritos for supper, did some crafts, face painting, manicures and had a sundae bar for dessert.  Unlike last year when we had an overnight in the gym, this was just for the evening…thank goodness.  I’m still wiped out from Monday and Thursday.
~*~*~
And a big “Happy Birthday!” and “I love you!” to my dad – 69 years old this year!

SkyScreamer (139/365)

“Go Big! Go Six Flags!”

Six Flags Theme Park Motto

TIME:  2:28 PM
PLACE:  Six Flags-St. Louis
SUBJECT:  SkyScreamer swing ride

MonkeyBoy’s school band had a field trip to Six Flags today and I was one of the chaperones.  It rained. all. stinkin. day.  AND it was cold.  Did that stop the kiddos?  Hell to the no.  The rode The Boss (wooden roller coaster), bumper cars, the Highland Fling (a ride that spins horizontally then vertically).  They were all completely soaking wet when they went on this ride (I was only slightly drier watching them under my lovely blue vinyl poncho with Bugs Bunny on the back).  It had to be quite brisk at those 23 stories above the ground and being flung around at 43 mph.  Then - because really, how much more wet could they get? - they rode the Log Flume about 8 times in a row.  While I waited for them I amused myself by taking photos of my feet…

 
(See the rain? Cold! See the edge of the blue poncho? Très chic!)

Prepped and Primed (138/365)

[talking to the chassis]
Harry Hogge: I'm gonna give you an engine low to the ground... extra thick oil pan to cut the wind from underneath you. It'll give you thirty or forty more horsepower. I'm gonna give you a fuel line that'll hold an extra gallon of gas. I'm gonna shave half an inch off you and shape you like a bullet. I'll get you primed, painted and weighed, and you'll be ready to go out on that racetrack. Hear me? You're gonna be perfect.

Duvall, Robert, perf. Days Of Thunder. Dir. Tony Scott. 1990. Paramount Pictures. DVD.

TIME:  7:12 PM
PLACE:  Back yard
SUBJECT:  Rust-oleum primer & metal chair seat

This evening, I began to prep an old metal chair for a new coat of paint.  The hardest part was removing the rusted bolts that held the seat to the frame.  Luckily, I was able to find some penetrating oil in the garage that worked wonders.  I sanded the frame and seat with some 100 grit sandpaper, wiped it all down and sprayed them with a coat of primer.  I plan to paint the frame white, but I haven’t decided on the color for the seat.  This chair, along with a metal glider that is also on the project list, belonged to my paternal grandmother (*Light bulb moment* I’ll call Dad and find out the original color).  They have been sitting against the back of my house for a couple of years…it’s about time I got off my duff and made them pretty for the front porch.

Front Porch Visitor (137/365)

“A house may draw visitors, but it is the possessor alone that can detain them”

Charles Caleb Colton (English sportsman and writer, 1780-1832)

TIME:  7:36 PM
PLACE:  Front porch
SUBJECT:  Rabbit

I looked out the front storm door and saw this rare sight – a rabbit was sitting on the lowest step of our front porch.  Oreo was looking out the storm door as well, but luckily, her lower line of sight prevented her from seeing the bunny, otherwise she would have gone crazy and I wouldn’t have been able to snap this shot.

Cliff Hanger (136/365)

“Cliff Hanger, hanging from a cliff, and that’s why he's called Cliff Hanger!…Can't -- hold -- on -- much -- longer!"

Cliff Hanger, “Between The Lions.” PBS series-WGBH Boston and Sirius Thinking. LTD.

TIME:  1:41 PM
PLACE:  City park
SUBJECT:  DramaQueen and friends on Cliff Hanger ride

Today was the annual public school parade and picnic – it was feeling more like October (low 60’s) but we had sunshine - Yayaya!
~*~*~
The logistics of this day for me were extremely ugly – I had to drop off MonkeyBoy at the Jr. High at 8 am for the band; come home and take StellaDella to school; drive to the picnic area; park the car; walk to the beginning of the parade route so I could walk the parade with SD; walk the parade; drive back to the Jr. High with SD to pick up MB as the band was bussed back there after the parade (DQ remained at the picnic with friends); return again to the picnic with MB & SD – wait in many long lines for rides; stalk DQ and her friends; text her occasionally to irritate her even more; spend entirely too much money on food ($24 for 2 orders of fries, one chicken on a stick and a jumbo hot dog? – insane!!!!); return home; find out MB’s baseball game is cancelled because of field conditions, therefore he can make Boy Scouts; drive MB to Boy Scout meeting; stay with MB as Scouts require adults to supervise as they take down flags from light poles on Main Street; walk Main Street (about 10 blocks up and back again) with Scouts as they take down flags; drive MB and 3 other Scouts back to the school to finish their regular meeting; return to the school at 8:30pm to collect MB; pick up a Blizzard ice cream from McDonalds (because I needed it!) and finally return home for the night.  Stick a fork in me, I’m done.

Percussion Caps (135/365)

“The possibilities of percussion sounds, I believe, have never been fully realized.”

Charles Edward Ives (October 20, 1874 – May 19, 1954) American modernist composer

TIME:  8:31 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Bottle cap bells

DramaQueen worked on a music project today.  Her assignment:  Create a musical instrument and document your process.  She went with the percussion group and made a tree from dowels with four branches.  Off each branch hangs a different item to percuss with a homemade mallet….a paper plate tambourine filled with beads; a single chime, bracelet jangles and these bottle cap bells.  I showed her how to drill a hole to insert the dowels into the main trunk and she did the others.  Other than a slight mishap with plaster of paris spillage on the kitchen floor (quickly wiped up) it went smoothly.  Even though she did 99% of the work, I think I’m ready for school projects to be over for awhile.

Waiting In Rows (134/365)

“Here the marble statues breathe in rows.”

Joseph Addison (English essayist, poet and statesman, 1672 - 1719)

TIME:  8:27 AM
PLACE:  St. Mary of the Angels Convent, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  Religious statues up for auction

DramaQueen, my dad and I met my sister at an auction this morning over in St. Louis.  The Franciscan Sisters of Mary had decided that its convent was no longer practical for the declining number of sisters who lived and worked there and relocated them to other convents.  This was the first of two auctions of that are being held for contents of the convent.  Religious art, statuary and crosses, furniture and glasses, china & accessories were up for bid today.  I didn’t buy anything - I’m trying to cut back - although I would have loved to have a statue or two come home with me.  More furniture is up for bid next week Saturday – I spied a mid-century pole lamp that would be the perfect touch behind my orange chair.

Courthouse Fountains (133/365)

“That which the fountain sends forth returns again to the fountain.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (the most popular American Poet in the 19th century, 1807-1882)

TIME:  7:54 PM
PLACE:  Downtown
SUBJECT:  Courthouse water fountains

Our town hosts a fine art show in May every year.  Tonight was the first night of the annual event.  There was a special wine reception held in front of the courthouse for the opening of the show and HH and I were invited to attend.  Just call us Mr. and Mrs. Socialite.

Pure Evil (132/365)

Sandy: You're nothing but pure evil, just like newspaper comics.

"Survival of the Idiots/Dumped." SpongeBob SquarePants. Perf. Carolyn Lawrence. 5 Mar. 2001. Television.

TIME:  8:09 PM
PLACE:  Front porch
SUBJECT:  Moon Sand – the sand you can mold!

I must have had some of Dad’s Transient Global Amnesia when I purchased this stuff for StellaDella about two years ago.  Whenever she played with it, a huge mess ensued…Moon Sand ended up everywhere.  I ended up making a house rule that it can only be played with outside - therefore, it was pretty much off-limits all winter.  Somehow, SD remembered that we still possessed the darned stuff and played with it on the front porch this evening.

Clover Cleverness (131/365)

”Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...” 

Susan Polis Shutz (American poet and producer of greeting cards and the mother of U.S. Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado, born Peekskill, NY, 1944)

TIME:  7:21 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Clover flowers

What can one do with all of the clover flowers found in the yard?



Why, make a headband for your favorite flower child of course!

Purple Tuesday (130/365)

“When the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls, and the stars begin to flicker in the sky,…”

Mitchell Parish (1901-1993), U.S. songwriter. "Deep Purple," Robbins Music Corp. (1939). Music composed by Peter De Rose (1900-1953).

TIME:  8:07 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Purple Salvia

I volunteered this morning to work the snack stand at school district’s Field Day.  We had chips, soda, water, Gatorade and sno-cones.  Guess what the majority of the kids wanted – sno-cones - labor intensive, rainbow sno-cones.  I wanted to take a photo of the sticky, syrupy chaos that ensued, but I was too busy making change for 50 cent sno-cones that always seemed to be paid for with $20 bills.  More importantly, I didn’t have my camera with me which kind of makes it harder to take the photo at all.  Therefore, I’m going with the old fallback shot…flowers!

Sanitary (129/365)

Young Tantor: Mom! Are you sure this water's sanitary? It looks questionable to me!

Tarzan. Dir. Chris Buck and Kevin Lima. 1999. Walt Disney Pictures. DVD.

TIME:  7:00 PM
PLACE:  Baseball fields
SUBJECT:  Sewer cover

After MonkeyBoy’s baseball game tonight, StellaDella was definitely NOT sanitary.  Her grubby, little body was thrown straight into the tub when we arrived home.

Mother’s Day Project (128/365)

“To the illumined man or woman, a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same.”

Bhagavad Gītā (Sanskrit: भगवद्गीता, Kannada: ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ, IPA: [ˈbʱəɡəʋəd̪ ɡiːˈt̪aː], Song of God). Also more simply known as Gita, is a Sanatana Dharma or Hindu scripture produced from the colloquy given by Sri Krishna to Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War.

TIME:  7:42 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Terracing

This is a project I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time – terracing around the Capital Pear tree in the front yard.  I even had my dad roped talked into helping out once I purchases the materials.  But - lucky him! – after my Mother’s Day breakfast, and the receiving of gifts from the children (earrings from DQ, a coupon book from MB and a 1st grade mother’s cookbook from SD) I mentioned to HH that I would like to do this and he agreed to help me build it today.  We went to a landscaping material and supply company and picked up the retaining blocks that matched the pavers I have around the front flower beds.  On the way home, we stopped my Mom’s grave and left a green hummingbird garden stake for Mother’s Day.  After we arrived home, it only took about 3 hours to build and, I am proud to say, HH and I did it without bickering…a first for us!  I’m loving how it turned out…HH does too.  Now I need to buy some annuals to plant in it next to the mum.

Caution–Mud Hazard (127/365)

“Safety first!…and I don’t care who comes second.”

HH’s co-worker whose nickname was “Safety”

TIME:  7:49 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  Hazard sawhorse

The weather co-operated and StellaDella was finally able to play her second rookie ball game of the season (we only have to make up a couple now).  This hazard horse was covering a muddy depression between the fields where spectators walk.

StellaDella And The Bee (126/365)

“You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.”

Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne (English Humorist, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, 1882-1956)

TIME:  2:38 PM
PLACE:  Grade School gym
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

SD was one of the top five spellers in her class and therefore was eligible to participate in the 1st grade Spelling Bee this afternoon.  I received an invitation to watch them spell.  It took 45 rounds (a new 1st grade record!) before a winner emerged.  It was down to SD and another girl, unfortunately, SD stumbled on her last word - “drop” – she began “d-r”, but then she barely, just barely, started to sound out “a” before quickly changing to “o-p”, but it was too late.  She ended up taking second place.  She was upset that she didn’t win, but I told her that there was no shame in coming in second and that I was proud of her.  It helped…kind of…she still cried big tears after she came home from school.

Car Ride (125/365)

“Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear”

Dave Barry (American Writer and Humorist best known for his weekly newspaper column. b.1947)

TIME:  5:58 PM
PLACE:  The Jeep
SUBJECT:  Oreo

DramaQueen needed a ride to the ball fields to watch a (boy)friend play baseball this evening.  I decided to let the dog ride along for trip – she just loves to ride in the car.  On the way to the ball diamond, we stopped to pick up a girlfriend.  When DQ got out of the car, Oreo jumped into the front seat and watched intently as DQ walked to the front door of the house.  When they returned to the car, the dog was beyond happy. 

Concert (124/365)

“It's my favorite part of the business, live concerts.”

Elvis Presley (American Singer and Actor widely known as the "King of Rock and Roll", 1935-1977)

TIME:  6:30 PM
PLACE:  Junior High School gym
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy & his saxophone

At MB’s spring band concert this evening.

A Tree (123/365)

“A tree's a tree. How many more do you need to look at?”
 
Ronald Reagan (b. 1911), U.S. Republican politician, president. speech, Sept. 12, 1965. Quoted in Sacramento Bee (California, Mar. 12, 1966). Reagan later denied having made this statement.

TIME:  6:16 PM
PLACE:  Little League field
SUBJECT:  Tree

MonkeyBoy had his first, not-rained out, out-of-town, baseball game tonight.  He really wanted me to watch him play (and I wanted to as well.)  Unfortunately, StellaDella also had t-ball practice at the same time.  So I took SD to practice while HH (the coach!) went with MB.  It was chilly at practice, so I sat in the car.  I took this photo through the front windshield while I watched SD practice.

Bachelor’s Buttons (122/365)

"None can have a healthy love for flowers unless he loves the wild ones." 

Forbes Watson (Art critic, Arts administrator
New York, N.Y. b. 1880 d. 1960)

TIME:  7:16 PM
PLACE:  By the railroad tracks
SUBJECT:  Wild Bachelor Button flowers

I love these wild flowers that line the sides of the railroad tracks near my house.  I noticed that they were in bloom while taking MonkeyBoy to his Boy Scout meeting tonight.  They remind me of my childhood and all the times my brothers and I would play in the field that was next to our house.  A railroad track ran by the field and these flowers would grow all along the track border in abundance in the spring.  I remember picking these flowers and giving blue and purple bouquets to my mom.

A Birthday Gift From My Dad (121/365)

“A gift, with a kind countenance, is a double present”

Thomas Fuller (British Clergyman and Writer, one of the most prolific authors of the 17th century. 1608-1661)

TIME:  12:15 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Fritos, Bologna & Bread

On my birthday (and my brothers’ and sister’s as well), Dad usually just sends an e-mail with “Happy Birthday!” written in several colors and in a ginormous font; so it caught me by surprise as we were speaking on the phone on Friday, when he mentioned that he had a gift for me and wanted to bring it by the house later that evening.  Hmmmmm, what could it be?  After HandsomeHusband and I returned home from our dinner date, I called Dad and let him know we were home.  He arrived soon thereafter bearing a big grin and a gift bag.  In it was….a bag of Fritos, a package of Oscar Mayer Beef Bologna and a loaf of Soft-Twist white Bunny bread - all. my. fa-vor-ites!  Awww, my Dad remembers what I write about (see day #60).  Thanks Pop!  I thoroughly enjoyed your gift at lunch today (MonkeyBoy did too.)