Some Improvements

I Prepare for Tracy, Oh Master of Home Improvement, to mock: this morning, supervised by Eric, I installed the water line for our new refrigerator. The fridge itself replaced an 18 cubic foot model we had for 11 years. It's a stainless steel side by side model with an ice and water dispenser - the first we've ever had in our lives - and is around 22 cubic feet in storage. We got it for 1/3 the cost of retail at Sears Outlet. After that Eric removed our kitchen fan and walked me through putting up a new light fixture. The old light was so dim I had to hold up a camping lantern so the delivery guys could install the fridge doors; the new one is the equivalent of 400 watts. The bad news is twofold: fully lit, the kitchen carpet looked awful and I had to steam it again, and the 125 year old plaster ceiling isn't level, so I have to figure out a way for the fixture to lay fully flush. Still, a radical and needed improvement.

Our Evening

Spent part of the evening at the home of Miss Barbara, the kids dance teacher, then treated the family to Kopp's as a farewell to summer.

The George Webb's where Lisa and I first met in the middle of the night - she was my waitress - now closes at 3 in the afternoon because of how frequently it has been robbed.

Well yeah-UH!

YOU stole their waitress dinnya?

-Fred

This should be readily available to all the disable!

I've been advocating something like this for years!

My Thoughts: Denali

Screaming against the PC storm here, but not a fan of Mt. McKinley being renamed "Denali". Yes, I understand it's a traditional native name, but since 1980 the National Park around it has been called Denali; I think that was a sufficient sign of respect and a fine compromise. 

I don't object to the new name so much as I feel that to rename the mountain now is a slight against a martyred President and a good man.

update: 

Not in protest - in "honor of".

"Your new profile picture (of President McKinley) is stupid. It makes people think you're an old man." - LuLu

The New Mailbox

I just put up our new mailbox. First new one here, if the web is right about the age of the old one, since the '30's.

Simon

Simon, the 14 year old neighborhood cat, stopped by to chill on my porch.

Tiring

I forgot how physically difficult the school year is. Work Wednesday, go to bed for five hours, spend time with the family for a minute, then a fifteen hour stretch of work and school. It ain't coal mining, but it ain't easy.

Something to Think About

Smartest comment on the web today (all year?): "All the controversy and ill will could have been avoided if they'd just made their slogan #BlackLivesMatterToo."

Wouldn't have worked. It was the exclusive aspect that made it possible to fire up the rabble. 

You just can't inspire decent riots, looting, arson and mayhem with inclusive, rational slogans.  

-Fred

The Unauthorized Full House Story

We watched the midnight airing of this Lifetime movie. I thought it was sweet and informative and brought back a lot of nostalgia about the Tanner household I visited most Friday nights. I can see why Candice Cameron doesn't like it, since they picked a very unattractive girl to play her, AND they got her wedding dress wrong: in reality she got married the same year we did, and like Lisa's dress her's had full sleeves. Details people, details!

Ouch

My oldest cat and I had a failure to communicate.

A BBQ with Friends

On Sunday my friend Tre invited the family to a BBQ for his lodge. The food was great, the weather comfortable, and the people friendly. It was his wife's birthday, so we brought along a balloon and card for her to enjoy. Thanks again for the invite!

...h

Hmm

This will sound nutty but watch it be true - that ridiculous little name game thing that everyone is doing? First of all, it's wrong. I assume if you're older than seven you've looked up the meaning of your name and know that.  Second, it claims EVERY name is of Arabic or Egyptian origin, and it assigns names meanings like "fighter", "warrior", or in some rare cases, "loyal". It has NEVER, that I've seen, acknowledged any name as being of Hebrew origin, even when they are clearly biblical and a simple google search verifies it to be so. So congratulations - I think you've fallen for ISIS's version of a prank.

The Paris Train Heroes

My apologies for misrepresenting these men as Marines in an early post - I should know better than to trust the first day's worth of any news story.  #MuchPride that these young men share my nationality. For the record, they are a Guardsman, an Airman, and a college student, and above all, heroes.

update: You doubt the media is biased? When CNN headlines a story about the 3 unarmed Americans who stopped the terrorist on that train in France, they call them heroes - but they put the word in quotes.

Ah, their editors must have got cracked across the knuckles. I just went back to screenshot the headline and the quotes have been removed. #TooLateToChangeMyMindCNN

Pointe

LuLu- since you were so excited about your new pointe shoes yesterday, I thought you might like to see a picture of your Mom in hers from when SHE was twelve! :)

Here's Lu mimicking her Mom's photo. We should have vacuumed first lol!

I remember

My maternal Grandma had a set like this one. Great memories.

Junie and Lisa at Aldi

No Iran Deal

Pray for the City

Milwaukee suffered its 100th homicide of 2015 today, two blocks from our old place.

Wish there was a dislike button 😩 - Lisa

I'm Old

You're know you're getting old when you take your son to Target, see a teenage girl with shorts cut so high you can see her crease and a fifth of her butt, and the first and last thing you think is "Why would your parents allow you out of the house like that??"

The Wubble

Smiley bought a Wubble with money he earned around the house, and he LOVES it! "Best. Purchase. Ever!" he told me. :)

The New Season of Doctor Who

I'm thoroughly disgusted with myself for not having one iota of excitement or anticipation for the new season of #DoctorWho. Another season of Clara, and attempting to decipher English through the accent of the Doctor? Another episode written by the hack who wrote "Kill the Moon", *the worst Who episode I've ever seen, classic and new*? No thanks. I'll watch, but I expect I'll be miserable. LOL

You're wearing your scratchy wool shirt without an undershirt again aren't you?

And I would never suggest that you not reduce my happy anticipation for the last season of DW that I'm likely to live to see. Far be it from me to engage in that sort of emotional ambush.

👹

- Fred 

Me: Take a lesson from Carter and man up, bucko! ;)

Ooh! My anticipation crushed and I'm compared to Jimmy Carter on the same day!

But I know you care, you butt-dialed me (yet) again yesterday.

Fred

I am not a fan of yard work.

Words Have Meanings

A "couple" is two. Don't tell me there's only a couple and then dredge up five. Or three. Or seven. #PetPeeve #WordsHaveMeaningsKindlyLearnThem

Swayze

@Swayz

Cilantro margarita

But the salsa n chips were my fave.....mmmmmm, salty n spicy just the way I like it.I loved the cilantro margaritas, and the raspberry, and the apple pie shots..... And the food.... And the chips n salsa.....i might have over indulged just a lil, lol

- Lisa

Yeah it's old news. But it's funny!

Correctamundo

I wish we had this sign, but just a smidge less aggressive. 

Want

Finally! The #perfect t-shirt!

Ouch

Aaaand my hip just went bonky. Dang near fell down the stairs when the pain hit out of the blue. It was so much better for a week or so too, only to start reappearing in the last few days. #Dissapointed

The uttons have arrived

My Hillary buttons arrived in the mail today. Below it are three GOP buttons my sister picked up for me at State Fair.

A Great Quote

I loved this quote as a kid and tried to incorporate it into my life, but failed: I always stressed about the mistakes of the past.

note: I never read The Walking Drum, although I owned the paperback. L'amour used the quote in several books that I *did* read.  

The 32nd Grandpa's Day

Today is Grandpa's Day, the 32nd anniversary of a road trip I took with my Grandpa just two weeks before his sudden death. It isn't a sappy, boo-hoo day - I usually celebrate it by doing something fun. Today's 90 degree weather (over 100 in my backyard, which is ALWAYS a furnace in the AM) kiboshes a lot of ideas, but #TeamSlap did go to church this morning then dine on ham and rolls from the bakery. We'll see what the rest of the day holds.

Quite the Gardener

The first (and smallest) of Smiley's tomatoes was picked from his garden today!

Shaun the Sheep

Thank you to Pam and Tre for letting Junie tag along to a showing of Shaun the Sheep yesterday evening :)

Kudos to Lisa on making a great homemade chicken dumpling soup for dinner.

A Trip Downtown

Took LK with me Marquette's financial aid office. Figured the sight of a cutie couldn't hurt my chances. #SighLife

Cat Mom

Apparently the cats like Lisa. #CatMom

#MarquettePride I'm watching Tommy Boy. I miss Chris Farley. What a waste. 

A Wicked Storm

The need for McDonald's cannot be stopped by a mere torrential rain, hail, and strong wind. #WeAreUnstoppable