4th of July '17

Lisa,  Lk and friends headed down to the lakefront for fireworks,  as did GC and her friends. I dropped them all off and picked them up.  Drop-off: 20 minutes.  Pickup: 2 hours of bumper to bumper traffic. But they had a blast!

Little Grandpa Wisdom

Our dogs used to hate fireworks when I was growing up. You know what my Grandpa said about that? That he wasn't going to make decisions based on an animal that would eat its own poop if you let them. As with everything I remember, the man was right.

Happy 4th!

Happy birthday America! Forever my home💙❤️💙  Lulu

Kato Kaelin is a distant relative by marriage. 

Just fyi, Trump's controversial WWE/CNN tweet is his most liked ever.

A Visit

I visited my stepmother in-law Louise K today. She was lucid and talkative (180 degrees different than last time) and it was a pleasant visit. She really wanted to buy candy so I went to add some money to her account (she might have a billion in there already, idk) but the staff were knobs and demanded it in check form - who carries checks to a nursing home? - so I went to Walgreen's and bought her three boxes of Good N Plenty. I think I now have a fan for life.

Handman

I just taught Smiley how to change the belt on a vacuum cleaner.

I wonder

I grew up in a house with an Army combat vet of WWII and a Vietnam vet; my Great Uncle's included an Army Air Corps vet of WWII, a Pearl Harbor survivor, a tank driver who had his knee blown out at Anzio, and a family friend who lost an eye to a Japanese bayonet on Guadalcanal. None ever complained about fireworks; indeed I have many happy memories of them enjoying them on the 4th. I'm not saying someone can't be affected by PTSD on Independence Day, but my grandfather's generation would have viewed their complaints with a skeptical ear.

New Tricks

S12's premiere "Last Man Standing" may be one of the two best hours of television I've ever watched.

I love this show. 

Bop

Earlier today I got bopped in the head when my van hatch slammed down unexpectedly. Not to be a baby - I did the patio table and replaced the motion light afterwards, after all - but I'm a bit woozy. I'll live but ugh. OTOH the hip (knock on wood) is but a faint ache. I'd quote some Eastern religion about the duality of the universe, but I can't think of any.

Introducing my replacement patio table!

It's back baby! Rich folk would have just bought a brand new table set,  but us common folk come from more innovative stock.  The glass top was changed out for thick plywood. A temporary fix that should last at least the season.

Drummer Boy