Happy Birthday!

Happy 20th birthday Caitlin Anne! Congrats on being halfway to forty, and only ten years away from 3-0! Give us a call if you're free today.

Uh Oh

We have two cars and Lisa and I have free use of both. But over dinner I told her that I was annoyed she left the windows in "my car" open.

Oops.

Cue five minutes of damage control.

YaYa: Chill, Dad. Mom hasn't even mentioned it.

Me: Oh, she's filed it away. You can write this moment down on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in your hope chest. Cuz the day is coming.

My Mom is in the Hospital

My Mom's in the ICU for breathing problems. I have no idea about the severity of this; like my Grandma before her, her trips to the hospital are frequent enough that you just never know. So prayers  for her recovery are welcome, but hopefully not needed.

Another Defense of Clinton

Also, let's stop attacking Clinton for saying she is a trailblazer and trotting out Victoria Woodhull. 

You know everyone who posts about it had to Wikipedia that name, if they even bothered doing that much work. 

Woodhull "ran" for President as a candidate for a minor party in 1872. Aside from the pesky lack of votes she got, she was under 35 and Constitutionally ineligible when she ran. All power to her, and she sounds like a great lady, but be real - Clinton is the first *true* female Presidential candidate. 

Criticize on facts, of which there are plenty, not horses**t.

My Thoughts on Benghazi

Regarding the disaster in Benghazi, and of Clinton's "betrayal" of these men. I have read the book and seen the movie (13 Hours), and neither one does anything but reinforce the truth that the attack was a tragic snafu on the ground.

From the Ambassador traveling without much protection, to the guard that left him behind in the burning estate, and the harrowing attack that followed, it seems like the kind of FUBAR situation that develops when gunfire starts. You can't read accounts of low-scale skirmishes without tripping over similar stories.

Did Clinton pathetically try to spin the event after the attack? Yes. Do I think she (or Obama) are at fault for the tactical failure? No. There is no ammunition here to hold against her (outside the spin), and comments to the contrary are, respectfully, just partisan smoke.

America, 2016

Just stop

Hilary Clinton tweeted Donald Trump and told him to delete his account. She should fire the intern that wrote that. The Queen of deleting emails should never have brought up the subject. The jokes write themselves.

Junie's Summer Birthday

As Junie has a summer birthday, she's celebrating her big day today at school. Since Lisa was at the awards banquet and I wasn't about to bake 31 cupcakes, I took her to the store and bought some to take in as a treat - and juice too. I drew the line at buying cups. Pricey for my taste, but this text from Lisa just made it all worthwhile.

Good Advice Rejected

Junie has been crying about some crap the kids at school said to her. Twenty minutes of her sobbing and telling Lisa her story. I gave her good advice, but she's refused it.

"That's all you ever tell me to do, Dad! 'Tell them to F- off.' I'm EIGHT Dad! I can't tell my friends to F- off!"

2016 Awards of Excellence

Wednesday evening Grace was invited to a banquet honoring her academic achievements in this, her freshman year. Due to my schedule Olivia Slap took my place alongside Lisa as we celebrated the event. Congrats kid! We're proud of you!

Quote of the Day

"You don't want to start something with me." 

To which my first thought is always: 

"Welllll, I *didn't* . . . But now I kinda do."

An Update

Steve Chamraz, the anchor I blasted yesterday for his Hamilton mistake, just called me and apologized. He said as soon as he read the teleprompter he realized the mistake and spoke to the producer that wrote it, and corrected it before the segment repeated. It was a little awkward given the stinging voicemail I left, but while conceding my own mistakes aren't in the public eye, it was an error a newsroom full of reporters should not have made in the first place.

A Painting at School

 A painting on the 3rd floor of the law school. 

Product Endorsement

I'm not a huge fan of brand name products, as most generics are just as good, and Lord knows in the food-pantry years I wasn't buying it for the bling. But as I sit here eating food we grilled I'll admit that when it comes to dishwasher soap (Cascade Plus), laundry soap (All Clear), and charcoal (Kingsford) there's just nothing that compares to the real deal. Not a thing.

Facepalm

We're watching "The Now Milwaukee" on WTMJ and host Steve Chamraz just called Alexander Hamilton a former US President! WTH!! THESE are the people we turn to for information about the world around us. God help America.

2 pounds

Good news today. Although the loss was minor this week (just under two pounds), I'm now the lowest weight I've been since 2006.

Artwork by Smiley, age 11

A Hip Update

After a pair of walks this morning (one, by necessity, at Marquette) the hip has loosened and gone back to just a shade above the normal dull ache.

Mob Justice

Someone on FB posted a picture of a man, called him a rapist, and encouraged others to share the post. A FB friend did so. I objected to this mob justice, because mob justice is no justice at all, and engaged in a civil debate. One of her friends - Lefties all - then commented that I must be a rapist or potential rapist. Such is the quality of most of the Left - agree with them or else! - and since the sole criteria of some of her friends seems to be "As$hole", I have since unfriended her. I am angry enough right now to burn a village* .*metaphorically

On the Case with Paula Zahn

"Family said she (the murder victim) had no enemies." 

 Well, she had one Paula. She must've had one.

A Discussion on the Hip

8 am, one hour of sleep, my f'ing hip at an 8, I'm walking like a cripple.

 Lisa: I hope you don't get addicted to prescription painkillers 

Me: I'd have to TAKE painkillers for that to happen.

Lisa: I know, but I'm afraid if you have this pain your whole life . . 

 Me: The hip's better. I can handle the day to day sh*t. This is January pain. I haven't had January pain since March.

Gods of Egypt

I suppose I'm obliged to say it was awful, but it wasn't. It wasn't very good, but it wasn't the worst way to spend a few hours.

We are Brave and Sturdy Souls

Bravely manning the charcoal grill in the pouring rain.

A Great Quote from Junie

At the little park with LK. 47 more promised trips here over the summer.

"When I grow up I want to be a singer, and a floral designer, and I want to work at MacDonald's while being a fashionista. And did you know I wrote all of Taylor Swift's songs? I retired four years ago. So I didn't write "Shake it Off." But I wrote the rest when I was four." - Junie, as we walked to the park.

Happy Birthday!

13 years ago I gave birth to the beautiful LuLu . Here's hoping we continue loving ❤ and trying to understand each other through these rough teen years. Let's try to keep our sense of humor! Happy birthday 🎂 baby! Ily xoxo - MOM