Smiley was upset at me for taking him with me to Mass when he wanted to nap instead. He was upset with me when I demanded his (nominal) help when I cut the lawn. He was definitely upset with me about moving the animal carcass. But tonight he asked to go on a bike ride with me. Half an hour and several hills later, #WeAreGood.

One Dead Possum

In recent days I've said it smelled like something died in our shed, and today I found it: a ~10 pound long haired cat or possum with its guts split by decomposition. 

It was actually outside the shed, jammed between it and the fence. Because of the size of the space I had to have Smiley get in there with a shovel and drag it out to a point where I could reach it. 

He wasn't easy to convince, and enjoyed it even less, but as Lisa said "You're going to be a man, and men have to deal with the ugly." 

I buried the beast in the backyard.

Wow

British doctors are calling for safety labels on avacodos, because of the danger of cutting your hand when slicing them. Sigh. This, from the people who once held off Hitler.

The Removal of Confederate Statues

I have mixed thoughts on this. The South should never have been allowed to venerate traitors after the war. But they did. And 150 years later the statues aren't being removed to correct that error, but to protest the ethical beliefs of a dead generation. That's an awfully slippery slope to start down.

Howboutthat?

Custard climbed up on my lap again! Twice in two years. Howboutthat?

The Firing of James Comey

Comey angered the Right by letting HRC off the hook; he angered the Left by his stunt before the election. He angered everyone else by misleading Congress and refusing to admit his mistakes. Why his firing is a surprise, much less labeled the act of a despot, is beyond my level of understanding, unless partisan hate now demands you protect this incompetent bureaucrat.

Grillin' Out

Twas nothing fancy, and it was too cold to justify dragging the grill out, but I did anyway and cooked up dinner.

A gift GC gave to LK for her recital

I just got back from a brisk 45 minute walk with Smiley

I just finished a ten question, three and a half hour tax exam. I had never, in my life, dreaded a test more, but it wasn't quite as horrible as I feared. The curve may be helped by the fact that it was the last class for many graduates, and no less than four told me they did just enough to pass and no more. As for my own grade, I'll take what I get, as long as I pass. C's get degrees too.

Some Post-Recital Pics

Some post recital pics (I went to the first matinee, Lisa went to the evening show). That's LK's friend Aly in one pic; in another, OJ holds a kid from a babysitting job she just landed at the show, and lastly I treated both girls to dinner at Subway.

I just turned on the tv and by chance NASCAR was on from Talledega. A driver is trapped (but ok) in his overturned car. The 16 car! accident footage is wicked. "Like Matchbox cars in a dryer!"

LOL

Lisa told Junie to throw out this Barbie we found after a winter buried below the trampoline. "No, I think she's pretty. She's Reality Barbie" LK said. "Yeah, if your reality is meth," said Lisa.

Intermission

Intermission of the dance recital - at Pius XI High School

Dance Time!

In front of my old TAC (homeroom) as I wait for the girl's dance recital to start. - @ Pius XI High School

My Thoughts

Remember: When the Mainstream Media says "Here's what you need to know about xyz" what they mean is "Here's what we need you to believe about xyz".

Is this 1929 all over again?

Um, this is OUR bank. Gulp From the Journal Sentinel: 

 BREAKING: Guaranty Bank, unable to ever recover from devastating loan losses stemming from the housing and foreclosure crisis, has failed and was shut down by regulators.

YaYa's 2017 Prom!

In 2014 the Bradley Foundation compiled what's being described as a "hit list" against liberal organizations they refused to fund. 

 Good for them. Liberal foundations certainly aren't funding conservative causes. Why expect a double standard?

I haven't seen the black station wagon with all the scripture, aka "godmobile" for awhile and looked it up. Brother Ron is still going strong but apparently sticks mostly to Wisconsin avenue these days. Was it always just this one guy or were there others? Do any of my fb friends know more about this Milwaukee fixture? - Lisa

Prince Philip, the spouse of Queen Elizabeth II, will retire from royal duties this autumn.

The Soup Kitchen

LuLu helps out running a Brownie troop, and they volunteered at the local soup kitchen!

My Thoughts

Nothing in the Arts is as predictable as an artist/writer/actor calling their old work "extremely relevant in today's political/social climate" if they sense a few extra bucks in their pocket for the telling.

LuLu!

My Thoughts

My paternal Grandfather was a welder, my maternal Grandfather a lather. 

If you don't want a four year degree, there is no shame in a skilled trade. 

If you want a job that requires an education, there's no shame in a white collar trade. 

The pendulum of public opinion has swung too hard to the trades. Both roles are honorable, both are valuable, both are needed. Cut the bullsh--t propaganda to the contrary. 

I'm looking at you, Mike Rowe.