The Grasshopper Picnic - August 2017

My 45th Birthday

Turning 45 was easy. All I had to do was live 44 years and then wait a year. *Accepting* that I was 45, and thus officially and irrevocably past the midpoint of my best-case scenario lifespan, thatttt wasn't so easy. But whatachagonna do? You live, and you enjoy it, and you celebrate your birth all the harder. 

I started the day by walking the kids to school (a rarity, with my hip being wonky lately), then napped until my own classes started. When I returned, the house was clean and ready for a party!

Among the food were all my favorites: sushi, a dainty plate of wasabi, animal crackers, raspberry candy, oatmeal raisin cookies, unbuttered popcorn, Mountain Dew (reg and diet) and Bit O' Honey. 

Oh, and a half ice cream half cake . . .cake. 

The kitchen island was lined with presents and decorated with post-it note messages Lump had her classmates create for me. 

All of #TeamSlap was there, along with YaYa's boyfriend Justin, my cousin Mindy and her son, and my niece from Arizona. Not everyone is pictured here, in part because some folks worked the camera. 

YaYa gave me the traditional Polish-language birthday blessing. 

We sang happy birthday. We ate. And then we opened gifts!

I got loads of great presents. Ed Hardy cologne. Socks and underwear. A lunch container and a protein shake mixer bottle. A multi-tool Some snacks. (peeps, KitKat, Schneider pretzels).  Handkerchiefs. A beard trimmer. A record (LP) cleaner. And some great records (The Who, Zep, Nirvana, and Buddy Holly)

Later, my friend Tre stopped by and we hung out for a few hours. Before the day was through tho, I went and bought Lisa a small bouqet of flowers, as a thank you for throwing me a heck of a birthday.

Thanks to everyone who attended the party, and all the folks who wished me a happy day via text or Facebook! It meant a lot. 

LuLu 2019

Hello Again

Hey -

It's been a looooong time since I've posted here, largely because it was far more convenient to post on FB or Instagram on my phone. But lately I've felt handcuffed by the format of those sites, and so I've decided to give Blogger another try.

Will I stick around and post regular content? Maybe.

Maybe not.

We'll see.

But anyway - hello again.

Happy Birthday!

 On this day, 45 years ago, my husband was born. It's also appropriately The day of the feast of St Joseph (the Patron Saint of fathers). My kids and myself and many others are lucky to know him. Happy birthday baby! - Lisa

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Alfredo

 Tonight I made the buffalo ranch chicken alfredo with bow tie noodles that's been shown on fb awhile. It was easy and delicious and would make it again. Kept the chicken separate for the 3 of us going without meat for lent. Yum - Lisa

 

 Always! -  Lisa

What A Beauty

*The* bestest blister of my entire bloomin' life. Perfectly formed, firm in texture, opaque in design. A masterpiece almost worth the light burn. No, dare I say it - WORTH the burn. #TheWorldIsArt

GOAT

Ignore the "Level 14" icon on my latest #MyBoo. She's already nearing the halfway point to my sixth ring. #GOAT

Unfriended: Dark Web

I liked this film very much. Less a horror film than a suspense thriller,  it takes place entirely from the POV of a computer screen as a group of friends are unwittingly pulled into a kidnapping for hire. I thought it held its tension throughout and the twist in the third act was something I didn't see coming,  nor roll my eyes over.  Well worth a rental.  #unfriendeddarkweb

 Personal quirk: I can't stand call center employees that have an accent. Oh, no, don't pin a racist label on me. It's not Indian accents that bother me. It's Indian. And British. And German. And (if it's a local issue) even Southern ones. If you're going to give me bad news/demand money/argue with me about my bill, by golly do so in a nasally, flat midwestern accent or don't do it all!

 Good stuff Maynard. #HawthorneBerries

Me

 

The Possession of Hannah Grace

 This was just awful. Please avoid it.

Hawthorne Berries

Good stuff Maynard. #HawthorneBerries

 

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle

When I say someone can write, I mean they can WRITE, and for #victorlavalle you can add bold. Italics, and underline to that word. I liked this book about parental loss and the enduring power of fairy tales, but I have to admit that for a book that's partially about magic, it seemed to drain a little of Lavalle's. There was just something a little off with the book, a flaw only visible from the corner of your eye but throwing off the picture all the same. It's well worth your time, but this won't go down as his best IMO.

Jussie Smollett was indicted today for his attempt to sow racial and political violence , which makes this a pretty darn good day.

The Vanishing

Wanna watch a depressing, tragic tale that leaves no character unharmed and offers no warmth or hope of any kind?  Then brother, look no further.

 My only son is 14 today... time flies! Love you - Lisa

Happy Birthday!

Happy 14th birthday Smiley ILY

 I was super excited to see that Ash Wednesday Mass was a full house, and even happier to see Parker put on a dress shirt and pants without even being asked. May your Lent be a time of reflection and prayer.

Instant Family

Lisa and I scooped this DVD from Redbox around 3am last night, and finished it before the kid got up for school. It's cute, funny, and good hearted, and I bet a lot of viewers were inspired to become foster parents because of it. Go rent it!