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My Mom crocheted an entire bag full of hats, scarfs, ear warmers ...all sizes...all colors.Was supposed to drop at street angels when we dropped off lunches. Forgot. It's been taunting me from the back seat. Is there a teacher or principal who needs a supply for kids who forget? Or someone who can take what they want and get the rest to street angels or other ppl who need them? Relieve my guilt. Thanks! - Lisa

Colorful crocheted baby girl poncho. Maybe 12-18 mo...maybe smaller.

Lunch for Later - Volunteering for The Street Angels

This month we again volunteered for the Lunch for Later program with The Street Angels, a program where you prepare box lunches that are then distributed to the homeless community in Milwaukee. This time, at Lisa's request, we signed up to do 140 of them on her birthday as a gift to her while she was out of town. 

A few weeks ago we got all the kids to decorate the lunch bags. 

Recognizing that 140 full lunches was going to hit the wallet hard, I asked for some donations from my co-workers. I was expecting a box or two of snacks, and maybe a few drink mixes -  all of which would have been received with gratitude and thanks. 

What I got instead was an all out effort. Three co-workers personally donated food to the effort, and my company stepped up and purchased all  the chips for the lunches. 

Just incredible. Wow. 

Then I sent Smiley and Junie hit Woodman's to get the bread, lunchmeat, cheese, etc. 

Seeking to avoid the hassle of keeping our dogs and cats at bay, we assembled the lunches at my mother-in-law's place.  Now I could lie and say it was a wonderful bonding experience . . . BUT. 

In reality every single one of these people annoyed the heck out of me and I not once, but TWICE, stormed out and drove off before losing my s$@t  and saying something I would regret. 

Yeah. Not exactly a hallmark moment. But that's reality baby. 

Anyway, they got the job done. Later that night I returned with Junie to get all the lunches. 

Now you may ask, what's with the luggage Danny? Were you moving the in-law out? Ah contraire mon ami. That was the luggage we took to Vegas, which alas was cracked and rendered useless for Lisa's trip. We instead used it to transport the bagged lunches. 

Lisa's Mom also donated a bag of winter gear she knitted for the homeless. 

Today after school we dropped it all off. I took Dem and Beca, our exchange students with me, and later (since the drop off was on 27th near Mitchell) I took them on a tour of my old neighborhood. 

Available For Free

This is a comfortable, structurally intact reclining couch that breaks into 3 component pieces for transport.  No holes, burns, or bugs.  It has, alas, had the fake leather finish peeled off in several places by our dogs.  But if you have a blanket to throw across the cushions, can fix the peeling, and/or don't give a dang, you'll have a great couch.  Preference to whoever can get it soonest. 

A Happy Lady :)

5 brothers and a million sisters. I feel the power. Keep spotting my blockhead sisters and having to hold back the urge to go fan girl on them! Just so excited to spend the week with women who have been moved by them like I have for so many years. Decades. I'm a happy mess...but a mess none-the-less! - Lisa

In Which LuLu Saves A (Feline) Life

She's so excited!

48 Hours to Go! (Before flying out)

On her cruise's Facebook page:  

2417 door decor is a bit interactive. Add a star sticker  to the shows u were at that one of us was at too :). Also fcfs misc cozies, condoms and candies. Might not be a room to go specifically ...but if you happen to see us, play along!  :) 

- Lisa  

An Odd Call

Today at work I got call on my cell phone from Rodgers Memorial, a hospital known locally for its in-patient mental health facilities. 

It was a staff member saying a patient wanted to speak to me. They mentioned a name but in that moment - concerned that an unknown loved one had been admitted for a breakdown or God forbid a suicide attempt, I didn't let it register. 

I took my phone into the conference room for privacy.  In a moment a guy got on the phone and said hi. 

"Who's this?" I said. 

"Who are YOU?" he said, then giggled a freaky little laugh.

"You called me, dude."

More giggles.  "I just made up a number and they called it. What's your name?

And I hung up. 

Weird weird weird. 

Bruce Sutter

HOF reliever Bruce Sutter, who threw the final pitch of the 1982 World Series as a member of the Cardinals team that defeated my Brewers, died today at age 69.

RIP

Snow in Lincoln County

Smiley sent me this morning.  He's on a Senior retreat at Treehaven, up in Tomahawk.

As you can see it snowed there, something those of us in SE Wisconsin have happily avoided this fall.  

Still, there's no denying the beauty of a fresh snowfall. 

Thursday Night Football = Yawn

Last night was another awful night of football, with two largely incompetent teams  once again apparently competing to NOT score touchdowns. 

As a Packers fan I am content with the result last night (the Bears lost on what was admittedly an exciting final second play) but geesh.

Next week it's the undefeated Eagles vs the 4-1 Cowboys. Here's hoping it revives TNF.

Robbie Coltrane

Robbie Coltrane, best known as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, and for starring in the British crime drama Cracker, has died at age 72. 

RIP

My Birdies Today :)

Tornado Warnings

We're under a tornado warning here at work and the building has been evacuated, with the staff grouped around the interior restrooms. 

The tornado sirens have been pretty constant.  It always takes awhile for the sediment to settle and the facts to be clear, but we've been told there's confirmed tornado touchdowns in Burlington, Whitewater, and New Berlin. 

Over at their job Lu and Lisa are hunkered down too.

We'll be fine. I hope the same for everyone in the path of the storm. 

7 Days!!

In one short week I'll be driving to O'Hare! Yay!!! Dan make sure u have off...ur my ride xo - Lisa

An Email from Junie's Teacher

Dear Mr. Slap

It is lovely to have a third Slap daughter go through my classroom. You have raised some strong willed young ladies, and I think each one keeps getting "stronger." Junie definitely has her opinions and is happy to share them. In general I take it as a compliment, because even though she complains about every book, film, audiobook, essay, etc that we read, she is knowledgeable enough to be able to critique things, which shows that she is paying attention and evaluating things she hears. 

Her daily work has been getting good grades (Proficient, meaning pretty good, missing somethings). 

She did not do the Analysis essay though, one we have been working on in class for the last week. It is still available in google classroom for her to submit and get a good grade on (until the end of October). 

Thanks! 

Alexander Br-

Pronouns: he/him

Angela Lansbury

 Angela Lansbury, star of stage and screen (I know her best from both Murder She Wrote and Beauty and the Beast) has died at age 96. RIP. 

40 Years Ago Today

40 years ago today, seated on the living room floor, I watched Robin Yount pick up a weak grounder and throw to Cecil Cooper for the final out of the 1982 ALCS. 

I will always remember Coop leaping off the bag with joy.

And I'll always remember my Grandpa clapping his hands together, leaning forward on his chair, and saying "Hot damn!"

I'm sick of celebrating these guys at every turn - give us another Brewers team to lionize already! - but today I say, sincerely: thanks for the memories. 

Dinner

Dinner tonight is white chicken chili n crunchy French bread rolls. Mmmm. Soup, it's what's for dinner!  -Lisa

Road Trip

I accompanied Lisa on a trip to check in on the status of some foreign exchange students that are part of the company Dem and Rebeca travel with; it was a relaxing time with my lady (even if the Packers chocked against the Giants in London, a game I listened to en route)

An odd gift, but thank you

Someone found a dead moth outside and gave it to me - Smiley

Says Junie:

ISO Non-working Phone

ISO: a cell phone. doesn’t need to work. 

The highschool my siblings go to require them to turn in their phones at the beginning of the day. it’s not the best neighborhood or school so we’d like them to have their actual phone on them to be able to contact anyone if need be.

- LuLu

An Unexpected Bonus

Here's an unexpected bonus from my bird feeder at work. The local chipmunks made a habit of stealing sunflower seeds, dropped by the birds, and burying them in the big pots on the patio. These pots, I'm told, have not (intentionally) held plants since Covid broke out.  

Apparently chipmunks have short memories, because these seeds, instead of becoming chipmunk din-din, started to grow. 

And now, by virtue of my bird feeder, I have grown pots full of sunflowers that now grace the patio! LOL