Earlier Today at the Park with Smiley and Junie

Jerry Vale

RIP crooner Jerry Vale, age 83

A Mixed Day

We had a very nice day overall. I went for a short walk with the kids, bought a nice patio umbrella for all of $2 from a rummage, played with the lil' ones at the park, then took the kids to the grocery store. When we got back I BBQ'd some hamburgers and corn on the cob, and as twilight descended we sat in the back yard with our friend listening to the trains in the distance. I remember thinking it would be a shame if #TeamSlap ever broke apart, and that I would miss moments like that . . . AND THEN Lu started in with Smiley, then it was the oldest two going at it, then I punished YaYa and Lisa scolded *me* saying I punished the victim not the aggressor, and I told her it'd be swell if she backed me up when I disciplined the kids,,then I noticed GusGus stroll down the alley, having escaped yet again, and I sent the kids to bed, so Smiley came down and screamed that "No one likes you Dad. NO ONE!", and Lisa had enough and decided to hit the sack at all of 8:40, and GusGus only now (at 11) decided to prance home, and I have yet to put dinner away...soooo . . . basically the whole neighborhood has confirmed, yet again, that we are a collection of dinkleberries. And now, because I am yacking here, so does FB.

Cool Rider

Lisa spent the day at J-Town (part of Junior Achievement) as the manager of a Chase Bank, helping make Lu's field trip a blast!

H.R. Giger

RIP artist H.R. Giger, best known as the designer of the "Alien" from the movie of the same name

The McCarthy's

premiering Fall 2014: "The McCarthys" (CBS) This Boston-based sitcom about a boisterous Irish-Catholic family and their gay son was passed over last season, but got picked up this year after extensive retooling. "Roseanne" alum Laurie Metcalf and New Kid Joey McIntyre are on tap to star.

He's Back

The runaway (cat) has returned, current typhoon be danged!

Free Speech?

So the Dolphins have *suspended* Don Jones for his negative tweet about Michael Sam, and I cry foul. I'll skip the "what ever happened to free speech?" malarky, as the First Amendment protects free speech from the government, not private entities. But it wasn't like his tweet was full of fire and brimstone, or even that noteworthy, and at some point people should be free to disagree without the expression of that opinion endangering their paycheck. The Thought Police grow ever more powerful.

Speed 2

Tonight we watched the last 40 minutes of "Speed 2: Cruise Control", just so I could say I had the privilege of seeing one of the worst mainstream films ever. 🙂