Summer Sunday Bench And Inspiration For The Day
That header is kind of wordy, but oh well. It’s kind of early. I’m gonna stop typing now and let the pictures do their thing.
Saturday. Bench Day.
Megatron VS Optimus Prime. Right? I looked it up on the internet. This one seemed fitting for today. I don’t know why. I’m not going to speculate or reflect. No time. I’m on call for work and I have been up pretty much all night with issues. Bound to the computer, I might as well make the most of my time and try to accomplish something with the occasional break for fun. This bench is deceiving because up close and in person it didn’t look all that great. But after I stepped back and took the pics, it really pops as an outstanding and artistic design. One of my favorites. Ever. And I have a lot of bench pictures from the years gone by that I never did get around to fully posting. Maybe this is the year! I’ll try and do more throughout the day as I get tired of work work work. I consider this fun. Hopefully you do to! Later.
Oh! One more thing as FYI. Since I was up so early, and outside, I got to see the elusive giant Blue Jay swoop into the yard and try to attack all the other birds away from the feeder! Really exciting stuff for me since I feel neglected by the really big birds of prey lately. No pictures though. He was really blue and big and beautiful. But I’ve become a lazy birdwatcher. Literally. I just sit there and watch the birds. Maybe tomorrow I’ll catch the photo fever. Until then, happy Sat! Toodles.
Happy Fourth Of July!
From Illinois! Tinley Park Benches 2015! The theme is “Heroes and Villains”. Me and the BF walked the empty streets this afternoon and came across this one (out of twenty) that I thought would be perfect as a post today and a good way to pick up where I left off. As this site becomes more and more random, I still like to try and make the occasional effort for purpose and meaning. Remember why we celebrate even if it’s just for a minute or two while waiting for the fireworks to start. My son will soon be out there as part of the bigger picture. This time next year he will be far from here, doing things, and going places he can’t even begin to imagine yet. He’s excited for his life to keep moving forward. I’m excited for him (and just a little bit nervous because life does keep moving forward). But more about that later. Graduation and going away. Plenty of news to come, and a Really. Big. Party. But for today, just this. Have a safe and happy holiday! Later.
Weekend Plus!
Benches first. At least one and some filler boards. Hansel and Gretel up first. With a nice back design.
We did everything, plus more!!, on the weekend itinerary. I tried to download the actual list as typed, but it wouldn’t let me. Or I couldn’t figure it out. Either way I don’t have time for it right now. I have work and I need to get showered and dressed so I am not running around like an idiot in an hour because I am so late. I will post it and picture it later in the day, and week, (’cause it’s that much), if possible. We tried to capture the fun of all the moments on camera, but its a hit or miss thing when we get busy and have actual fun. We had three camera’s trying to snap the action though, so something good is bound to have been caught on film. Both of my kiddies are home for the week. School registration is Thursday. Back in class on the 14th. Summer is nearly over and it feels like it just started. I’m still working on my old folder of posts. This is going to clear out a few more pics. This makes 7/20 for benches and there are three filler boards advertising the Farmer’s Market and other events in town. I like the parrot the best.
I took another picture of my garden plant. It is continuing to spread across the yard and up onto the logs. More vegetables have appeared. I think we are going to be hit by a squash flood very soon. None and then a ton. I need to start looking up recipes or something. Pictures are still on my phone. I need to download everything. That will have to be later too. That was kind of a teaser, and so random, but here are the last two filler boards:
Seahorses, coral, and fish.
Flamingo. I’m really not sure if these particular boards represent a greater theme or really even go together with the benches. Doesn’t seem like it. Florida maybe? The tropics? It sure isn’t Fairytale related. But who cares. They are here and they are posted and now I can go get dressed. Our weather has bypassed blistering summer and is now breezy and temperate again. Almost, almost, chilly. Definitely cold at night. So get out and enjoy while you can, if you can. Later gators.
Benches Before Work
Trying to be quick before work today. I have been off for several days now and I am kind of dreading going back. I like staying home. But I like money too so… This is Little Red Riding Hood. It has a back too. All of the benches have backs obviously, but some of them are decorated with something extra. This is one of them.
This bench has texture and depth and it’s really kind of cool. The next one is kind of plain like the Snow White one, so it gets second tier post status. Aren’t I just Judgey McJudgey over here. My site. My opinions. This is Let Down Your Hair. The Rapunzel story.
That takes care of 2 more. We are at 6/20. Next up is our intermission pictures. There is/was a Dodge, now Fiat, dealership in the middle of town that always has something we like to take a picture of. So we wasted about 15 minutes there, looking at cars, while my girl complained that this is NOT what we came here to look at! She was right. Plus it was scorchingly hot on all that black asphalt. But I still took too long to take a photo of a Super Bee Charger. 392 Hemi. $46,000. Black as night paint. Called “Pitch Black”. I’ll just put those pics here to save time. The front. And the logo. That’s all anyone cares about anyway.
That should lead me nicely into Zoo pictures and Beach pictures. And also fishing, flowers, clouds, sky, birds, wildlife, and some landscape pictures that I teased with, but never posted. My goal in the next few days, (weeks?), is to get this “current” photo folder clear before it gets cold again, and before the kids go back to school. I haven’t even mentioned my summer slim down plan or what I am doing to achieve my goals for skinniness and less B/P medicine. Big fat nothing, that’s what. I am eating less. It’s only working a little bit. And very slowly. Cardio is the thing. At least that’s what the doctor said. It’s always cardio. Let me stop here and try and figure out the next post. I have to shower and do another load of laundry before I go. I may or may not post overnight. I have to get up early tomorrow to take my girl on her annual summer trip to my sister’s house for a week before school starts. And I desperately need my hair colored. I look old. Yucky gray roots. I miss my hair that used to grow in all the same color. Not fair. Then me and the boy are going to meet the BF for lunch at his work. Don’t we seem busy? Monday funday. Then I have to work all week. All week. Man. And the boy has his last week of football camp. Ok I think that’s enough of the list of things to do from one small woman in the world. If you are still reading, THANK YOU! I wish I had prizes or something, but it’s just this. Beep beep beep beeeep. Blast. That’s the timer. Measuring out my life in minutes. Load change. Shower up. Sprinkler switch. STOP. TYPING. !! Gotta go. Later.
Let’s Not Over Think This Now
How about I just post the pictures in the order that I took them? I can not believe, no, scratch that, of course I can believe how much brain time I devoted to this issue of how and what order to post these benches in. Who cares? Doesn’t matter. We didn’t walk in any particular order. They are not arranged in any particular order. (I don’t think anyway). So what difference does it make how you see them? It’s all the same theme. My head hurts. And it doesn’t even have to. Oh well. The other post had the dragon bench. This is, above, Thumbelina’s Garden. Pretty sure. Below is, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. That makes 3 posted.
I will keep going as time permits today. I have laundry and one more, last graduation party to attend, for the season. I also have Zoo pictures! And I finally bit the bullet and got back on that motorcycle that has been mocking me in the garage for over a year. I rode. I did a wheel screeching, head turning, back end wiggling, burn out, when the bike stopped dead in it’s tracks after I killed it coming up to a stoplight. I stayed upright. I did not poop in my pants. Or just drop that bike where it stood and said, “Done.” I started it back up. Gave a little wave to all the people on all the corners. (A lot of people. Damn kids and adults, fund raising all over the suburbs today. Watching me re-learn this skill.) Thanked the heavens above that no one was behind me, and rode off into the sunlight. Real cool-like. I almost gave the BF a heart attack. I probably had a small one myself and will now live 2 years less, but what do they say? Live to Ride, Ride to Die? Something like that. I had my helmet on and jeans and thick shoes. I would have been fine. In fact, I feel better than fine. I almost, almost, felt comfy. And I’m not afraid this year. For whatever reason. That I will not be thinking about in any detail. At all. The throttle is way too high and it feels like it’s trying to leap forward every second I don’t have the brake on, but that’s the fun right? And I didn’t fall. This post may have gone in a whole different direction if I had been laying on the pavement trying to get the bike off my shaking, scratched up, burned up legs. Anyway, I’m going to take a picture as soon as the BF brings the bike back from his, “blow-out-the-old-gas-get-the-engine-moving-again-so-we-don’t-have-to-keep-the-choke-full-on-to-prevent-the-bike-from-dying-when-we-stop” ride. In the meantime, let’s put up one more bench. It’s like, Super Saturday! Here is, A Stroll In The Woods. I think. I’m not really sure. It’s Snow White, at any rate. And not my favorite. But here it is. That makes 4/20. Later.
Tempus Fugit
Those benches are not going to take pictures of themselves. Time flies. It’s late. I better get on home. It’s late. I been gone too long. It’s late. I need to stop typing song lyrics and get the kids up. I am an hour behind in my “schedule”. Time to make the boy mad! There’s another bench below. Last year was “Music”. I think this years theme is “Fairytales” or “Fairytale Stories”. We did a preview/drive-by yesterday. It’s hot out there too already. And feels humid. I predict a lot of complaining in my near future. Oh FYI, I switched to Latin. It’s my favorite language. Valē! See you later!
Fleur Deux
Back from CPR. All renewed. Certified to save lives. Went to a late lunch with the kids. Bought a few groceries to make a dinner, but we’re all to full to eat anything else. Went to buy bird seed but they rearranged the Menard’s by our house and we couldn’t find any. Came home. Put cozy clothes on. Kids are lounging. The girl finished all of her thank you notes from the party last weekend-ago. 11 days. Not too bad. Will mail in the AM. Laundry is laundering. Will finish the extra chores tomorrow. That will be the last day off for me before the kids leave to go to Kentucky like they do every year for the Fourth of July. My number one thing to do tomorrow is…dunt dunt dunt….The Benches!!
My son hates hates HATES doing this yearly walkabout. Hates it. Hates it. I could never type it enough. But I make him go because I am creating memories. This is what I am talking about:
The Village of Tinley Park decorates park benches every year with a different theme then places them out on a main road in front of the businesses for all the people to see. We go every year and take pictures of them. We go every year. We walk. And take pictures. It was a free, and what I thought was a fun thing to do, with the kids when we were very poor. It’s still free. But now we get ice cream or some food after we walk. Even so, my son hates it. Hates doing it. Hates walking. Hates stopping to take pictures. He complained almost the entire time we were out last year. And I do mean, literally, complained and pissed and moaned for the ENTIRE time it took to walk up and down that main street. My daughter just goes along. And it’s only one time. When we are done, we’re done. It’s not like I go see them every week. Such hard lives. Lots of people walk the area to see them. It’s not like I am the only one, dragging listless, whiny, crying near-adult-teenagers along behind me. Anyway, these (above and below) are from last year:
It’s nice right? And HA! I just double-extra-bonus posted. Flowers/Nature AND The Benches. (They have their own category to the right there. Just click on “Big Benches” or here, and you can see all the different ones throughout the years.) It is additional credibility for my argument to continue our fine tradition, these pictures, posted online, for everyone to see and enjoy. In case you can’t get out or live too far away. It’s a public service we are providing. Now my kids can’t say that I, “never put them on the site anyway, mom, so what’s the point??” Ca c’est fin. That’s the end. Later.
Stevie’s Joke of the Day! Leftover Halloween edition!
This Halloween board goes along with the Halloween Bench that I had posted a few days ago. It’s a whole big thing, and it’s perfect for Stevie’s Joke of the Day!
How far did the witch fly?
Ghost to ghost.
You are welcome!
just shy of pretty 