Ahhh. Another Year Of Torture Is Complete.
The Benches are back. And I finally got an afternoon free, with all of us, for the annual “Kick-Scream-Drag Summer Event”. The official name, per the Tinley Park village program is “Benches On The Avenue” with the theme this year being “Fairy Tale Festival”. As usual, no one wants to go. And no one wants to take pictures. I was lucky to get this happy girl right at the beginning. The boy wouldn’t even let me get near him with the camera. And yes, I bring the actual camera for these, which just causes more complaining and whining about “why can’t I just use my phone??” and “we look like *swear word* idiots out here” and “why do we have to do this every year??” and, finally, “it’s so *swear word* hot out here!! Uugghh!!” Then I tell them to be quiet. and don’t swear because there are little kids around and don’t be such babies. Then I tell them how old they are to remind them. This year it’s 14 and 15. Then they just say it’s stupid and they are not doing this and walk ahead. Here is that annual picture:
But eventually the heat, and the mile or two of walking, gets them, and they have to return to the mother ship, weak and weary and beat down. Then they just shuffle quietly along side of me while I take my pictures and talk to the air around their heads. It’s a beautiful thing. And the temperature wasn’t even 100 degrees. So I don’t even know what they are complaining about.
Here is an actual bench:
This is, The Prince and the Dragon. There are 20 of them according to the village website. You can look there, and read more about this yearly event, by clicking here. I’m not sure how many of them I took pictures of. I think all of them, but I will have to go to the folder and count. I will put them up here as I have time to post. That was yesterday. Today was the zoo. Oh yeah. More heat. More walking. More pictures with the camera. The two things I like to make the kids do every year. Done. It’s going to be a busy picture posting week. The children are currently laying around the house in various, frequently changing locations, in the air conditioning, waiting for the BF to come home so we can go eat dinner. They’re “ttt-iii-rrr-eee-ddd”. But say that in a whiny, sing-song voice and you’ll feel the mood over here. And it was only 97 degrees this afternoon. With a breeze. Practically a cold snap. Cry babies. XO XO, my little darlings. Until next year…
Red, White, And Blue In America
What’s more American than a small town parade, a painted horse, a cowboy, and children waving the flag? Nothing, that’s what. Happy Fourth Of July!
Mason Skillz
https://vine.co/v/hB9211YrOBH/embed
Please click the above site! (And then click the screen if nothing happens right away.) Because I just cannot figure out how to get this video to show automatically. It’s only like, 10 seconds, but Mason created it! Just so you know, I typed this part after I typed all that below. So now, the rest of this post makes even more sense. And makes me feel even older. And lamer. Whatever.
Both my kids really use technology. They love it. They embrace it. They are comfortable with it. And they use it well. They really don’t have a choice these days because we are fast leaving behind anything that doesn’t involve the internet and a computer or smart device. And I am constantly playing catch up. OK. This is just a quick post because I am off today and my kids want to do something other than sit in this house. We are going old school. Getting some food and heading to the fishing hole. Really. We were going to go to the beach, but we are also very lazy and did not get up with purpose today. Except Mason. Credit to him because he went to football camp and we layed around like vegetables. And now he is done until after the holiday. Good job. He looks good too. Anyway, we are going to go fishing like we used to when they were small. We mostly went because it was far enough away that they thought we were “going” somewhere and it was freeeeee! Now it’s just because we haven’t been there in a long time and it’s still freeeeeeeeee! That’s for the BF. Trying to spend less. Although the girl is already talking dinner, so…Without any more words. Later.
Day Quote. For The BF. This Is His World Now. With A Flower.
Because all the best quotes come from TV. How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life). I think it’s canceled already, but the wisdom will live forever. Reasons don’t work when you are dealing with the thieves of your youth. So stomp your foot, slouch that back, cross your arms and roll those eyes. Now, dramatically sigh out loud, and repeat after me:
Rational arguments are not going to work with me because I am the child. And the whole point of being the child is your feelings and needs don’t have to make sense, they just have to be addressed.
—Sarah Chalke, as Polly
Breaking News! ANOTHER Tree Branch Falls In My Yard On A Windy Day!
Shocking, right?! Imagine that. Another tree branch cluttering up my yard. Not to insult nature or anything, but this limb was already dangling. It’s been hanging on, by the skin of its splintery teeth, figuratively speaking, for about 2 weeks now. So it’s not like we needed hurricane winds to knock it down. Just a nice, steady, flow of air, blowing every few minutes through the high up branches, with the occasional bursty gust. We’ve been on fall watch every day. You know: Look up when you go out. Check the wind. Check the rip. Don’t stand under it. Blah blah blah. The way you do when branches are a constant and real threat in your daily life. You would think, by now, no more branches could fall. But, same as me, you would be wrong. Apparently there is always one more branch that needs to make a home on my lawn. It was my own fault, anyway, yet again. I dared to move, and remove, some of the previous limbs and branches from the grass on my day off, Tuesday. I had the nerve to try and “clean” the yard so that the neighbors don’t call the debris police and complain. Those trees were probably standing there thinking, “Psshh. Look at this stupid girl. Dum Dum. She likes to move sticks? Watch this little trick.” And here it is. One more for my collection. Nice try universe. I am not impressed. Only one? Really? Please, tree. I am a professional, serious collector. This limb didn’t even make a loud noise when it hit the ground. I mean, I heard it, but it’s not like I ran to go see what happened. It’s not even worth my time to go out there and move it. So there. Now that I have sufficiently pissed off, and smited, the powers-that-be, and probably just jinxed the rest of my day, I guess, maybe, I will go outside, and move my present from the gods. I mean, I have children to think about; I will offer thanks, and wait for the lightning to strike.
Update 2. What did it mean??
Tomorrow Weed For Women Behind. Click here for the original post and question. Since the story is pretty basic, and straightforward once you hear it, I will just explain without a lot of writing. It was a note left by my daughter to herself. The “woman” that lives “behind” us, asked my daughter if she would “weed” her garden area “tomorrow”, for money, so that she could plant the next week. So my daughter left herself that note so that she wouldn’t forget when she got home from school the next day. However by spelling woman as women, she added that little bit of mystery and confusion to the whole note. Never believe that your words don’t matter. And never believe that punctuation or one wrong letter cannot change an entire thought or meaning to a random message. Spelling matters!! Every letter counts!! Every comma counts!! And I should know, because I use A LOT of both! (And let’s not forget the under appreciated exclamation mark, which I also roll out on a regular basis to make extra points.) The flower was simply there so that she would be sure to notice the note. Makes all kinds of sense right? Now it does. And FYI, she did weed the garden and she did receive some cash. End of story. Mystery solved. Now we can move on to the next silly thing.
Extra FYI, those are the kids being cool and funny above. But since they take, like, a million pictures, all the time, they can’t all be gems. So I put one of those below. I swear my daughter just holds the phone up and presses the button constantly, capturing these exciting moments for me to cherish. It makes me laugh every time I see it. Blah blahbbity blah. Bleahhh…
This is one of my favorite pictures…
We need a bonus day! Spring is almost here! 60° right now. I need to go outside for awhile. Later.
Zee Bench of zee day…
I was just trying to make the headline more exciting! You know, snazz it up a little.
And what doesn't say "snazzy" like BOZO'S CIRCUS!!
With extra added clown!!
just shy of pretty 