Wear A Mask

Even the goose at my local Arby’s is following safety protocols. If she can do it, so can you .

On a related note, I just have to mention how much I adore this drive through. Employees have it decorated so cutely. In addition to the goose, there's a wheelbarrow filled with flowers, painted rocks in the shapes of flowers, rocks painted like ladybugs, inspirational quotes, and a wooden pallet adorned with hanging plants. The next time I go through, I'll take more photos. Heck, I might even make it the subject of a Thursday 13!

Saturday 9: Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast

Play along here.

Saturday 9: Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast
... because it's Father's Day weekend.

1. This song is about a little girl who runs after her daddy. When is the last time you ran? Were you trying to get somewhere in a hurry, or playing a sport? I don't run...I speed walk. The last time was two years ago at Disney World, trying to catch a bus to one of the parks. If I was in a horror film, I'd probably be the first to die😜
2. This song was a top ten hit for Wayne Newton. Mr. Newton is better known for his TV work, having made more than 150 appearances since 1963. Have you ever been on TV? Or in a YouTube video?  I've been on TV twice. The first time was in 2009 when one of our local stations did a morning segment on "cool schools" and I was filmed working with one of my students. The second time was in 2012 when I was briefly shown marching with my fellow union members, protesting proposed cuts to our health benefits.
3. The road leading to Las Vegas' McCarran Airport is named Wayne Newton Blvd. in his honor. When was the last time you were in an airport? Were you flying somewhere, picking someone up, or dropping them off? June 16, 2018. My mom and I were returning from our week long Disney trip. Ironically, today is the day we were scheduled to fly to Orlando-Sanford for our next WDW vacation. <sad face> Stupid COVID-19 (and broken leg).
4. Wayne says Elvis Presley haunts Las Vegas, and believes that the King of Rock and Roll has given him performing and parenting tips from beyond the grave. When did you last see Elvis? On TV, on a t-shirt, poster, or magazine cover, or as a ghostly apparition? None of the above. I last saw him on a Facebook post from one of my high school friends who is a huge Elvis fan.
5. When Sam walks with her day, the problem isn't that he walks fast. It's that he's always stopping to pick up litter he finds on the grass. Litterbugs are his pet peeve. What's your pet peeve? People chewing with their mouths open, rudeness, lateness, people snapping their gum, and whistling snot...just to name a few.
6. What's something you've done recently to economize? Cooking most of my meals and freezing the leftovers. 
7. It was her father who taught Sam how to drive. Are you a better student or teacher? Student. When I try to teach, the right words or explanations don't always come to me, plus my method of doing something will more than likely be all over the place and will probably not make sense to anyone else. I'm your typical Aquarius😁
8.  Do you have any car maintenance tips to share? Always check your tires before driving and keep on top of your oil changes.
9. Sam's father satisfies his afternoon sugar craving with an almost endless stream of Butter Rum Lifesavers. Do you usually enjoy a between meal snack? I try not to snack between meals, but if I do get hangry, I'll top some sugar free Jello with sugar free cool whip and eat that, or I'll have one of my WW mini bars.

Wondering

Has anyone else had a difficult time concentrating since the shelter in place orders were issued in March, or is it just me? Three months later and I’m still struggling to focus, especially when I’m trying to read. It’s bad.

Thinking

The best addition to Facebook is the unfollow button.

Throwback Thursday: Children Of The Corn

Being photographed while standing in front of a cornfield is a rite of passage for all Midwestern children. My brother Bart and me, circa 1975. Check out my flares!

Justice For Makenna

Seven arrested for attack against Chillicothe autistic girl

When I first viewed the video that was circulating yesterday on Facebook, I felt sick to my stomach, and then was filled with anger. As a paraprofessional who works with special needs children, nothing upsets me more than seeing a child being bullied for no reason other than being "different" from his/her peers. My heart about broke when Makenna, tired of being hit, shoved and laughed at, and wanting nothing more than to just walk away, began to cry that she wanted to kill herself. What kind of low life, heartless, sick individual gets pleasure from making another human being feel that way?

As hard as the video was the watch, some good did come from it. The seven perpetrators, all in their mid-to-late teens, were identified and were arrested for aggravated battery and mob action. Their parents must be SO proud. Asshole kids like that lot make me fear for when I'm elderly and they're running things. Jesus take the wheel.

The best remedy for such ignorance and cruelty? Require each member of the guilty party to perform community service by working with autism/special needs individuals. They need to come out of their sheltered little bubbles and see that the people who make up the special needs population are just like us: they struggle and get frustrated; they experience joy and happiness; they have fears and get scared; they have likes and dislikes; they know how to love; and, get ready for it, THEY HAVE FEELINGS.

Wednesday Hodge Podge #373

Play along here.

1. Saturday marks the first official day of summer! Whoohoo! Your favorite thing about the season? As an educator, I get my summers off, so no work! I also enjoy swimming at the local pool, but thanks to COVID-19, that's not happening any time soon. Ditto for vacation.

2. Love it!, labor of love, not for love or money, no love lost, love handles, love does, love-hate relationship, misery loves company, tough love, love will find a way...pick one and tell us how it applies to your life right now. Labor of love. In a few minutes I'm going to my 92 year old grandmother's house so I can get her out of bed, toileted, fed, and bathed. I've been taking care of her since April 8, which was the day my mom, who is her live in caregiver, fell and broke her leg. I'm filling in until Mom is back on her feet and able to resume all duties. 

3. What's one thing currently causing you to seethe? One thing currently making you smile? Seethe: The three Supreme Court Justices- Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito- dissension on banning discrimination against LGBT workers. Smile: conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and  John Roberts doing the opposite and joining their liberal counterparts in protecting the workplace rights of the LGBT community. Well done, sirs!

4. Of the following to-dos found on a summer checklist (here) which three would definitely make your personal list of summer want-to-dos?

roast marshmallows over a fire, go berry or peach picking, dangle your feet off the end of a dock, sit on a porch swing, watch the sunset from a beach, nap in a hammock, go barefoot in the grass, collect seashells, play tennis, go fishing, build a sandcastle, catch fireflies, eat a soft serve ice cream cone, make a pitcher of Sangria, swim in a lake, stargaze, ride a bike, paddle a canoe or kayak, make a summer road trip, throw a frisbee

Do you make an actual list? No. I just let each day happen as it unfolds. 

5. Thursday is National Splurge Day. What might you splurge on in order to celebrate? I need new living room furniture, so once I find what I'm looking for (no luck so far), I'll splurge on that.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Misophonia, Table For One

I know Backes has allergies and can't help it, but damn, the sounds of his licking, chewing, and snorting is enough to make me want to puncture my ear drums so I don't have to hear it any more. Seriously. I thought giving him a Benadryl at night would help alleviate his symptoms, and while it does help initially, it usually wears off around 3 a.m. and the licking/chewing cycle starts anew. Sigh. Guess I'm going to have to call the vet for a prescription to give him (and me) relief.

Up Yours, Snotty!

I really love starting off the week by getting bitched at by a neighbor.

I was walking Backes and he did what most dogs do while on a walk- he lifted his leg and peed on the first available thing of interest on the street, which happened to be said neighbor’s car tire. We walked a little farther up to the corner, he peed on the stop sign pole and on a clump of weeds, and then we were on our way back home. No sooner were we at the foot of my driveway when the neighbor comes out of the house and down to her car and yells, “Thanks for letting your dog piss on my car! What the hell?” Now, I’ve never had a problem with this woman in the few times we’ve interacted, so I was caught off guard by her nasty attitude. I mean, he peed a little on her damn tire. It’s not like he took a big crap in her yard and I left it there¹. I offered an apology but she kept mumbling obscenities to herself and then drove off.

As pissed as I was, I bought a card and inserted a $20 bill for a car wash, with an apology from Backes. If she can’t get over it, she can shove the money and that card up her fat ass.

¹The kicker? Her dog, an overly aggressive old Chow Chow, has pooped in my yard twice, but do you see me acting like a big jerk over it?

Birdie Bébés*

A few weeks ago, I discovered this darling bird nest on the top shelf of an old metal bookshelf I have in the corner of my garage. When I saw the lone egg, off white speckled with brown, I knew immediately that it wasn't a robin nesting there. I periodically checked the nest over the next few days and noticed that 4 more eggs had been laid.

Judging by the appearance of the eggs, several of my Facebook friends thought that it could be a migrating barn swallow, but I wasn't convinced because the nest didn't look anything like the barn swallow nests I found on ornithology websites. Once I finally saw mama bird in the nest, on about day 8, it became clear: she was a house sparrow! Because I have several household projects going on that require tools from the garage, I've tried to get her acclimated to me coming and going in the hopes that she won't attack me. She hasn't yet <fingers crossed>

Here's a short video of the hatchlings. Aren't they the cutest?

*Thanks to Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek, I will forever pronounce babies as bébés😁