Smacksy Saturday Photo: Butter Bunnies

I don't even eat butter, but I bought them because THEY'RE BUNNIES.

Bedroom Floor Still Life

8/15

This Week in Smacksy History

March 2011

When I read old blog posts to Bob now at bedtime, I often try to choose them from the same week we're in, but from years back. Here are a few of this week's favorites from around this week in 2011, when Bob was four years-old.

Easy come, easy go: Loyalties

Cleverness: The Good Fight

Still true: Overheard at the Playdate

The more things change: Mischief of One Kind or Another

Bob's Favorite: 4:24am

My Favorite: The Eyes

He's Back

The broken wrist has healed. The arm muscles are building back up. He's easing back into baseball and has three hits in the last four at bats. Ready to play ball.

You May Want to Turn Up Your Audio

As the elderly lady in the waiting room at the vet pointed out, Levi's an adorable Sherman tank.

Figures

Because "someone" (CoughLeviRosenbergCough) ate his own towel. You're on your towel-less own, Ted.

Smacksy Sunday Links

Mr. Rosenberg takes some beautiful photos when he goes to Seattle on business. 

Things we think we need today that won't matter in the long run.

Perhaps there is nothing wrong with your house.
P.S. I love Chip and Joanna Gaines and think what they do is not the best example of this theme but I like the overall idea here.

The misfit mausoleums of Montmartre.

I adore a lovely film dolly shot. 

And gorgeous animal portraits.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Hello From Allan Murray

It's been awhile since I've updated you all on Dr. Allan Murray Rosenberg, Cardiologist/Betafish. He enjoys eating and hanging out in his tiny house (he's so on trend). Allan is getting along just swimmingly. Yeah, I said it.

A Classic

Chart and corresponding calculation found on kitchen table. 

(My go to was always 710.77345=SHELL.OIL)

Mr. Rosenberg and I, Keeping the Romance Alive

We make a point to share all of the important things. 

Sometimes (Always) FaceTime With Mr. Rosenberg is (Really) Freaky

"Are you calling from The Death Star?"

"Just my weird hotel room."

"Looks so cheerful. And like you're just a bod-less floating head."

"I'm just tired."

"Too tired to have a body?"

Neckerchief Guys

I picked the guys up from boarding. Apparently while we were gone, Levi became a rodeo clown. Teddy remains a stevedore. 

Typical

Levi? Everything's cool. You can stand down. Come away from the window, please. Levi. Levi. Teddy? What's up with the towel? I put it in your spot so you can get on it. Why is only your head on it? Teddy? Levi? Guys?

Smacksy Sunday Links

Silent reading was the beginning of an interior life.

They wrote love letters to trees.

Judy Garland was a genius.

Art on a teabag.

And this dog's name is Lady Shortcake. 

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Links: Angles

The front courtyard at the house in Arizona. The weather is perfect.

Snacks

"How's the drive going, Bob?"

"Good. We'll be there in a bout two more hours. Dad and I just drove through In N Out burger."

"What about all of those healthy snacks I packed for you guys?'

"Yeah, we ate some of those too."

Oh, Boy

(His feet are already a size larger than mine.)

On the way home from the meeting for parents of incoming sixth graders held at the middle school this evening, I changed the radio station five times. Every song choice was making me well up. I gave up and turned the car stereo off once I realized that it wasn't the songs that were making me misty. 

The Walkout

This morning at 10:00am, every grade level at Bob's elementary school participated in the National School Walkout by reading the same book in their classrooms, I Am Peace by Susan Verde. At the same time, about fifty parents gathered in front of the school and silently held hands for seventeen minutes. While we stood quietly, I could hear the regular sounds of the neighborhood - birds and dogs making their bird and dog noises, traffic on a nearby street, someone raking their yard. I heard kids playing at recess on the other side of the gates.

A phone alarm gently alerted us that seventeen minutes had passed and a few wiped away tears. As we broke into small groups and chatted, one of the parents called out, "It's the middle schoolers." A few hundred middle school students had apparently walked out of school and were rounding the corner.
Accompanied by a handful of parents and escorted by the local police, these sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students carried signs and marched by. We stood and clapped for them. We clapped for these bright, thoughtful kids, and the kids walking out of the local high school, and the kids walking out of all of the other schools in our country. We clapped for the kids playing recess on the other side of the gates.

Punny

At Target this morning, I saw an older (than me) couple staring at this t-shirt.

Her: I don't get it. Do you get this?'

Him: Hmm. No. Can't say that I do.

Her: Leprecha... No. I don't get it.

Me: (cruising up with my cart) You know how the kids say, 'I can't even?'

Her: Oooh. Yeah. Now I get it.

Me: It's a stretch, for sure.

Him: Huh.

Now I enjoy a good pun as much as, or probably even more than, the next guy but if you have to explain it...

Please, and no thank you. Slow your pun-roll Target.

These Little Shoes

Backstory: I haven't worn ballet slippers in thirty-one years. I am still rehabbing various dumb injuries. My left shoulder and right wrist are sort of useless at the moment. I recently ordered these lovely items. My question to you is this: Is this a purchase of hope or stupidity?
You can be honest-ish.

Smacksy Sunday Links

When you live a different life from your parents.

Zadie Smith on what writers can learn from dancers.

The new NYT Overlooked section.

You can spend the night in this gorgeous library and I have a new life goal.

These musicians playing in the subway make me happy.

She paints beautiful weeds.

And a capybara and some puppies.

Happy Sunday.

That Time Johnny Cougar Painted My Portrait

In 1994, Jennifer and I were producing our first show and we went to Indiana to interview John Mellencamp. While he pontificated about art, he painted my portrait. When the cameras stopped rolling, he covered the canvas (of my face) in black paint. Anyhoo. That segment recently resurfaced on the internet. Enjoy.

The Source

The living room smells like dog pee and I can't find the source. I mean, obviously I know one of these guys is The Source, but the pee-smell location is eluding me. I tried Febreeze-ing the entire area and now it smells like Febreeze pees. But that's okay, we can meet at your house. I'll leave them home.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Mon of Poké

There are currently 144 of these on Bob's desk. He can name them all. 

Strangers

I sat on the edge of the pavement where it meets the sand. A blond, dreadlocked guy with a surfboard ran in from the ocean.

Surfman: Is that your tumbleweed?

Me: Yeah. That's where I keep it.

Surfman: Nice of you to keep it out of the way.

Me: Well, you know me.

Surfman: I think I do.

The Perch

If you're looking for Ted, you will likely find him here. This is The Spot. From the top of the backyard stairs, a low-rider like Teddy can see the whole backyard, the spot on the tree where the squirrels hangout, the back porch, through the small window in the backdoor into the house, and if you look over the fence you can watch the guy who comes to clean Phil's pool. Ted will not move from The Spot until he hears the word "cookie." Who can blame him?

The Essentials, If You're 11 Years-Old

(Super Cool Bookcase Courtesy of Miss Ilene)

Trophies "Mostly participation and that means not real, but there's two real ones."

Dodger Bobbleheads

Pokemon Plushies

The World

An Old Monkey Bank

A Robot and a Wind-Up Car

A Cool Mine Craft Art Piece Felix Made

Football Picture of Grandpa Ed When He Was 11

So Many, Yet Never Enough, Baseball Cards

Disco Light

CD Player, 5 Michael Jackson CDs, and the Star Wars Soundtrack

Mighty Mouse Needlepoint Great Grandma Ruth Made for Dad When He Was a Kid

A Nutcracker Named Steve
Games and Puzzles

Baseball Conditioning Weights

Seven Pairs of Swag Sunglasses Dad Brought Home From a Tech Conference

Mason Jars Filled With Change and Erasers

And Books

Smacksy Sunday Links

Habits of a minimalist.

In the time you spend on social media each year, you could read 200 books. 

Taking notes by hand.

Five unexpected things happy people have in their kitchens.

First flowers.

My friend Sue, asked on Facebook, for friends to recommend one song from the last ten years that would up her music game. This is my song.

And this sweet pitty and his kitty.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Spoons

These two.

Preferred Reading

What's better than curling up with the latest issue of Mad magazine? Not much.

Be Here Now

More work going on in the street in front of our house today. Levi was, of course, beside himself barking and pacing and panting. He had a speaker phone call with Karen who convinced him to go into the bedroom with Teddy and me. Levi had a nap and decided he liked Ray Lamontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black album turned up real loud to drown out the sound of the leaf blowers and jackhammers. I guess, most of us do.