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.