Warning: A lot of caps lock in this post. I feel PASSION. (And I learned blogging from this lady here and reading her Instagram post that included caps lock and parentheses made me feel SEEN. This post is dedicated to Amy, she who has no idea who I am.)
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Driving home, I saw a family of sandhill cranes. I didn't get the whole family because they were scared of me, but what a pretty sight. You can see two big ones here and a baby's head!
Thursday, July 2
I drive by this beautiful church on a hill when I drive from work to the place where I get my hair cut. Today I had a few extra minutes and I stopped to take a photo of it.
Friday, July 3
I went to our new local bookstore after work to order a book. I bought a book! Woot woot! Anyway, at the register, there were teeny tiny things and I could not resist. The quarter is obviously for scale. (What am I going to do with these things? I have no idea. I give it a week before the cat has batted them under the fridge or something.)
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| Look, the title Moby-Dick should technically have a hyphen. I KNOW. |
Saturday, July 4
For non-American friends, this is PEAK USA. We were celebrating 250 years of the Declaration of Independence, which is when my good friend TJ (Thomas Jefferson - known as a rapist of women who he enslaved) told the British to suck it. I went to a parade and a cookout AS IS MY AMERICAN RIGHT. Do I sound obnoxious? This is how I think the rest of the world thinks about us. And the rest of the world is right, I think?
Anyway, THE PARADE. I have thoughts about parades. You need to be ON THEME. What I mean by this is that, if you are doing an American Independence Day float, you need it to be red, white, and blue OVER THE TOP. I want flags and bunting. I want streamers. I want the vehicle pulling your float to be one of those colors. (A black pickup on the Fourth? Pfft. GTFO.) I want music* BLARING. I want some sort of crowd participation. Chucking candy? Great. T-shirt cannon? Very on theme. Dogs teaching children a dance? AMAZING.
*What I really wanted was Sousa marches. What I got was a lot of "God Bless America," "Proud to be an American," and the national anthem. Fine. I guess. Also, THIS IS THE YEAR CHICAGO HAS BEEN SINGING ABOUT.
Hey, if you are doing a float for a parade and want me to consult, I'll only charge $100 an hour because you're a loyal blog reader who is reading this absolute trash nonsense I'm writing. But, for real, for real. I have parade thoughts.
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| This one is visually pretty good (SMOKE! ROCKETS! black pickup pfft), but there was no music or crowd work. |
Also, this might make us all feel a little better about the world, but the Republican float had a giant inflatable DT and when it went by, there was a notable chill in the air. And this is a Republican stronghold. No chill in the air for the Democrat float because the people on the float were too busy handing out candy for anyone to realize they were Democrats.
(I have such complicated feelings about this country.)
Sunday, July 5
Is this the ONLY photo I took all day? Yes, yes it is. I guess if you're going to do only one photo, you do a good one. My precious, precious baby KITTEH.
Monday, July 6
I went to a fitness class at a local park after work. Was it in the high 80s? Sure, but I had plenty of water with me. This is our view. Can you even imagine? So beautiful.
Tuesday, July 7
A note on platforming. Getting Hannah to climb on things is one of the greatest joys of my life. BUT. There are so many caveats. Because of her dodgy back, I don't want her to jump very often. Because of her innate timidness, she doesn't want to climb on things that are much taller than this rock she's posing on below. Because we don't want her on furniture in the house, we don't want her to think she can climb on just anything. So this is sort of complicated.
I basically only have per platform on rocks and tree trunks. If she were a different dog, I'd have her up on picnic tables and chairs and the like, but I have This Dog and I have to work with her physical limitations and fears. But if you heard a woman squealing with joy in the six o'clock hour this morning in a park in southeastern Wisconsin, it was me BECAUSE LOOK HOW ADORABLE SHE IS. Those ears! The absolute sass of refusing to look at the camera! That grey muzzle! This is why I think it's okay to spend hundred of dollars a month on my precious girls.
Wednesday, July 8
Friends! The price of a first-class stamp (and postcard stamps, if that's something that you are interested in) from USPS is going up by FOUR CENTS on July 12. If you are anything like me, this news sent you into a state of PANIC.
Yes, I went to the post office after work and purchased TWO rolls (100 each) of first-class stamps and 30 postcard stamps. JUST BECAUSE. I'm hoping these rolls get me through the end of the year. Sorry, friends, you'll be getting flags on your holiday cards because I am not buying fancy ones just for that purpose.
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Okay, who wants a teeny tiny book? Tell me what book you want in the comments and I'll try to find it for you. They had all sorts of books, not just classics. Do you have parade thoughts? What role do horses and cows play in the parades you go to? (There was also a BABY GOAT.)
I don't want a physical tiny book, but I am here to look at pictures of them all day. How perfect that they had ATGIB and MD. Look, they didn't FORGET the hyphen, the book was just too tiny to fit it.
ReplyDeleteIt was the greatest day of my life when I discovered that we could make walks into mini-obstacle courses by having Doggo jump onto rocks and benches. We love to do "walk the plank" on fallen trees. We never did that with Stepdog, she was just happy to be outside and not looking for any extra perks. Doggo needs the extra challenge to help tire her out.
Hmmm...I think there's room for a hyphen.
DeleteI'll have to see if I can get H to walk the plank. She's timid, so it might take us a number of practice sessions to get her confident enough. That's a fun idea!
Great assortment of pics, especially the animals, and more especially the cranes. I have still never seen them in real life.
ReplyDeleteMy dog likes to chase the cranes. I am terrified of this because they are protected species in my state. Also, I think they could kick her ass. They are SO BIG.
DeleteThose teeny tiny books are adorable and - you will not believe this - I have the same ATGIB! It was included in a Christmas card. I also don't know what to do with it but I love having it.
ReplyDeleteTwins! Because ATGIB is the best book and everyone knows it.
DeleteIt wasn't for doing anything with, it was for squealing at its cuteness, feel free to throw it out!
DeleteI have complicated feelings about this country as well.
ReplyDeleteAmen. It's tough. I am the child of military veterans and there's a part of me that is super patriotic, but I think it's patriotic for a country that maybe has never actually existed?
DeleteWait a minute. You went to a parade on the 4th that didn't have Sousa music but had an inflatable DT? Yuck. I agree you (and everyone there) deserved better. I like the reference to Saturday in the Park.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I would do with it, but I would love a tiny Catcher in the Rye.
Zelda! Hannah! They're obviously the best.
Yeah, I did go to that parade. I LIVE IN A SMALL MIDWESTERN TOWN. It was actually better than I had imagined it was going to be in terms of problematic floats.
DeleteOkay. I'm going to look for Catcher in the Rye. It will make me nothing more than thrilled to find it for you.
I don't tend to like little things, but I'm with Birchie: I WILL LOOK AT THEM ALL DAY. So cute! I feel like Michelle would be all over this. Also, what are the odds you could find both of these books??
ReplyDeleteThe tiny ducks are everywhere. My daughter has dozens; a teacher in middle school would hand them out as prizes and they became the "it" thing to have. She has a very cute rainbow lineup of them on a shelf in her room.
If I did get a tiny book what would I want. Hmmm. Anne of Green Gables? The Grapes of Wrath? Lord of the Rings? Little House on the Prairie? I don't know. Why is a book not jumping out to me? I feel like a reading failure because of that somehow.
Moving on.
A hard no? Lord of the Flies. UGH, UGH, UGH. I hate that book with the heat of 1,000 suns.
Oops. Forgot to do the drop-down to include my details. This is Elisabeth. You might have figured it out because I think I have complained—on multiple occasions—how much I loathe Lord of the Flies. Did I just hear they're making a movie or miniseries out of this? Why? And why am I so obsessed with my distain for this book???
DeleteI was tempted by the tiny books too, but I was more distracted by the cashier, who refused to deviate from his script. "What treasures did you find today?" he asked everybody. Including us. TWICE. Too funny, but ultimately, I was happy to support a local bookstore. I wish them long-term success.
ReplyDeleteThe cow parade last month? Totally on theme. It was ALL COWS. They really nailed that one.
At one point, I went in there for the first time and there were two people working and they were both chowing down on McDonald's behind the counter. The whole place smelled like a fryer. Which, fair enough, you know?
DeleteHave you been to the Fort holiday parade? It is A+ small town parade. Loud music, bands, twinkly light themes. If you haven't been, you need to go.
The tiny books are very darling! My children would destroy them. Heck, Will might try to eat them. Why? Don't try to apply logic to a child's decisions. The number of things kids put in their mouths is stunning. Like Elisabeth said, Michelle would be all over those tiny books. Her gnomes need them!
ReplyDeleteI am a hard pass on parades. There was a kind of sad boat parade on my parents lake but it was borderline hard to tell who was in the parade. I had very complicated feelings about the 4th of July, though. I have felt more positive and hopeful about the state of the world when hearing about all the positive interactions between fans during the World Cup. Like it was very heart warming to hear about how the city of Lawrence, Kansas really embraced being the host city for the Algerian team. My friend was there and she said there were so many Algerian flags and people wearing Algerian soccer shirts and such, and the band at the college in Lawrence learned the Algerian national anthem. So when I block out the corrupt and horrible politician at the helm and focus on people-to-people interactions, I can feel better about the state of the world/our nation.
The tiny books sort of look like those square things of gum you get from machines. I can see why someone might put them in their mouth. Maybe I have all the impulse control of Will.
DeleteI'm also very much enjoying "people from other countries come to the U.S. and realize we're not all terrible people." I mean, I don't care about soccer, so the sports angle is lost on me, but I like the internet content. Americans are (generally) nice and not as dumb as portrayed in the media. Go us! (I mean...foreign policy. Grr.)
Presumably you know I am a fan of teeny tiny book things since I littered everyone's Christmas cards with them. And obviously a fan of the adorable animals - that proudly marching sassy crane needs to be a picture on a card. I saw my first American parade at the Little League World series, complete with several marching bands, and I blogged about it and a bunch of people were like how tf was that your first marching band parade, oh right, weirdo Canadian. I am here for your parade thoughts.
ReplyDeleteOh, goodness! Parades with animals! Tiny cars! Themes! I am here to be your parade guide. My husband does not care for parades, but I think he sort of likes going with me because I have so many opinions. Ha. I guess that wouldn't surprise anyone who reads this blog.
DeleteI am not a parade person. Or maybe the parades here are kind of ... meh. They very rarely feature floats here - it's just people walking with banners.
ReplyDeleteThere was a recent Miss Manners column lately about how the price of postage is now equal to a can of soup so this person was asking if it's okay not to send Thank You Cards so that they can buy the soup. I had so many mixed feelings about that question....
No floats? That's not a parade then! It's just people walking.
DeleteLook, if you're hosting something (wedding, shower, etc.) and you can't afford to factor in the cost of the stamp for the thank you note, you should not host it. I stand firm.
Now, if you really have to thank someone for something they did for you out of the kindness of their heart, you can call, text, or email a thank you. I will allow that.
I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I miss Amalah (and many other old-school blogs) terribly. I never considered that she influenced my use of/love for all caps and parentheses, but she almost certainly did!
Second, YES. Your thoughts on parades are correct. I totally get wanting to be in a parade and maybe deciding at the last minute to do so, so I will give you some leeway if you just show up on your ATV, but really: a parade float should be DECKED OUT. Engie, I will have to text you some photos of the rural parade my parents went to. It was something else.
Third, Zelda and Hannah are the most beautiful girls. I love them both so much.
Fourth, I love your teeny tiny books and duck. I don't know how I could possibly choose which teeny book to get: The Friend? The Count of Monte Cristo? The Time Traveler's Wife? All the Light We Cannot See? Pride and Prejudice? Rebecca? My tiny book would also definitely end up under the stove, so it's probably for the best that I can't decide.
So many old skool blogs I miss - Miss Doxie, Rockstar Mommy, Amalah, even (RIP) Dooce. I learned from them, though, and that's why I write the way I do. We are who we read, right?
DeleteYou cannot just show up on an ATV. Your ATV must be ON THEME, as should your attire. No one is allowed off theme - even last minute entries!
Okay, I'm going to see what I can find in the tiny book stash next time I go there. I did find All The Light We Cannot See already and sent it to someone else, so I know it's a possibility!!
Oh, those teeny tiny books! I WANT SOME. I'd probably pick To Kill A Mockingbird first because it is my favourite book of all time. Then I'd probably want the titles I taught forever, like The Catcher in the Rye, The Scarlet Letter, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Great Gatsby. I MISS TEACHING/TALKING ABOUT THOSE BOOKS SO MUCH.
ReplyDeleteThe duck is also wonderful. I'd have bought it, too.
Zelda is so fluffy and sweet in her slumber. She makes me miss my girl Marlowe. And Hannah is always perfect. Throw all your money at them; it is completely understandable.
I dislike parades for far too many reasons to go into here, but mostly because PEOPLE. And they often turn into sort of a ragtag assemblage of thisnthat, and they offend my sense of order/theme/organization.
I am a project; I know.
I will see if I can find those books. I feel like some of them should be easy to find. I've never read The Old Man and the Sea. Should I read it?
DeleteOh, Nance, I could teach you the way of the parade. You don't have to be around people. On the 4th, I was up on a hill and pretty far away from the people who were trying to get the candy and I could have a running commentary. We could work on it and make you enjoy them!
I'd love for you to be my Parade Sensai. I feel like you'd be perfect for the job.
DeleteRe: The Old Man and the Sea--it's quite short, almost a novella, really. And it's Hemingway, so the sentence structure is simple and spare but beautiful. It's a fantastic way to ponder symbolism, too. Aside from applying English Teachery Stuff, it's just a lovely story in itself.
That stamps thing is so on-brand for you! You're so good about putting things in the mail for people!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe more people aren't up in arms over this price increase. I feel like it's just me panicking over here!
DeleteHere I am catching up on blog posts, and what do I see here but teeny tiny books! OMGGGGGG! How cute! Of course I want one! I like Elisabeth's idea of Anne of Green Gables. Or how about The Age of Innocence?
ReplyDeleteAwww, Zelda and Hannah are so beautiful!
I stocked up on postage stamps too! I got sunflower stamps at Costco. I hope everyone likes sunflowers for everything, even Christmas!
Yay! I'll see what I can find. I didn't see the Age of Innocence because I might have grabbed it if I had, but I'll look for it now.
DeleteI can't believe there's not a rush for stamps at the post office, to be honest. Don't people care?!
GIRL, guess you went out on Friday to buy stamps (not 100, but 40) before the price goes up?! International stamps were going up 5 cents, so I bought 40 of those, too. And I thought it was expensive already!
ReplyDeleteHannah on a platform is absolutely perfect :) Frame it!
Let's not talk about America's birthday. I have such mixed feelings. Accordingly, we did NOTHING for 4th of July (unless you count eating watermelon).
I mean, I left work on Friday to go to the post office. Leaving work on Friday is easier than the rest of the week because it's less busy at my job.
DeleteHannah on a platform is perfect. She's such a good girl.
I feel like I want to take back patriotism, though. I don't want THEM to have it, you know? It's why I fly our flag on holidays and go to these parades.
I’m cracking up at your parade thoughts. There are no cows or horses in parades in our neck of the woods, so I don’t think any parade experience I’ve had measures up to your standards.
ReplyDeleteThe tiny books are super cute and I hope they don’t get batted under the fridge.
Good girl, Hannah sitting on that platform like a pretty girl. The sass of looking away from the camera. So on brand.
I did NOT know the price of stamps was going up. That’s rotten.
I honestly don't think I've been to a parade without horses. That would make me sad.
DeleteI guess the USPS needs to increase profits to try to stay in business. I really WANT them to stay in business, so it's important to me to buy them.
Hannah is MAJESTIC on that rock. She is so beautiful! Her face always makes me smile!!
ReplyDeleteI am a hard no on parades. They are too much sensory overload for me!
If you find a tiny Anne of Green Gables, I would DIE to get one. DIE.
I'm glad Hannah's face not looking at me makes you smile. She is a bright light in my life, too.
DeleteOkay. The hunt for AoGG is ON. There are a lot of requests for it!! (I really need to reread that book, don't I?)