Well...crap.

I recently discovered white mochas and love them.

I also love my long-sleeve white t-shirt. Soft. Comfy.

What I don't like, however, is a white mocha ON my white tee.

It was just such a "Robin" moment this a.m.!

On a positive note, it does match my pants...

Batter Up...

Ahhh...baseball season. The hallmark of summer and warm weather.

Right?

Apparently not so, if you live in Cleveland.

Evan had his opening game last night.

It's the end of May.

Note that he is wearing a turtleneck under his team shirt.

His mother wore a turtleneck..and...a big heavy cardigan sweater...and winter socks.

And still had to thaw out somewhat upon returning home.

Irony at an Old Moving Picture House

This sign hangs at the back of the historic Detroit Theatre in Lakewood, Ohio.

The theater, which was featured prominently in background shots of the film American Splendor, is a second-run, bargain movie house these days. Usually freezing cold year round. But you can see a movie for $4...or BOGO if you have a trusty Lakewood High School Football Team's "Ranger" Card.

The sign makes me laugh. I don't think I've ever been to a showing there that had more than 20 people watching a film. And that's a big crowd.

Strangely, besides the fact it's right here in town and it's cheap, that's what I really like about it. Almost a private viewing...every time.

Oh, and in case you're wondering....I saw Baby Mama.

And to the critics who said it wasn't funny....I strongly disagree!

Not so Gourd-geous...

Years ago, a gourd bowl caught my friend Spice's mother's eye. She was visiting relatives in South Carolina at the time and figured she might never see something quite like it again. So, she bought it. The, after returning home to West Virginia, she couldn't figure out what to do with it. It sat empty, until she convinced a florist friend to take it home and fill it with an arrangement.

Ummm...it might have been better off remaining empty.

Whent her friend FINALLY returned after more than a lengthy amount of time, it was filled with the items in the picture. Twigs, scraps of stuff, and ceramic anemones.

As Spice, who sent me the picture says...WTF?!?!?!

It's 2 a.m.

And Lakewood street lights make a mighty nice flash for my crappy camera phone.

Dirty Dancin with Omar

Whoever the heck he is. If that's his real name... .


We're dubious. Particularly Karen, who was brave enough to pose with this St. Ed's '96 grad during the 80's nerd band, the Spazmatics', latest Lakewood gig at McCarthy's (home of the cheap-ass beer...and believe us...they are true to their word!)

Photo courtesy of Spice, whose cameraphone apparently is of much higher quality than my crappy Katana, which will be replaced with something better come September!

Chairs That Care

The students in Lakewood's Lincoln Elementary School Discovery Program has spent the past year studying art and great artists. The year-long unit culminates in a few weeks with their biennial "Chairs that Care Auction."

The kids each picked an artist and then painted a reproduction of a painting by that artist on a chair. These chairs -- which are pretty darn awesome considering they are painted by 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders -- will be auctioned off to the public on June 7 on the front lawn of the school, 15615 Clifton Blvd.

Preview begins at 10:30 a.m. Bidding starts at 11:30. Refreshments will be available.

All proceeds from the event go to the Cleveland Foodbank. Two years ago, the school raised nearly $12,000 through this event.

It Spoke To Me...

I was sitting behind a dump truck on my way to work today when I realized it had a message for me in small white letters across the back.

I have been going through various stressful situations lately, and quite honestly, I don't always deal that well with stress. I wish I could say I'm the kind of person who lets stress roll right off her back, but that's just not me. I dwell. I fret. I obssess. Or, as my mom likes to say, I love to make mountains.

Well, this truck had advice for me...and I've decided to take it to heart. Sadly, my crappy camera phone did not capture the tiny phrase that I saw so clearly out of my windshield this morning. But I still wanted to share my morning epiphany with you all.

The tiny white printing read, "It is what it is."

I'm taking it as a sign...aimed directly at me.

I was in the right place at the right time this a.m.

Take Me to Your Leader...

Is this not the cutest thing? Grace looks so serious about her alien status!

I love the headband...didn't they call those "Deely Boppers" back in the 80s.

I think I had a pair...but I can't remember what they looked like.

Frank Gehry in Cleveland

The Peter B. Lewis Building at Case Western Reserve University.

Some love it. Some hate it. And on sunny days in the winter, ice slides off of it onto the sidewalk below.

But no matter how your opinion on the design, you've gotta admit, the fact we have a Frank Gehry building here in town is more than a little cool.

Free Love for the Elementary Set...

Marlie cracked us all up when she found a better use for the Hessler Street Fair beach balls than the grownups. Or at least she thought so.

Don't worry. I asked her mother's permission before I took the picture.

Just really couldn't pass it up!

They Didn't Drop the Ball!

The crowd watching the JiMiller Band at today's Hessler Street Fair in Cleveland that is.

Someone turned a whole flock of inflatable beach balls loose during the band's set.

Talk about fun! Great music and beach balls at a springtime festival.

My Big Ol' (and I mean OLD!) Doggie...

For those of you who have never met him...this is Baker. Aka Bakey Boo. Aka The Boo Dog. Aka Boo Boo.


The last dog standing at our house. A 115-pound, 13.5-year-old, unnaturally tall Golden Retriever.

We had to put his sweetheart of an adopted "sister," Cassie, (another dark red Golden) down in November. She was 13 and 2 months. Kidney failure. Broke our hearts. We had had her since she was 13 months old...since October 1995.

We got Baker in October 1996 from GRIN (Golden Retrievers in Need). The first few years were quite an adventure, to say the least. I used to keep a list of what he ate each day (not food...things...books, underpants, bras, throw pillows, paper towels, you name it...) on the refrigerator and would threaten him that I was sending him back to the rescue group. I think my son was easier as a baby than Baker was as a young, adopted rescue dog.

In these past years, he went from crazy incorrigible dog that someone else got rid of to elder statesman who sometimes feels the need to attempt to be his old zany, food-stealing, squirrel-menancing self. I love those days when he has that much pluck.

He can still be a clown, but despite it all, he's horribly camera shy. I was lucky to get these pictures this past afternoon. I didn't realize how white his face has become until looking at them.

Makes me sad...he's so old. And such a good big boy.

And...I Hate This Pair!

Yes... they are sassy.

Yes...they dressed up my basic black suit at last's night Silver Spoons at the
Interncontinental Hotel.

In fact, I swapped out my black peep toe pumps I had worn all day at work for these so I could look a bit festive. A bit funky. And they even have those cute flowers on them.

But don't let those little flowers on them sway you into thinking they are loving, innocent footwear.

They are MEDIEVAL TORTURE DEVICES!


Midway through the evening I noticed my feet were turning red. And I couldn't feel the second toe on my right foot. Then...I could barely walk without hobbling.


I couldn't wait to get back into the car and change into those pumps. Actually, I put only one one...my driving foot. The other foot remained bare the entire ride home.

I remember now why I wear this pair, which I HAD TO HAVE, only once time each year since I bought them a few years back.

And I can't bring myself to throw them away...because they're so darn cute.


So let's bet this now: Next year, I'll drag the out and wear them again.

And remember why I don't. Again.

But they are really cute...

I LOVE this Shoe!

Totally dig it. It would look so good on me, or rather a pair would since I have two feet.

Too bad it was new in the 1950s and probably not available anymore.

It's all my damn shoe-a-day office calendar's fault.

It makes me covet footwear I cannot obtain.

Oh the woe of it all. The disappointment.

The unquenchable desire for cool shoes.

Bedazzled Birthday Bounty...

From GrannyPants.com by way of Bedazzler land, perhaps?

Or maybe the local dollar store?

Regardless, we're all wondering if Kate's wearing them to the office today.

North of Girls Gone Wild...

But south of Mennonite...

(props to Joe B. of Akron for coming up with this posting's clever copy!)

Them are some BIG balls!

Check out these gumballs.

They're in a vending machine at El Jalapeno restaurant in Lakewood (site of the former Klucks, for you west side locals).

Mondays are $13.99 margarita pitcher nights. And tonight was Cinco de Mayo. So the word for the evening was CROWDED. As we waited for our name to be called for a table, our little group drank a pitcher of margaritas (me gusta mucho!) and lingered around the cash register. And...the gumball machines.

Just look at these bad boys. We held up a highly recognizable Starlight mint as a comparison for size.

We can't even figure out how you would chew them. It's just not possible without breaking them into bits.

On another note...but strangely, still related...we gave up on waiting and moved on to wing night at The Winking Lizard, which was less crowded and still had Cinco de Mayo deals.

And...another gumball machine...
as demonstrated by Karen and Lou's son, Nate -- whose mouth is full of the chewy stuff. He thinks these are huge gumballs. He needs to take a lil' trip across town to see El Jalapeno's offerings.

No contest!

Torrential Rain Showers...

Bring pretty flowers. A big YAY for that!

Two weeks ago I said I wouldn't believe that spring was here until my lilacs bloomed. Well, this week, they popped...and popped big. And fragrantly. Sigh. One of my favorite flowers. Too bad they only last a couple of weeks a year.

Today's big rain decided to hit just as I was picking the E-Man up from school. My shoes and pants were drenched nearly to the knees.

Still, we had braved the droplets for a few extra minutes to get a self portrait of the rather damp occasion.

The Debut of The Band Without a Name...

Fronted by two ambitious third graders, the drumming god E-Man (aka Evan) and his fabulous fret-focused friend, Zach, kicking heinie on the amps with his electric guitar.

They performed at their School Age Child Care (SACC) program's talent show this evening. A rousing rendition of the Foo Fighters' Everlong. A pretty great rendition for two little kids. These boys know how to ROCK!

Now, as Zach's dad points out, they need to get a lead singer.

And maybe a drum set for the E-man.

Soon, buddy...soon.

A Tale of Two Glasses...or just call me Maude...

Or rather one pair of glasses and two different wearers.
Kate got these kickass specs at the office today as a sample from a promotions company. She's been charged with the enviable (unenviable?) for locating glasses like "Dwight Schrute" wears on The Office.

Why? Because the actor who plays Dwight, Rainn Wilson, is making a guest appearance at one of our client's showrooms at an upcoming trade show in June (no...I don't get to meet him...much to my dismay. Why? Because I am the person on the account team who is holding down the fort at the office that week...I'm the part timer. That's why. Nevermind the fact The Office is one of my favorite shows) But I digress...and grumble...

Anyhow....in the box of Schrute-worthy eyewear samples was this fine, fine pair. Stamped oh so alluringly on the stem...AND LENS... with a DuPont logo to show us the various ways they could be promotionalized.

We both coveted them. They have that certain diner waitress-esque je ne sais quois, do they not? So we did what good friends sometimes do...we shared them.

But then...trouble ensued. ;)

I forgot I had them on (I was wearing my contacts today and could see perfectly through the non-prescription lenses) and was accused of trying to steal them. (Ok...jokingly accused....I think).

Kate wanted them back. They were too foxy to let them slip away. And besides...she did see them first.

Midafternoon Munchies...

Or how I made a decadent dark chocolate bar last a week.

Here's what was left of my most delicious Choxie Dark Chocolate Espresso Truffle Bar at 2 p.m. today. A few tiny morsels. A pretty box. And some crumpled foil.

I bought it last week. And hid it from myself until Monday. Ate half of it that day with wild abandon. I then wised up...rationed it by taking it to the office. I made it last all week...albeit not evenly. I had only one little section left for today's nosh. And these little crumbs...which I ate as soon as I finished taking the picture.

I have no shame when it comes to dark chocolate truffles.