Why I Oughta...

I guess I'm NOT as big of a Disney Dad as I thought I was.  Once again. Why do I say that?  Because I was once again rejected for the Disney Parks Moms Panel.  They sent me this very nice form rejection letter: Don't worry, I'm used to this.  I've been rejected before.  Every year since 2015 when I first applied.  2015 is also the only year that I seem to have posted about the rejection .

My pretty, pretty, pretty amazing partner in life Natalie redefined her limits once again this past weekend by completing the Chicago Marathon.  The Chicago Marathon is pretty neat as a participant as you get to not only see quite a few neighborhoods, but you also get encouraged by the spectators across all 26.2 miles of the course.  Well...I think that because they're now limiting access to the finish line, it's more like you get encouraged by spectators for like 25 miles, then you just have to gut out the last 1.2 miles or so - which is easy when the finish line is in sight.  I've gone to watch the Marathon other years including when my sister Vic has run it by herself, but that time - if I recall correctly - I didn't run around but just sat in one spot and saw her from there.  With the advent of the Chicago Marathon mobile app and the ability to track runners by both split times AND an approximation with the map, it is pretty easy to find and connect with the ru

Up top is the 'before' photo of one of the window wells on the southside of our house.  We had some work done to it and the landscaping required restoration.  This is technically the 'in the middle of' photo as the landscapers had already done some cleaning up. Below is the after.  They laid some sod, straightened things out and put mulch down.  Now we just have to babysit the sod with a soaker hose while it gets established.

I came across this vintage Chicago Bears helmet bank from All American Bank of Chicago up in Wisconsin at an Antique Mall.  There were a pair of them - this one and another one with a weird bird logo on the helmet.  Nat and I were puzzled by that one, so I only bought this one.  This is intended as a gift for one of my brother-in-laws.  Those of you who have kept up with the blog over the years might recall this sweet vintage White Sox bank that I posted back in 2014.  I gifted that bank to the same brother-in-law that this one is destined to be gifted to at some point.  Christmas is the likely time when I will give this, but maybe birthday season? This is from the All American Bank of Chicago, which appears to be a "failed bank" per the FDIC . As for the bank, you'll note that it has the all-white "C" on the sides.  According to this page, that logo was in use from 1962 to 1973 .     So this helmet was a give-away from the bank somewhere in the 1960'

It is early October and around here that means Fall bulb planting.  Just like last year, where I planted 30 tulip bulbs and some Allium bulbs , I'm planning on sticking both in the ground this year although there are a few differences.   First, I'm giving more consideration to the 'where' these tulips are going.  And second:  these are 'fringed tulips', which is kind of cool, right? Fringed Tulips seem to be pleasers.  From this listing on White Flower Farm : Fringed Tulips have flower petals that are edged with finely cut fringes that remind us of fine quartz crystals or frost on window panes. If you're seeking a beautiful novelty bedding plant, you've found it. Last year, I planted the tulips along the fenceline in the back and after seeing them come up this season, I'm not happy with their location and think that I'm likely to dig them up and move them somewhere else.   I'm also thinking that they might find a good home i

Via Twitter - shared by @BillCorbett here . I took a screenshot of this Donald Duck Family Tree poster from Bill Corbett on Twitter - tweet embedded below.  I posted the full image above so you can see it here natively on the blog.  But know...that image is not mine.  It is *from* this tweet below.  I could study this like it was the Magna Carta and look at every detail for hours.  And I intend to, but...for now:  A few things that are awesome - besides the one Bill points out below: They've obscured Donald's Brother-in-Law, the father of Huey, Duey and Louie.  Who is their Dad?  We might never know .   The Duck family intermarried with coots.  I didn't know what a coot was ! I always thought family trees went downwards.  This one goes up.  But, maybe that makes sense in that the elders are the 'roots' of the family?   There's loads more things to notice and the commenters on Bill's Tweet do a good job . Someone posted this Donald Duck fami

Look at these beautiful needles growing out on the tips of our Dawn Redwood.  We planted the replacement tree in July of this year after having last year's tree die and not come back.  A little under a year ago, I posted this photo of the old Redwood and asked the question: "I s our Redwood Tree going to survive? "  Turns out, the answer was "no".  And in looking at this photo of new, delicate growth vs. the brown and dry tree from last year, it is plain to me now. We've had a bunch of rain in late August and the first part of September and I babied this thing through the beginning of August, so I'm happy to say that we've given this tree the best chance at surviving the winter.  I'm also encouraged by this new growth and hopeful that it signals that the tree has found a good groove and is putting down roots while putting on this show with new needles on the tips of the tree. I'm going to go get a few bags of mulch and lay down a new