Totally Satisfying Solar Eclipse

Did you see the Total Eclipse of the Sun yesterday?

It was awe-inspiring

mind-blowing

overpowering...

all those superlatives rolled up into one 

stellar cosmic experience in the sky.

Although I didn't get to experience the totality of the eclipse, 

I viewed the solar eclipse as a moment of unity…

when we all came together to watch something 

bigger 

than our collective selves.

Kumbaya experience on a national level.

I really wished I was in Nashville 

experiencing a 100 percent eclipse (lucky Colin)…

where day would become night for a couple of minutes. Instead I was in the northeast…

viewing a partial eclipse 

at 63 percent.

Either way, I wasn't prepared with appropriate eyewear glasses for viewing.

PattyO, told me she once safely watched a partial eclipse 

in a bucket of water.  

I figured why not give it a try?

That way I wouldn't be online today googling

"symptoms of eye damage from viewing the solar eclipse."

 So I got out the red bucket we use for the Pirate Keg, 

arrrgh 

filled it with water, set it out in the sun

and anxiously waited for the moon 

to nibble its way through the sun …

kinda like the cookie(s) I was nibbling while I waited.

I clicked away...

taking pictures of the bucket 

as the moon moved across the sun,

but on close examination...

the eclipse had an eerily familiar shadow…

hmmmm

apparently the bucket works better for a keg than an eclipse.

Anywhooo…

Whether you were 

overwhelmed or underwhelmed

by the eclipse

probably depended on where you were watching. 

and if you geek out on celestial events. 

Meteorologist Stephanie Abrams, 

reporting live during the eclipse,

cried during the eclipse.

I admit she had me crying along with her.  

Nothing makes me break down more than an emotional meteorologist.

Researchers reported that animals could change their routine 

or become confused during the eclipse...

so many humans flocked to zoos to watch their fellow mammals' reactions.

This Kat's behavior 

was hardly disturbed from the usual routine…

although I did go for the frig earlier than I normally I do...

And as I opened the frig door...

there it was 

staring me in the face

ahhh, a CORONA...

maybe not as bright 

but 

TOTALLY satisfying. 

Out of Left Field

This blog post might look like it is coming out of 

left field, 

and it is..

yesterday was 

International Left-Handers Day.

I find it fun to watch a lefty. 

Everything they do looks awkward to someone who’s a righty...

mainly because we do everything right 

while they are left in the dark.

Sometimes, however, the lines get blurred…especially in politics. 

There are some us who are right-handed and right wing, 

and others who are left-handed and left wing…

but there are also some right wing people who are lefties, 

and some left wing people who are righties. 

And also those…who are left or right of center. 

I’m so confused. 

I have nothing left to say that is right on that subject.

Anywhoooo.....

They say lefties are intelligent 

and historically some of our more 

influential and successful people are left-handed. 

That would include Clinton, Ford, George H. W. Bush, Obama, 

Hendrix, Michelangelo, Oprah, and Babe Ruth. 

Add PaulA to that impressive list. 

Saying “lefties are intelligent”…

is a left-handed compliment...but not in the
"left-handed compliment" idiom way.
huh?

PaulA comes from a family of lefties, 

...his mother and 2 other brothers. 

3 out of 7 siblings are lefties and

4 out of 7 of them brush their teeth with CREST.

I’m a righty who married a lefty so throughout our marriage…

I have watched PaulA write with a …

left hook

eat and use scissors, (he doesn't eat with scissors)
tie his shoes and 
put cards in envelopes the wrong way.
The one thing he does the right way...
is play golf.

If I was left to my own devices…
(mwhahaha)

I would make lefties conform and do things the right way…

but I also realize I should stop being so self-righteous, 

and accept that lefties (and PaulA)
have rights too. 

Right-handed Kat 

has finally left the building.

Happy 26th Birthday Bri

It's June Fif...as Bri used to call it 

before she figured out it had a th! 

(And why would we want to correct such a cute thang.)  

Brianna 

was born 26 years ago today...

our beautiful baby doll .

Chelsea had 2 baby dolls to play with

As luck would have it, 

Brianna was brought home to this chicken pox diseased duo 

...who couldn't wait to get their hands 

on their new baby sister.

Anywhoo....

As some of you know...

our nickname for Brianna is 

Wish, Wishy, Sweet Wish, Wish Queen of America

Her nickname comes from the Cinderella song 

"A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes." 

I would sing her that sweet Disney song at bedtime, 

kiss her goodnight and 

whisper "goodnight sweet wish."

The funny thing is as time went on...

she started asking for another request before I left her room.

Maybe another sweet Disney song?

naw... 

Her favorite request

after she let me humor myself with that sweet sappy song...

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

(to heck with the Disney song mom, let's get rowdy.) 

That should have been my clue way back then...

our Sweet Wish was gonna go to 

college in Boston,

work in the Seaport District, 

live in Southie

and be a wicked monsta Red Sox fan.  

Apparently I should have sung
a boisterous rendition of

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame"...

kissed her goodnight and 

whispered 
goodnight Sweet Caroline...
ba ba ba

so good, so good, so good

Neil Diamond approved

Happy Birthday Brianna

#26

Chillin' on a Monday

If you know me, you know where I was yesterday.

Hint:  Yesterday was free cone day at Dairy Queen.

Besides love for
God, my family, and my country…

I Love  ICE CREAM...especially soft serve.

 Through the years, I've turned PaulA into a lover…

(you know what I mean)

although 

he's not as freakishly fixated.

I have a long "history" with ice cream
so yesterday, as I sat chillin' with my D.Q.
a particular "ice cream story"
 that will remain frozen in time...
came to mind.

I call it:

"Ice, Ice, Baby."


Anywhooo.......

Way back in the day...

when PaulA and I would drive home 

from visiting his parents...

we would ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS stop at the Dairy Queen 

EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. 

It didn’t matter to me that PaulA didn't wanted ice cream…that was his loss.  

The DQ was a required stop…

even if we had just eaten a 

4 course meal complete with ala mode.

  

You see, 

I am a soft-serve junkie.


And so it goes...one day

PaulA and I had a disagreement. 

A minor spat, although no spitting was involved.

As we drove home in silence,  

I could see the DQ approaching….yup, DQ next stop. 

But instead of pulling into the parking lot...

PaulA drove right past it. 

Seeing, I am not any good at being SILENT…

I broke the ice with,  “I can’t believe you didn’t stop.”

PaulA, feigning ignorance, “Oh, you wanted me to stop?”

“Of course,” I said, 

“we ALWAYS stop…you know that.

”

He replied, “I’ll go back.”

So I continued ala childish behavior,

 “No, forget it. I don’t want it now.”

PaulA replied, “Well, I’m going back. I want a cone."

I bellowed, “Whaat? You never do.”

After turning the car around, 
PaulA came back from the D.Q.
holding a large vanilla cone.

As we continued down the road, 

PaulA loudly lapped his cone as he drove… 

“ahhh…this is so good…yumm.”

I am not sure what came over me at that moment. 

I didn’t even think about it. 

In one quick motion, I reached over, 

grabbed the cone out of his hand…

and threw it out my opened window. 

He looked at me….

I looked at him…. 

and we both cracked up laughing. 

Ice cream makes everyone chill.

"So good, it's riDQulous."

Happy St. Paddy's Day

St. Paddy's Day

A day to celebrate Irish history, customs, and spirits.

And 

a day to pay homage to St. Patrick

and St. Guiness.

They say 13 million pints will be drunk 

(or is that drank) on March 17.

Probably be drunk.

Even Princess Kate is hoisting a pint.

Anywhoooo...

Remember to get your shamrock on.

and partake in wearing o' the green...

otherwise you just might get pinched.

And don't hesitate to

Belt down a pint or two

Belt out "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"

and

Loosen your belt for some corn beef and cabbage.

Lucky for us 

after a night of Irish getting jiggy...

we can call on

St. Uber

to carry us home.

Happy St. Patrick's Day,

lads and lassies.

Happy Colintine's Day

Today is a twofer day...

and who doesn't like 2 for 1

2 for 1 drafts, 

2 for 1 concert tickets, 

2 for 1 Big Macs (maybe not)

but for our fam today is...

2 special days in 1

Colin's birthday and Valentine's Day

aka

Colintine's Day

Anywhooooo......

When I look back at the many photos I have of the kids

Colin is usually smiling but also

wearing an impish (I'm up to something) grin or 

(catch me if you can) gleam in his eye.  

(Watch out Big C...your bro is Trouble.)

His fav was the McD's Happy Meal bucket...

to wear, not carry.

I'm Lovin' it

That was then...

this is now.

Hold onto your hats, folks...

 Hats off to Colin

for making our Valentine's Day

a Twofer

 

and bringing 

joy and love into our hearts 

every day.

xoxox