September 28, 2017

As fellow players in the great unwritten drama of the Lightner family, it is only fair that I should introduce The Neighbors (at least some of them) in Their Own Words.

Paula: I don't start fights. I end them.

Ashanti: Heeeyyy, girl!

Melvin: Butter.

Donna: I'm gay.

Lance: If you can't have a good day, have a great one.

Leonidas: I'm gonna KEEEL you!

Tyrone: (silence) Regal wave. (Tyrone, being deaf, is a man of few words.)

Unnamed neighbor woman: Chris? Chris? Chris? Chris? CHRIIIIS? CHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS?

Sedrah: No.

Ibtisam: I'm a little bit ok.

Other important players, though they lack speaking roles, include Coke, the one-eyed Chihuahua, DeShawn's treed basketball, The Man With The Black Cadillac, and the various F-15s who call the St. Louis airspace home.

September 25, 2017

Qorban is two months old! It's gone by in a flash. Maybe the second baby always grows up faster...Qorban certainly has.

September 18, 2017

On Saturday the boys and I went to a potluck. Amos was on a trip. It was the day of the annual Hot Air Balloon Steeplechase, so we all sat and watched as a flock (or bevy?) of colorful hot air balloons drifted by overhead, some so low you could hear the hiss of the torch than heats the gas inside. Zadok wanted me to get them for him and I explained that while they looked quite small, the size of ordinary "blow up" balloons, they were actually huge, taller than our house. I'm not sure he understood. I remember when I was a bit older than him and flying on an airplane for the first time I was awestruck that someone had taken the time to set up an entire miniature city, plant toy trees, and range little battery powered cars in lines so they would drive up and down the roads.

I didn't get photos of the potluck or the balloons, but I did create a delicious potato salad especially for the event:

Balloon Race Potato Salad

7-8 medium russet potatoes
4 hard boiled eggs
2 stalks celery
3 sprigs green onion
1/2-2/3 cup dill pickles, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 TBSP white vinager
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, mix thoroughly, let chill about two hours and sprinkle with paprika for a little exra flavor and color.

September 12, 2017

Duplos win the 2017 award for Best Toy Ever...

Hours of fun...

And almost unlimited options for creating weird and wacky vehicles.

Thank you Aunt Esther! Zadok wanted to share these photos with you.


And...a bonus shot from the Jungle. I had to hide in a blind for hours to get this rare and exclusive photo. Qorban is not crying!

September 6, 2017

Zadok, while looking at pictures of different animals commented, "That's a WOOSTER. It says "Woo Woo." Makes sense. What else would a wooster say?