Friday Follies...

We finally made it (again)...end of another week.

And, we also got out of this "rut" we were in here in the Heartland with our weather.
Gonna be a whole new (and nice) ballgame today, kids.
(now, if only the local aborigines and assorted mooks will behave - yeah, I can dream).
Our Hoosierland weather for today will see us with something that's a bit on the stingy side for most of the week - SUNSHINE. Got a nice sunny day ahead of us, with temps reaching up to around 70 degrees.
Can't get much nicer than that. Not that cool, not that hot, and not that soggy.
Now, what say we all get our Friday Fortitude poured and parked close-at-hand, as we see what's going on elsewhere, shall we?
*** First out of the cereal box is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
May 6 -
---Today is NATIONAL BEVERAGE DAY

(something we ALL can take part in)
---It's also NATIONAL CREPE SUZETTE DAY

(not really into crepes, but to each his/her own)
---It's NATIONAL NURSES DAY

(even doctors need some help)
---It's NATIONAL SPACE DAY

(you KNOW this isn't celebrating the area between a moron's ears...lol)
---And, it's NATIONAL MILITARY SPOUSE APPRECIATION DAY

(sorry, none at our house)
---It's NATIONAL PROVIDER APPRECIATION DAY

(don't we all provide something for someone?)
*** Since we're also ending our week, let's take a look at what's going on over the following 48 hours:
May 7 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL BARRIER AWARENESS DAY

(if only people paid more attention, right?)
---It's also NATIONAL PACKAGING DESIGN DAY

(can't really say this is a biggie for me)
---And, it's NATIONAL PASTE UP DAY

(maybe we should "adhere" to this one?)
---It's also NATIONAL ROAST LEG OF LAMB DAY

(finally, something with FOOD in it)
---It's JOIN HANDS DAY

(a tree-hugger's event, no doubt)
---And, it's NATIONAL BOMBSHELLS DAY
(try not to drop any of those - it's a Victoria Secret thing)
---It's also NATIONAL HOMEBREW DAY

(Chris has got this one covered, I think)
---And, it's NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY

(works well with that paste up day gig)
---It's NATIONAL START SEEING MONARCHS DAY

(the butterfly and NOT the ruler of kingdoms)
---It's NATIONAL BABYSITTERS DAY

(no babies - no sitters. Simple, huh?)
---It's NATIONAL BIRTH MOTHERS DAY

(right on the eve of...)
---And last for Saturday, it's NATIONAL TRAIN DAY

(aside from museum pieces, not much to look at these days)
May 8 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL COCONUT CREAM PIE DAY

(I'll take several, please)
---It's also NATIONAL HAVE A COKE DAY

(what...no SMILE to go along with that? Gimme a Dr. Pepper)
---And, it's MOTHER'S DAY

(more on that in a bit)
There you go then. Plenty of things to keep you occupied and out of the local jails.
Moving on...
*** There was another good "letter to the editor" in today's paper about this annexation, and from another city councilman. Here's the link to the page:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columns/Discussion--details-are-essential-on-annexation-12896966

Michael Barranda lends his voice to that of Jason Arp (and others) about this "land grab".
And while some may think this move by the city a worthy venture, the faces behind such voices are part of that "good old boy" network.
Barranda permits us to see the other side to that coin, which paints a very different story.
More truth in this than can be found in a lot of other offices downtown, that's for sure.
It's a really good read.
*** Next, places like Eagle Lake (development) are seeing THEIR roads deteriorating. Who'da thunk that?
His royal highness, King Henry did a presser to address it. Here's the link:
http://wane.com/2016/05/05/city-announces-neighborhood-improvements-projects/

Court of the Crimson King?

A third year for a  "record investment" in city streets...well, if the streets were BUILT a lot better, we wouldn't be going down this road (pun intended) AS often, would we?
Meanwhile, we don't even have proper berms along OUR streets down here, nor do we have sidewalks on ALL the streets. Sure is nice to get ignored for decades, but nice areas don't have to suffer such things, do they?

That's gonna leave a lot of marks.

Maybe if more streets were TAR instead of CONCRETE, they wouldn't erode near as fast as they currently do.
*** Next up, had some issues yesterday around our "Fortress" that we usually have to attend to this time every year.
We started to have kids (from baby-mama's crib across the street) hanging out on OUR corner.

When they're NOT in the damn street milling about.

That's always a portent to MORE activity on our property (sucks having a corner one sometimes). I politely asked them to "hang out someplace else, like over there" (their corner). One kid was trying to give me some sass back (not gonna work, kid. You will know what respect is when we're finished). No reasoning with the educationally-impaired. You learn that quickly down here.

The second item was this incessant LOUD MUSIC emanating from the other end of the block (location undetermined). After TWO calls into FWPD to have an officer address it, it still persisted...for about FOUR HOURS. Now, it wasn't (c)rap music, but something akin to what Hispanics play, so I was thinking some lame-ass "Cinco de Mayo" garbage. In any event, it's not respectful when you're trying to watch a movie and can still hear the thumping INSIDE your house with the windows closed, right?
No fun having to live in "Mookville", and certainly no fun to see problems never getting the attention they truly deserve. We need some problem-oriented policing around here, plain and simple.
*** Next, today is the opening across the states of the newest film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: CAPTAIN AMERICA - CIVIL WAR.

I'm betting the DVD comes out before Christmas - another "must have" for me.
And, I'm wagering that opening weekend might well see a $200 million dollar box office. If it makes over $207 MIL, it will top the first Avengers movie, and secure it's place as the LARGEST opening in the USA.
So far, the reviews have been very good all around, and that usually tells the tale when it comes to receipts.
I know that people like myself will find this movie to be a damn fine way to spend a couple hours. My only "beef" with this, is that there is this push to "choose a side".
I really can't, but I understand the basis for the division in the ranks of these superheroes.
And, naturally, you have "big government" and over-regulations to blame for this "break-up".

Could it be that art is imitating life? Sure seems that way.
But at least, THIS time around, it's a nice ride.
*** Last back to the fridge...Sunday is Mother's Day, and let's face it, without THEM none of us would be here, right?

And THIS is pretty much EVERY day.

That's a given.
There's not a day goes by where I don;t think of my Mom (and my Dad for that matter), but I can recall with clarity a LOT of what my mother had to offer me in the way of advice. She set a good example, and I really could not ask for a better mom for all the tea in China. And, I hope I have managed to live up to her expectations.
See, my generation thought about things such as that, because we had this sense of family.
You still have that around, just not in as much abundance as we did say, forty or fifty years ago.
Mothers today have a whole new set of "dynamics" they must deal with, although the core values for their children have not changed that much. Mom still sets the pace, quickly admonishes bad behaviors, and yet, is equally as quick to reward good behaviors. She "rules the roost" as it were, even if Dad isn't there.

But in my day, mothers took on more than they do today. They cooked (all meals, EVERY DAY, even on Sundays, unless Dad took us out to a proper restaurant). She cleaned the house, prepared lunches for Dad and myself, did laundry, bought groceries, took care of any pets, mended clothing and STILL kept on ticking (like that proverbial Timex watch). You could simply not ask for more from any person, and that's why Dad and I always took Mom out for Mother's Day, bought her flowers and just celebrated WHO SHE WAS in our lives.
Maybe the dissolution of the traditional family unit has a lot to do with how Mother's Day has changed. Perhaps WE have changed as well, and maybe the manner that mothers operate today have also changed.
Whatever the case, and whatever the reason, there is no excuse to NOT celebrate our Moms. Even if they were not the "model" we hoped for, they still gave us life, and that alone should be worth the journey we find ourselves taking.

Perhaps we should take a moment to say some simple things like: "Here's to you, Mom. Thanks for everything. Always love you". Such words carry importance and will always go a very long way.
DO have yourselves a great weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today , and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.