016.394 -- Happy Birthday Jackie!

640.73 -- Buying stuff

A new no-interest credit card has prompted the purchase of several things we've been putting off, including new ceiling fans and a new mattress set. While Matt and I were fumbling with the former, Charlie was enjoying the latter.

910.4 -- I laughed, I cried

I cannot recommend this book more. It gets a little supernatural at the end of the chapters on India, but all-in-all, it's extremely insightful... and funny!

796.357 -- SWEEP!

My husband loves baseball. In New York, he subscribed to the Reds games on the Internet. When asked his favorite season, his reply is "baseball." Little wonder we ended up with a partial season ticket package this year: 3 series, 3 games each, plus Opening Day.

But these were not just any three series. We're talking admission to some of the most popular series the Reds will play this season. This weekend, for instance, the Cincinnati Reds played interleague rival the Cleveland Indians in the "Ohio Cup." Because we had tickets to the entire Reds vs. Indians series, we got to go Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Except Matt had National Guard on Sunday, so he didn't get to see

THE REDS SWEEP THE INDIANS!!

Now, if you know me, you know that I'm not really a die hard sports fan. Baseball is probably my favorite, and I'm getting more and more into it hanging around that guy I live with. It's just not something I ever grew up with or paid attention to, no matter who was winning.

But, man... that game was cool.

I didn't have a camera for any of this weekend's games, but these are from the game we attended last year over Block Leave. (We were right on the dugout!)

Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Norris Hopper, and Ken Griffey, Jr. after a spectacular base-clearing play.

There he is, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. 30/30 himself ready to wallop another one. (One of this weekend's games was Brandon Phillips 30/30 Bobblehead night... which is the only reason I know what 30/30 means).

Last year, rookie pitcher Homer Bailey (whose name I cannot hear without thinking of donuts) was touted as being the next big thing. He's back in the minors this year. These are stills of him pitching that I threw together for effect.

635.9647 -- The grass is sometimes greener

The projects around the house continue.

For the last week (dodging rain drops) we have been working on the large bare spot in our back yard. It is approximately the size of an above ground swimming pool. Which leads me to believe there was once an above ground swimming pool there. (I know, I should be a detective right?)

Anyway, we started by killing the legion of weeds that had made their homes in the sandy, rocky and very clay-ey soil. It took two coats of Roundup to get everything. Earlier this week, Matt used a borrowed tiller on the area, and ... SURPRISE! There was healthy, moist soil underneath all the crap!

Then it rained for about 5 days straight.

Last night, we borrowed a wheel barrow and removed all the clumps of dead stuff (and a lot of the sand), re-raked it, and sprinkled LOTS of grass seed (the tall fescue variety). We're supposed to get some more rain today and early next week, so hopefully that will work to our advantage.

Fingers crossed!

(image (c) Photographing My Way Through Life | used with author's permission)

394.2628 -- Mothers' Day

Happy Mothers' Day!

Mom and me in front of the Jefferson County Bulk Milk store


Grandma Bresler, and me, and cousin Micaela at my brother's graduation from Basic Training

cousin Samantha, aunt (and Godmother) Sharon, and me outside of Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford

mother-in-law Terrie and me posing for a birthday picture for Matt