Lesson 620: Big Waves

Welcome to the Lamp Post on Black Friday.

Thanksgiving 2019 

was full of ups and downs.

I hope you have all recovered 

from your day of feasting.

Eloise didn't head out shopping this morning.

Instead I took my wavy hair out to see

the damage from the big waves on a high lake. 

This was Lake Erie in the late afternoon,

the day before Thanksgiving.

 The photos just cannot capture 

how windy it actually was.

My lens couldn't quite communicate 

the damage to my parents lakefront cottage,

early Thanksgiving morning.

The lake broke through the barricades,

knocked out the front door,

broke a window,

and spewed its guts into the little cottage they've owned since 1988.

Thankfully,

no one was hurt.

A long winter is ahead,

and the sooner the lake freezes, the better.

A frozen shoreline protects the beach.

My feral cats are all set and ready for a long winter.

Light is on in the chicken coop,

and I'm anxiously waiting to capture

a little head with triangle ears

peering out the glowing window.

The swish and swooshes we hear 5 miles inland 

aren't Lake Erie waves--

it's the driveway hoop.

Basketball season is here again!

Hubby stole all my Chinese auction tickets

and put them in the golf basket.

It worked.

Happy Hubby.

Thanksgiving was moved to the Lamp Post this year

to make for an easier trip for Grandpa,

who is getting used to his new knee.

My kids were so excited to host

that they helped.
A lot!

On top of the cleaning and house prep,

I let them each pick something to prepare.

Natalie went with a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving platter,

with sides of bacon and pickles.

Ellen went with a beautiful,

Pinterest inspired

charcuterie board.

We have two Italian named chocolatiers in Erie--

maybe there is room for one more.

Sam made some homemade chocolates.

It took him four hours

and he did his own clean up!

Hubby's smoked ham turned out perfectly.

Probably because he dumped one of my Rolling Rocks 

on top of it.

And,

in keeping with my holiday kitchen disasters,

here were my homemade rolls.

Pioneer Woman made it look so easy on her TV show.

Even Hazel was disgusted.

She sat guard beneath the turkey all afternoon

and my parents never tripped over her.

Whew!

We still had a kids' table.

An awkward family photo.

Visiting friends.

And fun moments.

My sister complained my house was too hot,

so we locked her out.

In summary,

Thanksgiving at the Lamp Post had its ups and downs,

just like the waves.

To leave you all with an up--

check out this video from a Charlotte area church

from a few years ago.

That is your only homework for the holiday weekend.

See you in December!

Eloise

Lesson 619: H-Town

Hello, Readers.
So, what's the latest in H-Town,
my Happenin' Hometown of Harborcreek, PA?

It's been chilly,
and I need my gloves,
but Hazel ate them.

She's on my S***List.



My daughters also lost one of each of these, too.
S***List for them, too.




My nephew Jack made it back into H-Town
for Thanksgiving break.



Eloise is hosting Turkey Day this year
so Grandpa and his bionic knee can have a
UTV escort from next door.

I'm hoping to pull this off,



but I know full well
it could really turn out more like this:

Between holiday prep
and last week's fascination,
I snapped very few photos,
a record low
of
just
6
shots.

What's the latest fascination, Eloise?




Short for Sh!t-Town.
Aka, Woodstock, Alabama.

I learned all about it in the S-Town podcast
hosted by This American Life's Brian Reed.
I don't think anything has captured my attention
as much as John B. McLemore has.



The story isn't what I thought it was when I first started listening.
And to be truthful,
the deep southern accent was hard to think around,
but I got used to it after awhile.

As far as the art of storytelling goes,
I've never listened to a better listening composition
than what Brian Reed put together.




Investigative journalism is so compelling.



S Town is just seven chapters,
and I was sad for it to end.
But since I finished on Thursday,
I've been surfing the internet for more information
and there are lots of updates and interviews.
Brian Reed won a Peabody Award for his work.
Do not Google. 
You'll spoil it.

Eloise is late in the game on this one.
I couldn't find the most current statistic,
but can state with certainty that it's been downloaded
over 80 million times since 2017.

I think what struck me so
is listening to the different sides of this story.
Teachers have to do it every day.
Billy's side of the schoolyard fight.
Bobby's side of the schoolyard fight.
3 bystanders side of the schoolyard fight.
The kid who witnessed the recess fight,
then you learned he was inside at recess making up his work.



There are never just two sides to any story,
there are many.



It's hard to define John B. McLemore.
I think no one will argue his genius.

Clocks.
Time keeping.
Alchemy.
Climate Change.
Pain.

It's all there in this really crazy story.
It's not for kids.
Some of the subject matter is sensitive,
especially chapter 6,
so don't say I didn't warn you.

I don't think I'd choose an episode of S-Town
over the 24 hour Christmas music station
when you are driving around for your holiday errands.
But, this story is different
and it will hold your attention.

What's got my attention right now
is a bubble bath and a White Claw.
Got to rest up for a weekend
of H-Town Hoops
and Holiday Prep.
Oh,
and that little match up of
Penn State vs Ohio State.
That, too.



Have a great weekend.
Eloise

Lesson 618: Songs About Rainbows

Hello, Readers.

Eloise had to bust out the winter hat

and my winter nighttime reflective jacket!

As we zoom into mid November,

the temps are dipping in Erie.

November 13th was Kindness Day.

This year, we've attached a warm cardigan to it

in honor of Mr. Rogers!

This is my favorite post that was circulating.

What wonderful people they were!

I would quiz you on the identities

of Bob Ross, the Happy Painter,

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter,

and Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood,

but I have a few videos to watch 

for your weekend homework instead.

It's OK.

It's 2019.

You are allowed to watch youtube videos for homework.

I assign them all the time now.

Here's the first one.

Watch this on Mr. Rogers message to his adult fans.

Here is the full PBS news article if you prefer reading.

Kids like choices,

so I may as well offer choice to my adult readers, too.

CLICK HERE for PBS story on Mr. Rogers

Here is another good one--

Fred Rogers acceptance speech 

for his Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thinking about Mr. Rogers this week brought me back

to the 1970's.

I only have to turn my gaze east to remember,

as I live next door to where I grew up.

Images of playing "house" and "school",

riding my bike through muddy indents 

on the then dirt covered Firman Road,

Saturday morning cartoons,

and The Muppet Show. 

Oh, how I loved The Muppet Show!

Imagine the coincidence,

than in the same week,

two of my favorite country music stars

sang Rainbow Connection

at the Country Music Awards.

Quiet your house,

dim the lights,

and enjoy the beauty of this simple song.

It was my favorite of the night.

Every week I write my own Song About Rainbows
about my colorful life.

RED

My sister had the most hysterical typo 

this week,

which has kept me red cheeked from laughing.

She was writing a note to her customer for Stitch Fix

to include with the order.

The woman,

was a 53 year old named Virginia.

If you have ever read any messages

or texts or posts from my sister,

trying to decipher them 

is like reading a foreign language.

Typing too quickly, she wrote,

Hello, Vagina!

It's a pleasure to style you today!

I've included some pieces to keep you warm and cozy this winter!

Thankfully, 

she caught the mistake before she clicked SEND.

Lesson for the weekend:
Proofread.

ORANGE

YELLOW

Sam had a few weeks to come home after school 

since football ended.

It sure is nice to have him helping around the house.

He took care of a bump on Natalie's head,

brought back the garbage cans,

walked Hazel,

and unloaded the dishwasher--

all without us asking him to.

I asked Sam why he was so motivated,

thinking that he was fishing for some cash.

He shrugged and replied,

I just saw it was stuff that needed to be done,

so I did it.

12 and a half years of daily instruction--

and he finally passed the test!

GREEN

Broccoli was our food of the week,

as I made a bit of a mistake on our on-line shopping order.

Hazel ate my favorite Kirkland's tree

but I fixed it!

BLUE

Winter outdoor exercise is one of my favorite things!
Handsome in his blue jeans and black hat agrees.

This is a great book!
It's not a fitness book
or a diet book,
but a wellness book
with great tips and advice
and lots and lots of fantastic photos.

BLUESY-PINKISH-PURPLES

Ahh,
the fall skies!

WHITE

My favorite deaf,

white,

blue-eyed alpaca,

I've named Helen.

Here's a song,

not about a rainbow,

but about a Homecoming Queen.

I head this one on the Country Music Awards.

I owed my 19 year old a birthday song,

but my computer equipment has been down 

for a couple of months.

I've finally got it all back up and running,

just in time for this song.

Happy very belated birthday, Ellen!

ELOISE