One of the Good Guys

This Brad with Gabe. Yesterday was Brad's birthday and Gabe baked him a giant cupcake. Brad and my daughter have been buddies since Kindergarten. When he finished school his dad offered him a job at his company. Brad said he wanted to be a Marine. So he did just that. After Afghanistan he came home and took that job with dad. And became one of Gabe's heroes. It's a long story why my daughter is a single mother. Everyone's life has some drama in it,I won't bother you with mine. Her new partner is a fine man that Gabe loves dearly. But she has also let a few others help in his mentoring.Brad is a tall, strong and silent type.God knows what he saw over there. We kind of know what the Corps taught him. But not this. As he held Gabe he hugged him and told Gabe that he made him feel special. And that's the reason for the grin and the thumbs up. Oh yeah one of the good guys.

A Good Cause

If you have never visited The Bottom of the Ironing Basket and met Simone you really should. Her blog is a joy to behold, with wonderful photos and interesting posts. She will become a highlight in your blogging day. But that aside, she is doing something beyond the blogging world. She is running to raise money to fight breast cancer. I'm not going to lecture on this cause, I have a sister fighting this battle. I'm just asking you to consider going here and making a donation to her goal. You can use Paypal. Thanks

Eureka!

About mid morning yesterday I had a post all written in my head. Lord knows there is lots of free space in my cranium. It was to be a fiery rant about this woman I had observed in action. She was the perfect storm of bad manners colliding with a front of pure "lack of breeding", followed by a strong disturbance of mean and ugly. Then a few things were tossed my way by what ever fates have jurisdiction over the Great Rust Belt. While shopping I came across a young man, 20 something, helping his elderly mother. Tall, lean and handsome, he was wearing a brown herringbone jacket, tattersall shirt, jeans and deck shoes. He had it going on. A calm spot in a sea of tee shirted turmoil.

Then I went to my favorite thrift shop to find a replacement TV for Gabe's bedroom. What do I spy? New in the box still wrapped in tissue paper with a $175.00 price tag? Johnston and Murphy Cervino boots in oxblood. No way they would be... YES my size! For $6.99! As I headed for the check out what do I see on the $.99 rack? A genuine madras shirt,again in my size, staring seductively back at me. I scurried (OK, I'm too big and old to scurry but you know what I mean) home with my loot. I grabbed a cup of coffee and turned on the TV. Now comes the eureka bit. Regis and Kelly pop up and I prepare to change the channel. Then Regis says he feels the need to name the genre of style to which he belongs. He dubs it "geezer chic" I love it, its me.

PS

I remembered Gabe's TV.

Old Navy sweater

I guess I should start warning you to look away if you are tired of photos of the Little Rat Pack. I sometimes forget that not everyone adores them as I do. But its my blog so.....here's Ethan. A manly hooded sweater with elbow patches from, as I said, Old Navy. And yes those are Chuck One Stars. As ADG says. shut up! Gabe is suited up for opening day, which was last Saturday. He went 2 for 2 so he is wearing a big grin. It was cold and windy, but a good time was had by all.