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Why is my cat’s tail sparkling with glitter #30BrighterDays

    The question: Why is Toby’s tail full of glitter at 7AM. Or, rather, how on this actual earth. The answer: The bathtub where a certain cat likes to hang out. This answer also solves the mystery “why those fancy bath bombs were on sale buy one get one half off.” Related: look out for a glittery 11 year old running around camp today. Talk about a brighter day. *** I’m out of town for my annual girls weekend with my grade school gals. See you next week (or maybe on Facebook if inspiration strikes)  

    Market lake day #30BrighterDays

      I finally got to the farmers’ market yesterday. I also got to Lake Mendota with my friend Kate for a stand-up paddle. This morning I heard my first back-to-school ad reminding me about all sorts of to-dos and changes ahead. Grab your market and lake days by the shoulders and kiss them on both cheeks.

      Off The Menu #30BrighterDays

        My friend Deb posted a picture of these crunch cones on Facebook, and I had to try one. DQ doesn’t list crunch cones on the menu– I guess because they’re a bygone favorite. Many DQ’s don’t even offer them. Ours does!! And now I know my order forever more BECAUSE OMG SO YUMMY. This is not a sponsored post, btw. Culver’s makes their own tasty veggie burgers– not listed on the menu. At the end of hot yoga class the instructors often give each person a cold scented washcloth during shivasana (rest) aka the best… Read More »Off The Menu #30BrighterDays

        Brightness in hard times #30BrighterDays

          This morning I found this little soul on our back deck under the bird feeder; a shock of brightness even in death. I thought about all the loss and suffering around me right now– all the tragic status updates, obituaries, and GoFundMes. Today they reside at arm’s length, happening to friends, friends-of-friends, or community members I don’t even know. Empathy comes naturally for most of us–and sometimes, for me, in a consuming way. My compassion can get hijacked into personalizing grief that really isn’t mine. Loss terrifies me, and sometimes it’s hard to put the… Read More »Brightness in hard times #30BrighterDays

          This Guy #30BrighterDays

            Feeling slightly crappy today due to what I shall call Imig Family Virus Month, but then I scrolled through my photo and found this guy. You might know him as your average outdoor city wall sconce. Average, no longer.  Thank you googly-eye wizard, whomever you are.

            Go take a time-out #30BrighterDays

              Yesterday, I put myself in a time-out. Instead of going to my room, I went to a nearby park. Apparently a few chipmunks, several baby bunnies, a toad, a turkey, and a butterfly were on a time-out, too. I highly recommend it.

              Beyond 100 episodes #30BrighterDays

                I got to see my friend Leah last night.   Leah grew up down the street from me in Madison, but we really became friends when she hired me to help her sell syndicated TV time in Chicago in 1999. The benchmark for syndication is 100 episodes. Every TV series hopes to hit that golden threshold, though relatively few survive that many seasons. Syndication (aka reruns) equals a big payout for everyone involved. The Ann and Leah series spans decades, with plenty more than 100 episodes and counting.  She makes me smile in every single… Read More »Beyond 100 episodes #30BrighterDays

                Not Awesome! Still worth it. #30BrighterDays

                  Sunday night we went to a neighborhood festival on the other side of town, aka the cool side. We drove in circles for twenty minutes looking for parking. We eventually found a place a mile away, which added a fun layer for the younger half of us not crazy about the idea of going to the festival in the first place, and especially not crazy about walking on legs, generally speaking. After our parking pilgramage, we enjoyed our free entry at long-last, only to spend thirty minutes circling the food tents deciding which treat to… Read More »Not Awesome! Still worth it. #30BrighterDays

                  Lunch Forever (and maybe why our parents always want to feed us) #30BrighterDays

                    An addendum to yesterday’s list of chores for my kids: packing lunches. I still pack their lunches. I packed my own lunch starting in third grade; usually a piece of baloney–dry, straight-up–on white bread with an apple chaser. But I decided I might pack my kids lunches for ever. Listen, I have zero desire to return to Life With Littles, however nowhere in tween/teen parenting can you find the pure satisfaction that comes from the thorough completion of all-child-needs attended to, as one does with a well-fed, straight out of the bath, wrapped in a… Read More »Lunch Forever (and maybe why our parents always want to feed us) #30BrighterDays

                    A-Okay #30BrighterDays

                      Sometimes tiny kids wake-up from naps uber-grumps with flaming cheeks and whiny cries. They drink their milk with a pinched brow and refuse to be put down. We used to call those “hard wake-ups.” Monday morning I woke up to my least favorite thing– a dirty kitchen full of last night’s dishes, and no Mr. Coffee waiting. Typically my husband Ben cleans the kitchen at night and prepares Mr. Coffee, but he was ill and coughing all night long.  As my body temperature soared, I realized the air conditioner had broken overnight. Naturally I then… Read More »A-Okay #30BrighterDays