Friday Orts and a Blurb

Seen this morning just down the street from the House on the Corner

Wow! Friday, already? I guess I can mark that off my list of things I now have said that I never in a million years would have guessed I would ever say. Whippersnappers, time does go more quickly as your odometer numbers get higher.

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Today is a day when I'm sorry you don't all live in Kansas. Let me re-phrase that: I'm always sorry you don't all live in Kansas because I like the idea of being able to invite you all over for rolls and tomato preserves (who knew so many of you had never heard of this delicacy?) but today I'm sorry you don't live here because you'll never believe how gorgeous the exact center of the United States can be in August.

We are in the next-to-the-last day of what is normally a pretty bleak month in the Sunflower State, when  everything normally looks parched and dried-out. This summer, though, we've had unbelievably mild summer temperatures (think 80s) and lots of rain and the beginning of fall looks like spring. Roses and honeysuckle everywhere.

Kansas, you're a gorgeous girl.

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 There are certain television commercials that make me laugh every. single. time. This is one of them:

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A transcription of an online conversation with a son:

Me, on Monday: Well, thanks to Miley Cyrus, I now know what twerking is.

Boy#2: There are some phrases you should never hear your mother say. That is one of them.

Well, okay.

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Thanks for this image, Amazon!

And finally, the Blurb of the Week:

This Kansas summer that has been practically rain-forest-ish in comparison to our usual Sahara-like conditions also has been delightful for our blood-sucking companions, the mosquitoes.

I hate to itch. Hate it, hate it, hate it. When I have been bitten by a mosquito, I am a most unpleasant person to be around. I was deeply concerned that I'd be eaten alive at our church carnival last week and I came thiiiiiis close to not signing up to participate for this very reason. But because I also hate spraying on chemical repellants (What? I am a fragile orchid of delicacy.) I decided to try the Clip-on Off.

People, it worked! I spent three hours outside during the twilight hours, and when I finished my only battle wound was the blister on my index finger from tying off all those balloon animals. Not a single bite.

Put this one in the "I love it!" column, and only partly because I love the paradoxical nature of its name, even though I do.