Lots to discuss

1. As promised, here is my walking tour of downtown LA. I was going to make it its own post but it was turning into the Atlas Shrugged of tourism so I made it a link instead. It's detailed, folks. I want you to see the high points and eat good food and not get lost in the process. If you do it I would love to hear how it goes and any suggestions you have (maybe too long? the directions are crazy? I don't know). And as always, I am happy to take anyone around as a guide. My only stipulation is that you don't complain about the traffic. Move to Iowa if you don't want traffic and marvel at their magnificent soy fields. (Okay, I actually do love their soy fields.)

2. Dear School Behind My Home. Is it not enough? I mean, is it really not enough that your parents clog the streets in my neighborhood with their massive SUVs and your kids drop their candy wrappers and chip bags on my lawn and on the occasion of a day off I can't hear my TV or enjoy a book in silence because you're blasting party anthems all day long? It must not be enough because marching band practice has started up again and the other morning I endured some kid banging out the same cadence on a quad drum over and over and over again for a full hour. Oh, summer was sweet. And now the Autumn/Winter/Spring of my discontent has returned. Do not make me resort to lobbing eggs over the fence. Best Wishes for a Quick Resolve, Your Justifiably Cranky Neighbor.

3. Do you know what I pray for every day? That my friends and loved ones make a million dollars selling Lularoe leggings (and such) but that they do so without adding me to any of their Facebook groups. How do I tell them nicely that I love them and that I want them to be ridiculously successful and be able to support their family while wearing stretchy pants and over-sized shirts from the comfort of their home but that I don't want any part of it? I simply do not want to go to their parties or buy their clothes. I hope all of their multi-level marketing dreams come true, just without me having to continuously go through the process of removing myself from their groups.

4. At 11 am on Saturday Katie got word that she had won a lottery to get $20 tickets to see the 2 pm show of Newsies out in Hollywood. Of course we dropped everything and went. We were orchestra level, dead center and 19 rows back. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. This is the 3rd time we've seen it which I originally thought qualified us as super fans. But the guy sitting next to us had seen it 4 times...THAT WEEK. He said it was his 10th or 11th time seeing it total. He also bought his kids every Newsies related tchotchke they sold out in the lobby including newsboy caps and newsie teddybears. His boy even ran up during intermission to grab one of the newspapers they threw off the stage during one of the songs. I should have asked him if has was a crazed fanatic for all musicals or just this one. Either way, I get it. It's a fun show.

5. In the spirit of conservation I saved the syrup I boiled my peaches in for the peach cobbler I made for yesterday's BBQ at the Appels (Thanks, guys. Let's be friends for literally forever.) and I poured it on my french toast I made for dinner tonight and topped it with the leftover whipped cream from said cobbler and holy cats was it the greatest thing I've ever eaten. Don't you love how often breakfast foods can be turned into desert?