BenSpark Family Adventures

Photo-A-Day #02709 We went to IKEA today after school to get a few things for Eva and Collega nd Andy and their room. Andy wants to put a workspace into their closet. So we picked up up a desktop that we will have to cut down by an inch. The closet has molding on the inside and the desktop is a shade too large for the space. Andy is holding a pegboard that we'll be putting up on the wall of the closet. With that andy can organize items for their crafting projects. Let's hope this works out.

Photo-A-Day #02708 The other day Eva and I went to The Blue Pride Bistro for lunch and there were some items being sold by the school from the Welding students. They had made a bunch of Cast Iron Butterflies. I thought this one would be a great addition to the garden.

Photo-A-Day #02707 We went to the Food Truck night over at Capron Park for dinner. This is an activity that we enjoy going to each time it comes to the park. So many great food trucks to choose from. I went with some Birria Tacos and Allison had a Birria burrito bowl. Andy went with meatball sliders and some fries from Friskies. Eva went with the standing order of General's chicken on Fries from Friskies. We ran into Eva's theater teacher, Mrs. Strunin and her family. Andy saw a friend from school, too. After dinner we got some desserts. Allison and I split the Fluffernutter churro and ice cream. Eva was full and Andy got some Dell's.   Later on we called cousin Dylan to wish him a Happy Birthday! Another teen in the family!

Photo-A-Day #02706 I was in Target today and saw a new flavor for gruns. These are vitamins in a gummy form. Usually it is a cherry flavor but they partnered with Popsicle and now have the Firecracker flavor. I misread the price and ended up buying these to try them out. See if the vitamins are any good. In the background I have a USB-C hub because I got a new computer at work and it has less inputs than it used to have. I was having trouble using two screens at work and also having other important things connected. Now I am all set. This is pretty useful overall. I can get back to using the setup that works best for me. It looks like no one ate any more of the pretzels through the day. So I can have a few later.

Photo-A-Day #02705 Today at The Philly Pretzel Factory we had an order for a large rivet tray for 2:!5pm. I made it and got it all ready but no one came to pick it up. I called the customer at 2:45 and they told me that they ordered it for tomorrow at 1:30pm. That was really far off from what I had for info. I let the boss know and updated the slip. So, with no one to take it I took it in to work. We are going to start making pizzas, too and Tim had me make one as an example. Tim has been making Mushroom melts so we had mushroom and pepperoni and so I used that. I have an idea for a future pizza and I'll see about making it next week.

Photo-A-Day #02704 Today the Blue Pride Bistro had their last couple days to be open. Instead of individual meals they had a buffet and when I saw it I knew we had to go for a very specific item: Corned Beef Burnt Ends. The first time through the line they were dry but when they brought out more they were so tender and tasty. We tried a few other things like Steak and Cheese Grilled Cheese, Burger Sliders and Mojo tacos. They also had desserts. Good stuff.

Photo-A-Day #02703 I have moved the IKEA futon out of my office and into the living room. My intent is to sell it or give it away. Now I have access to the window just in time to stuck the air conditioner into that window. 

Photo-A-Day #02702 Tonight we went to see Andy's play: Shrek Jr. : The Musical. Andy ran the sound for the play and did a great job. Andy even had to play the slide whistle every time Pinocchio's nose grew. I think that was Andy's favorite part. Before the play Eva and I had a movie afternoon. We watched The Lost Boys because Eva is now obsessed with the new Broadway musical, The Lost Boys. So we had to watch the original so that Eva would see where the musical got the inspiration. I'd love to get own down to New York at some point and take the family to see the show. Don't know if we'll get a chance before Eva heads to college but that would be fun. After the play we went to Wetherlaines for dinner with Uncle Jim. Uncle Jim and Aunt Donna both went to see the play, too. Aunt Donna had to do some errand so she did not join us for dinner. It was a nice night and good meal. As we were there someone came screaming around with an electric bike as Uncle Jim was telli...

Photo-A-Day #02701 Today I went to see the new movie : The Masters of The Universe. This was the new He-Man movie and it was really entertaining. I never had any of the toys while growing up but my best friend Ryan had all of them and I played He-Man with him when I was a kid.It was a fun movie to see and I really enjoyed it. In the afternoon I received the rewards from the latest Kickstarter that I backed. These were from author S.L. Rowland. These books are special editions of his Tales of Aedrea series. Cozy adventure books and I've read two of them that I really enjoyed. I have not read the third and fourth ones but I now have the 3rd and another kickstarter is coming for the fourth that will be done in this very special edition way.

Photo-A-Day #02700 Today was the Attleboro Pride event. Allison and I went to Mass at 11 and then hopped over to Shaw's to pick up dour food order. then we went over to Chubb's Blue Pig BBQ and split an order of Pork Belly Burnt Ends. They were excellent. From Chubb's we walked over toe City Hall where they do the flag raising ceremony. Many of the local politicians spoke and also students from the High School and also school administrators. It was a nice ceremony with some very well done speeches. Senator Paul Feeney was very well spoken and had a strong message. When the ceremony was over we walked back to our car and then drove to the library so that we could go to Balfour Riverwalk Park. At the Riverwealk there were many tents set up with various organizations and a couple of vendors plus School of Rock was providing entertainment. We caught up with Scott Domineci, Eva's nemesis. I gave him one of my Safe Person pins. He had a great "Free Dad Hugs" shirt o...

Photo-A-Day #02699 Today was my 30th College Reunion from Saint Anselm College. Allison and I drove up from home in the morning to arrive for the lunch on the open space in front of Joan of Arc Hall. That area had been a parking lot the whole time that I was a student and when I worked at the college. Now it is a almost like a second quad. It is a nice place to hang out. We did run into two of my former classmates but that was it for lunch. We sat with some of the Golden Anselmians. It seemed as if people were only coming for the class dinner tonight. We walked all over campus looking at the new buildings and a lot of the landscaping that has been done over the years to make it look even nicer. It was always a pretty campus but it is even nicer now. We eventually made our way up the hill where we were going to an event called Beers and Benedictines. But first we walked through the Abbey Church. I don't think that Allison had ever been inside before. The Beers and Benedictines was a...

Photo-A-Day #02698 I saw on Facebook that one Philly Pretzel Factory location was making their butter cream with sprinkles on top. I doubt that they were specifically for Pride but I like to think that they could be. Not at my store since I do not get the impression that it is a safe space. I just get that impression. That is why I don't talk too much about me or my family there. If we can keep things professional and a simple working relationship where I do my job and do it well and not talk anything deep then we should be good.  Anyway I like to think this is a Pride pretzel.

Photo-A-Day #02697 Cheesy popcorn is one of my favorites. Having cheesy fingers is not. So, I eat cheese popcorn with chopsticks. 

Photo-A-Day #02696 Allison is doing a special event with some kids tomorrow. they are making parasols. Allison made hers tonight as an example for the kids. 

 Photo-A-Day #02695 I am now one book away from reading all of the bonus chapters of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. At least for the books that are published. Each physical copy has a bonus chapter called "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret". This is a mini novella that is happening at the same time as the events of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The story involves some characters that we have seen in the earlier books and it is an interesting concept.  I walked to the Attleboro Public Library today to see if they had any of the physical books. I had only read the first of these bonus chapters a few days ago in a Target. I was looking for the second book, Carl's Doomsday Scenario but they did not have it. So I had to find the synopsis o the story online because they did have books 3,4,5 & 6 at the library, so I read the synopsis for the second of the secret chapters and then read the ones in each of the books above. I now have to find a physical copy of book 7 and...

Photo-A-Day #02694 It is the start of Pride Month. A month that we recognize in this house. We try and attend the events that happen in Attleboro and also North Attleboro. While our mayor did not make any friends suggesting the closing of the zoo, she does a lot for the LGBTQ+ community. The June Pride event is one of this things that is done well in Attleboro.

Photo-A-Day #02693 The other day at Eva's graduation party my sister Tara commented on how beautiful our Peonies were. I was like, what peonies? We did not plant any peonies. They must have been planted by the previous owner and I've never quite noticed them before. We get a bunch of different flowers popping up from time to time, ones we never planted. I did start planting a few wildflowers around the house and hope that they fill in some spots. I also want to plant some creeping thyme and eventually cover the whole front yard in plants like that rather than grass. We'll see if I can.

Photo-A-Day #02692 Today we celebrated Eva and their graduation from High School. We got food from Chub's Blue Pig BBQ as well as some burgers from Chartley Country Store. I have a ton of them left over and frozen, too. I bought 20, cooked 4 and two were eaten. W weren't sure if people would rather have that than the amazing BBQ of Chubb's. I also picked up a Crowd Pleaser of pretzels from Phill Pretzel Factory and a couple of their sweet dips. Allison made a salad and got a treat platter form BJ's as well as a half sheet cake. We had Eva's aunts Tara and Shelby there along with Uncle Erik and cousin Kylie. Great-aunt Donna came and so did Great-Uncle Richard. Our neighbor Joannie came over and so did Great-Aunt Corrine. Mem and Grandfather came to the party and so did Eva's friends Aviva and Ollie. Eva's theater director, Mrs. Strunin came to visit as well. Andy invited their girlfriend, Jazzy over to meet everyone too.  Before the party a package arrived f...

Photo-A-Day #02691 For the past 12 years Eva has had to follow a dress code and has had to have natural colored hair. Well, they graduated yesterday and today they were finally able to color their hair. Eva went with purple under their natural hair color. Overall it is pretty subtle and looks great on them. Time to live your authentic life, Eva! 

Photo-A-Day #02690 Today was Eva's High School Graduation. It was a wonderful celebration. We started off with the Baccalaureate Mass. That was from about 10:00 - 1:00 or so. Very long celebration but was really nice. Eva got to see many of her teachers afterwards and each one said some wonderful things to her. Her first year chem teacher is actually a woman who was a year ahead of me at Feehan.  After the Mass we went to the Doran Center for Eva's Senior Art show. Eva had some lovely peicves up to show. There was one piece missing and it was dead center of her display. We are not sure what happened to it either. Hopefully it will turn up. After the art show Mem and Grandfather went back to the Blackinton and we headed to SMSH so Eva would do a walk through to visit with her grade school teachers. We went home and I crashed out with a nap. For the graduation we had purchased a bunch of plastic ponchos because there was a chance of rain and we did not want to take the chance of ...