Butkus, Singletary, Urlacher...

HENRY!

Santa Lucia

I guess we never celebrated the Swedish holiday Santa Lucia Day growing up because there were three boys in my family. Last weekend, Elsa and her friend Nina wore crowns and lighted candles and we ate pickled herring, swedish meatballs, and smoked salmon. Henry danced the night away.

You do the Bump-de-Bump...

You do the Bump-de-Bump!

Had a fantastic weekend visiting ol' Bumpa. Elsie got to trick or treat there on Sunday, and now gets to go again tonight in Rochie.

Here she is wearing Bumpa's old Navy outfit from Dubbya Dubbya Two, the one he was wearing when he crashed his PT boat during the Battle of Midway.

Brother Ben

Hey, look who was in town for dinner last night!

Ben!

We had a swell time. I made some lamb sausage and chickpeas. Ben didn't eat, he just sat there, smiling at us the whole time.

Sometimes Ben joins us when we eat outside. And sometimes Henry brings him outside when I am grilling.

I Wish I Lived in Wisconsin Part 2

Brewers lost 9-1

Wrestling with Bumpa

Running the bases at Miller Park

At the Milwaukee Art Museum

I Wish I Lived in Wisconsin Part 1:
http://elsabean.blogspot.com/search?q=i+wish+i+lived+in+wisconsin

Man Book Club / September 2013 Update

"The first rule of Man Book Club is: You do not talk about Man Book Club. The second rule of Man Book Club is: You do not talk about Man Book Club!"

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Anthony Marra 5/5
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline George Saunders 5/5
TransAtlantic Colum McCann 4/5
Becoming a Man Paul Monette 4/5
Sleepwalk Adrian Tomine 4/5
Summer Blonde Adrian Tomine 4/5
The Dinner Herman Koch 4/5
Crimes in Southern Indiana Frank Bill 3/5
Underwater Welder Jeff Lemire 3/5
The Wettest County in the World Matt Bondurant 3/5
Lester Bangs Reader Lester Bangs 3/5
Bad Monkey Carl Hiaasen 3/5
A Map of Tulsa Benjamin Lytal 3/5
Burgess Boys Elizabeth Strout 2/5
At the End of a Dull Day Massimo Carlotto 2/5

Hit Me Lawrence Block 2/5

Portlandia

Elsa outside Powell's Bookstore in Portland.

She's 8, by the way.