Brickworks - A Brick Looks At Life

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

It's Here!

Finally... I think.

The development I'd hoped for is starting to arrive: Fall. The days still tend to be warm to hot/sticky, but temperatures are cooling down in the evenings. We even had a "Michigan day," cool and rainy, on Monday. That night, we had a 'kind of needed' fire in the woodstove, the first one in months.

Could it be? Is it true? Have we endured to Autumn?

All I know -- the Brick is in stockup mode, changing oil and fluids on the vehicles and busily stacking the remains of our woodpile. I would tease him, but noticed that I bought an armful of various soups during my last visit to the Amish grocery store. I also froze melon, broccoli and peaches for winter meals.

Nice of him to dress to match, though...

I checked my calendar -- our first frost last year was Sept. 17. (Today is the 16th.) That's not going to happen this year. The hummingbirds are still here, though their ranks are thinning rapidly. The dogs are shedding like crazy, growing their winter coats. ('Fur slippers' snuggled on your feet during winter nights -- yay!) And the trees are barely showing color. Apparently the hot dry days we've been enduring have slowed everything.

Come on, Fall. Let's see you make a grand appearance!

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: College Football!

Thanks to its victory over Oklahoma, Michigan is out of purgatory on the Coaches Poll -- it's now #19, with the Sooners panting behind at #21. Poor babies. But on the AP Poll, Michigan is still standing in the corner, with Oklahoma at #24. Texas and Georgia are #1 and #2, respectively, on both polls. And they deserve it.

That's okay. Michigan does a lot better when they consider themselves the underdogs.

The CU Buffs did okay for themselves, too - 52 - 21, against Weber State. But that's not exactly bragging territory.

Now we have a Fox Sports subscription, we can watch a lot more of these games. All four of our kids prefer professional ball; i.e., the Denver Broncos. But we hope that someday they will see the light.

GO BUFFS!!! GO BLUE!!!

Daughter #2 and Son #1 are selling at the Denver Gem Show all week-- lots of good stuff, too. Bo will miss them; she's been having fun teasing Daughter on the couch. (We call this Bo position her 'belly up to the bar, boys.')

Back to work -- a lot finishing and tidying up to do. The Brick has been stacking wood and doing some fix-up jobs on the house. Getting ready for winter, even though daytime temperatures are still in the mid-80s. Our trees are taking their sweet time changing into fall costume. Is that because it's been so hot and dry?!?

Meanwhile:

Here's your chance! Princess Diana's 'revenge dress' is going up for auction -- again.

It previously sold for $50,000 back in the late 90's. This time, it's slated to go for much more than that. (I think it will, too.)

Weird pet names -- from a vet who's heard them all.

Ten elusive animals that were finally photographed.

Top ten black slaveowners. Yes, you read that right.

Green pork chili -- Colorado style.

The 'millionaire' 15-year-old bragging about 'his' Ferrari. (He's 16 now.)

There are just a few tiny problems with this. First, he admits he doesn't own it. (He leases, he says...filmed while driving a second rental vehicle.) Second, last I checked, you had to be 18 to sign a contract. Wanna bet Mommy and Daddy had to lease this for him? And thirdly, last I checked, you had to be 21 in order to drive a rental or lease. Oopsies... and no proof given for the big bucks Kid says he's worth, either. Sure, Buddy...and here's a newsflash. Advice when you're old enough to actually do this: renting or leasing does NOT mean you own that vehicle, no matter how flashy it is.