Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Hanging in There

      We're finally making real progress on everything! Finished the steps on the deck... endured a Sunday church morning where, for most of the activities (except the sermon), we were 'in charge' (with a lot of help)...did the wash, repaired a quilt, put strawberries and apples in the freezer...and finished up the last appraisal reports and requests. Temporarily, at least.

      I may be a bit quiet the next few weeks. I want to practice more on my lock-picking skills. (Got a kit last year for it.) I want to do some research for an upcoming book, play with the dogs, just rest and be with the Brick. Who knows - we may even go swimming!

Meanwhile:

JD Vance admits to one of his most boneheaded political comments.  (He thought he was being funny. Oops.)

What it's like to blow through $108 million, without even trying.  Thanks, Antoine Walker! (And apologies )

I think we have to start teaching our kids about their lifestyle,” Walker added. “Because when you’re making money, … everything is going good — you’re buying cars, you got houses, you got jewelry, you got all these things going on.”

“But at some point, the money’s going to stop coming in the way it came in the beginning. Are you able and are you prepared to maintain that lifestyle? You have to be ready to withstand that storm.”

Chinese Chicken Balls with Sweet and Sour Sauce.  Gentle Readers, I could kill for Orange Chicken...and this recipe sounds a lot like it.  (From Khin's Kitchen)

President Obama's library is about to open -- but has it paid its bills, even to the minority contractors it hired?

Do students entering college know their math and science stuff?  Fourteen hundred professors say no, in a petition they're circulating to require higher standards. I'm wincing a bit at this -- I made it through algebra only because the teacher was the tennis coach -- and we could get him to talk about his latest matches. I almost flunked geometry...which is extra ironic because I use it so much now to design. The only thing that saves our girls from total ignorance was their father, who loved math and physics. 

     So...I might have been the middle-school-math doofus the professors are griping about. 

Is that person lying...or are they fidgeting, even though they're telling the truth? It's multiple 'tells,' not just one, that warn you, this expert says.

Have you seen Mr. Jetpack Man??  He's back again in L.A...

The story behind the most-viewed photo in history.

Just for fun -- yours truly rantings in a previous "Stuff" post.  Sadly, they were warranted, I think. 

Stovies -- a Scottish meat stew. 

A 16-century diamond ring is found in Gloucestershire. There's another important mention in this article, though, about the "Touch of Paris."  Gold appraisers and collectors should take notice.

Readers' comments: what it means to be cheap -- instead of frugal.  Some of these I disagree with -- but they're all thought-provoking. (Thanks, The Frugal Girl)

Have a good week. And yes...