Loof Lirpa

IMG_1683   Norman introduced me to Loof Lirpa – April Fool spelled backwards. Rather clever,  I thought. Decades ago, one April First, he called an emergency staff meeting, sharing that due to increased competition from rivals, sales were dipping – the office/warehouse (he was in the beer business) might need to close and staff, furloughed. Understandably, staff were flabbergasted: What would they do? How would they meet their financial obligations? Questions came fast and furious… Norman had posted an agenda; the heading: LOOF LIRPA. He suggested that staff look at the agenda and see what they might learn from a careful analysis. After a few quiet minutes, someone shouted : APRIL FOOL! Ah yes! The secret was out…and staff, could and did breathe a gigantic sigh of relief. Years later, every April Fool’s Day, they remembered and ribbed him – even after he’d retired – about Loof Lirpa. I remember in elementary school how much we reveled in playing a joke on classmates …and then we’d convulse in laughter, feeling quite smug that we’d succeeded in besting each other. Our jokes, crazy questions, pranks were never created out of meanness – at least I don’t recall.  Just plain old fashioned fun. I looked up the origin of April Fool’s Day and found an article on History.com: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/april-fools-day. And this: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/g38986579/april-fools-quotes/ It seems that the news industry, including social media, takes April Fool’s Day quite seriously. There are all sorts of Loof Lirpa cartoons, coupons for fast food, gifs, poems, quotes, recipes, stories, tweets, videos, etc… Gretchen Rubin, prolific author of books on happiness and the very popular podcast: Happier with Gretchen Rubin, shares a story of introducing her older daughter, who was then about 7, to April Fool’s Day…you can read about it here. It’s a delightful story.  I imagine a 7-years’-old-soon-to-be-8 young guy I know might enjoy learning more about Loof Lirpa, this way, too. For me, I don’t have any Loof Lirpa tricks up my sleeve -but Chris, my 7 nearly 8 years old great grand nephew did: He made a bandaid out of toilet paper and pretended that he’d been hurt. Fooled his mother and grandmother and me and aunts, etc… I’ve enjoyed this trip down memory lane and learning more about this fun day, especially on a Friday that began with cloudy skies, now blue; the sun’s out; clouds are for the most part puffy, white- tinged with grey and the temp’s on it’s way to a high of 65 degrees. What Loof Lirpa stories come to your mind? Whatever and whenever, do enjoy! Cheers~

In my last post, I pondered what June’s weather would be …Now, I know: H-O-T! I took an extra long walk this afternoon, primarily because for the past few days, it has been very h-o-t. The sky, as usual, was/is a study and my route, naturally took me to and through the park, which is just hilly enough that I can see the view from different heights…

I’ve spent most of the week attending zoom sessions with family, friends and strangers and a few hours, here and there, learning the fine art of foundation paper piecing, stitching my Confetti Quilt. The fun part of this project is selecting the fabric scraps for each block…

I started Great Circle – a title I chose for summer book bingo…I think it could fit many, many bingo squares on at least three different cards. I say that tongue-in-cheek though perhaps t’is truer than I think. I suspect I’ll know for sure once I’ve finished the 589 pages…

Great grand nephew Chris is 7 today! This photo was taken this morning and shared by his mom; his birthday breakfast wish: donuts. This evening – soon – family gathers via zoom to sing happy happy. I understand next weekend there will be a gathering to celebrate all three of my sister’s grands who have birthdays the 4th and the 10th of June.

Joining Kat and friends for unraveled wednesday.

3 for …

 

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1.  and now he is SIX!

Tuesday, June 9, Chris graduated from KDG to First grade – virtually!  Yesterday, 10 June, he turned 6. We celebrated via Zoom and watched with drooling mouths as his cake was cut and eaten. Despite being miles apart, as far away as Ohio where his great grandad lives, we had a raucous good time…Norman and I celebrated with champagne, of course!

2. back to the future is now 

Earlier this month, in this space and on my Instagram, I allowed as how I was learning the 3 Needle Bind Off  technique for joining squares of the LogCabin9Patch lap blanket I’m knitting – or is it that I’m being knitted? Whatever, I’m running into a problem with dropping stitches, losing count. So it’s tink, tink, tink. I am determined to master this and have the 4 PM hour reserved for the endeavor. So far, success remains elusive but I shall push on

3. it ain’t just broke 

 IT is Central Air and has to be replaced! The entire system, mais oui (but of course). Naturally one finds this out when the temperature is in the 90s with the humidity equally high! I guess it’s a good thing I am not going to Oregon this Fall, as I’d tentatively planned before Covid-19 …

Joining Unraveled Wednesday and 3 on Thursday this week.  Do visit Kat and Carole and see what’s going on with others this week.

I think I feel a slight breeze. Wahoo!

Cheers~

 

 

tgif | 4.24.20 …

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thinking: the week has passed by quite fast…where does the time go when you are homebound? our routine has definitely changed though we’re not going to bed or waking up any any earlier or later …yet, the day seems to pass really quickly…

gathering and organizing supplies and ideas and stories I want to tell for the upcoming session of LOAD – that’s making a scrapbook layout a day for the entire month of May – just one week away! The theme this year is The Beatles; ah the memories that should evoke…

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in preparation, this month I’ve been making a small 3.5 x 5.5 pocket sized traveler’s notebook, documenting these days of Covid-19 and #the100dayproject2020… and

finally fun: the lead photo is of Chris, soon to celebrate his 6th birthday June 10. This morning, he lost his first tooth… a bit surprised, he cried – guess he didn’t know what to think – but as the picture shows, he’s all smiles after his mom explained what had happened … and that the tooth fairy was going to come. He’s holding his tooth in that rather large sized plastic bag.

And that’s the way it is this 17th week of 2020. Have a good weekend!

Cheers~

PS. A reminder: Tuesday, 28 April is the day/date we’ll share our one little word experiences.

 

 

unraveled wednesday | 6.19.19

 

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Chris’ 5th birthday celebration was Saturday; I thought it was being held at a LEGO playland…nope! A place called Climbzone – for adults and children alike. Chris, his pals and aunts Chris and Kayla tried but…but… the kiddles preferred the bouncy house, all things considered! I suppose the ClimbZone theme was appropriate for the party; Chris is a big fan of Batman… known also for scaling tall buildings. Apparently Aunts Chris and Kayla did make it to the top…I didn’t see because I was in my car, warming up…(t’was a tad cold in the building!)

We’ve had delightful end of spring weather; I’ve been taking long walks these past couple days…enjoying the flowers that are in abundance.

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Just think: In two days it will be SUMMER! I am no fan of summer in these parts…but, perhaps ( a very slim perhaps) the temps won’t be so horribly hot…one can hope. I shall return after the Summer Solstice arrives @ 11:54am, ESDST! What are your summer plans?

Joining Kat and friends here

Cheers~

by the light…

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November’s Full  Moon – Beaver or Full Frost Moon, as it’s sometimes called – was the perfect ending to a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and my friend Margaret:

  • Food was delicious – and there was so much of it …
  • Conversations delightful  and  …
  • Birthday greetings for Elias who will celebrate his first birthday Tuesday, 27 November!

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Chris; Dolly lighting the candles; Auntie Kayla; Mimi (Elias’ grandmother), Elias and Norman…

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Big Brother Chris … Elias’ hero!

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Elias!

We are all eternally grateful that our Thanksgiving 2018 includes Dolly and Elias. Here’s to many more celebrations!

Cheers~

PS.  Today has been a quiet, PJ day for me!