Happy Federal Holiday Day!

Oh, don't think me to flippant.
See, this time of year is supposed to be in celebration of our service men and women who gave their lives in defense of the American way of life.  Well, I have a couple problems with that sentiment.  First, both Labor Day and Memorial day are synonymous with excessive drinking and Furniture and Automotive sales.  Somehow, I don't think that's what they had in mind,  These people died to defend my right to pursue my dreams, so I work and do what I love.  Second, all the political grandstanding is completely contradictory, throughout many administrations, about how much they respect and honor these fallen heroes, while at the same time bending over backwards to NOT provide the living veterans with the support, respect and dignity they deserve.  So yes, I'm a tad bit jaded.
ANYWHO!
Saturday, as with any Holiday weekend, gave us a busy morning, with a few bikes finding new homes.  Then, it died.  BUT, that did give us time to really get into the plethora of new rides we picked up and put out three new ones!  A really sweet riding, lightweight Raleigh M55 that was brought back from a particularly gruesome condition.  Also, an OLD SCHOOL Schwinn Sidewinder hard tail which had also been REALLY bad off!  Yes, this was one of the PRE-Wally World ones!  Back when they made them to last!  And rounding it out is a really good looking "DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!" in the form of an 18 speed hard tail MTB!  Today we move on to some equally impressive goodies, starting with a super light K2 Comfort cruiser!  SWEET!!  So stay tuned for these gems!
On to home life! 
OY!
Yesterday was a pleasant relaxing Sunday with all the traditional "Rockwell" glee.  Barbecue, playing in the pool, outside games, hours of both Uno and Magic with a couple runs around Candy Land for good measure.  Each time Izzy seriously kicked our butts!  Of course, Logan, now having almost mastered playing Magic is quite an accomplished deck builder as well and even though one round was REAL close, he still managed to mop the floor with me four times!  OUCH! 
"Now, the student has become the master!"
Of course, no weekend is complete without incident.
First, both Elijah and Kaleb to some extant are desperately trying to flex their "independence" and not having to do what Mommy and Daddy say, bringing testosterone to dangerously high masochistic levels.  Time has to be spent in lecture and foot stomping to get them to see the natural course of life.  Kaleb, eventually gets it and comes down from his hormonal high, whereas Elijah, the more sensitive of the two, gets morose, sullen and withdrawn.  Instead of seeing the concern for his future as it is, he takes it as a personal affront and does not embrace it for the motivation it is intended as.  True, I am not a patient man, and have never been overburdened with any sense of political correctness.  I am blunt, honest and to the point, at times to a fault. 
Oh, it's going to be a long road to hoe!
And of course, no family day is complete without some form of injury.  Unfortunately this time around it was Angi's turn.  While the kiddo's were playing in the pool it is only natural for them to have stupendous water fights, with sprays reaching as far as the front stoop.  At one point Angi got up to go inside and hit the step wrong, landing very hard resulting in a very nasty scar on her hip, which more then likely is quite bruised this morning.  Just in time for her trip later this week where she had gone out Saturday evening to buy a bathing suit ensemble specifically for the occasion.  Joy!  She somehow found humor in the situation and stated, when and if her family noticed the scar her response would be "I like it rough!" HA HA HA!!  I am finally starting to rub off on her! 
Once the kiddos were settled down for the evening we rested with a movie, this time around being her choice of the film "Labor Day". (SPOILER ALERT!!!!)   I had rented it for her with the normal batch of weekend films, with the vain hope I wouldn't have to watch it.  I'm not big into heartfelt "loss" dramas, but as she has sat through many a stupid humor film with me, I owed her.  And discovered I enjoyed it.
Screen written, directed and produced by Jason Reitman (Ivan's son) it's the story of a semi reclusive mother and her teenage son who end up being "kidnapped" by an escaped convict imprisoned for murder, who "persuades" them to take him to their home, where he can hide out, recoup from his injures sustained during his escape, then flee.  As the movie progresses you find out the reason for his incarceration was more then the facts divulged at the point of his arrest, and in fact it was an accidental death.  The mother,(Kate Blanchett)  having suffered the inability to conceive another child after her son, eventually falls into a deep depression and her husband leaves her for another woman.  The convict (Josh Brolin) is a truly loving man who embraces both her, her son and even the pushy neighbors handicapped son.  Of course,what you perceive as the ending, with the convict being captured and returned to prison, turns out  NOT to be the ending.  All in all a very heartfelt film. 
OK, now, I best get my Jiggy on and get to work!!
See ya soon!

MEN' 26" "DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!"
ONLY $75.00!!

OLD SCHOOL SCHWINN HARDTAIL!
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RALEIGH M55 MTB!
ONLY $145.00!!!