History Day

My 6th grade daughter had the history day competition this past Saturday at UMSL.  She is a hard worker and spent a lot of time working on her project.  The week before the competition she commandeered the basement to create her exhibit board.  Lots of printer anger, glitter letter, spray glue, construction paper, etc.

She didn't know what to expect out of history day.  So she was all, "I hope my board doesn't look stupid."

Imagine her surprise when she her project was chosen as a finalist.  Suddenly she revealed herself.  No longer was she just happy to be there and get it over with.  Oh no.  She wanted to WIN and go to state.  But she didn't.  Her friend got second place.  Kay didn't get anything.  And while she should have been proud to have been selected as a finalist, she was PISSED.  Kind of like the time she had two goals in soccer but instead of being happy, she was upset she didn't get a hat trick.

So she was really pissed when I stopped to take a picture a bad mansard church.  Here is the Normandy United Methodist Church on Natural Bridge Road next to the UMSL campus.  Pretty weird juxtaposition of the old church and ugly add on mansard.  Sorry about all the extra snow in the picture.

Boxy but good

I saw this little guy on 9th Street in Soulard across from 9th Street Abbey.  I can't decide if it's infill or a rehab.  I guess that's the sign of either a good rehab or good infill if you can't tell the difference between the two.  I thought to myself, "boxy but good."  That comes from Crazy People.  Dudley Moore rebrands Volvo as boxy but good.

But the neighbor to the south?  Condemned.  You don't see that much anymore in Soulard.  I'm guessing because the course of bricks above the door appears to be falling in front of the entryway.

Primary

Sometimes your day doesn't go as planned.  Take, for instance, today.  The plan was to go the Ash Wednesday mass with the school kids, head into work for a full and busy day, and make a nice meatless dinner.  I had a cute Ash Wednesday post planned in my head.  None of that happened.  Child #1 threw up as soon as he got out of bed.  Child #2 said her head hurt and she didn't feel good.  I accused her of being a copy cat sickie so she could stay home with her brother.  But I felt her head and she was 102 degrees.

No mass.  No ashes.  Two sick kids home from school.  One kid has Influenza A and taking Tamiflu.  While waiting for the prescription from the Lafayette Walgreens I found this mansard hiding in plain sight.  I have never seen this RYB (red yellow blue) mess before.  DId it just get painted?  Here's hoping my week gets better than this mansard.

Kids in Soulard say the darndest things

Mommy, I could either use the bathroom in our house or I could just use one of those on the corner.
 

Says my son who asks everyday if he can use one of the porta potties set up on our block for Mardi Gras.

You know it's Soulard Mardi Gras when...

The whooping and hollering party people have descended into Soulard once again.  It's a constant stream of "WHOOOOOOOO-OOOOOO" and shuffling feet and clanking beads.  You know it's Mardi Gras season when you ask your husband, 

"honey, could you come down stairs and look at this drunk girl on the sidewalk across the street?  I can't tell if she's hurt, asleep or talking on the phone."

She was sitting hunched over in the tree lawn and very, very drunk.  John was going to ask her if she needed help but just then she stood up, brushed the snow off her and stumbled off.  I couldn't see her and she was therefore not my problem.

A lesson I will teach my children:  Never, ever let your friends leave a bar alone and always stay together.