School Staples at Target

Brick took the little bricks to Target to get brand, spanking-new supplies for the upcoming school year.  One has to wonder...how do kids who supposedly hate doing homework end up using two dozen pencils in nine months?  A box of 24 for five dollars? And they don't have any left for next year?? Math problem: if little Ivan was only given 12 pencils out of 24 for one school year, and the other 12 were locked up until next year, what is the cost of those saved pencils? Be sure to show your work. And stop losing your pencils! You only get cool new ones on your birthday and at Halloween.

These don't grow on trees, you know!

Do some pencils go the way of socks, mysteriously leaving their mates, never to be seen again when one knows darn well they all went to their destination together? 

Brick didn't mind the long shopping trip with the kids. He smiled the whole time! When he saw the fiberglass Bullseye in the children's shoe section he insisted he get his photo taken with the terrier! Poor Brick. He doesn't have a Twitter account so he couldn't post to #TargetDog if he wanted to. The kids think he's so out of touch.

Smile you two!

What's a hashtag?

Afterwards they all went home. Only to find...they forget to get the pencils!

Oh sweet irony, it's back to the store!

Memorial Day

Remember, today is a holiday to recall the work and sacrifice of our nation's veterans--not just a day to get the best deal on a mattress!
Brick stopped at the Veteran's Memorial Park to watch the remembrance ceremony, and held his flag with pride.
 

Happy Memorial Day!

Maybe Brick should have worn some sunglasses, the sun was pretty bright in his eyes.

Baby, it's cold outside!

As a polar vortex brings below-freezing temperatures to the East Coast and the Midwest,
Brick wants to remind everyone to bundle up--it's cold outside!

Always be prepared for bad weather!

Happy Halloween!

Yarrrrgh, it's Brick!

It was a lovely autumn day for trick-or-treating this year, sunny, but with a brisk wind. That didn't stop the Brick family! Mrs. Brick took the children out for the annual candy search haul that netted them a full bag each. Brick stayed at home to answer the door--and boy howdy, did he get into the spirit of the day!
Mrs. Brick took a picture of him before she left while it was still light out. One has to love how much thought Brick put into his costume.

The Red Pirate Brick!

Supposedly, adults that came to the door asked if that was an ex-parrot on his shoulder, while the children wondered why it was wearing a crown. The parrot was NOT an ex-parrot, gone to meet its maker, because it was never alive in the first place. Some people!

As far as the crown...well, maybe the parrot was the birthday bird at a pizza party palace.

And if heavy is the head that wears a crown, obviously it keeps the bird from flying away, kids.

But now what will Brick wear for Talk Like a Pirate Day??

Brick is back!

Brick and family have returned to the Chicago area after visiting relatives in Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  They made sure to stop and see the Yard of bricks, (historic pride and all that), and came away with some souvenirs for the kids. They also stopped at the Brickyard Mall in Chicago, not so much for the Pier 1 Imports which isn't around their hometown, but for the memories of the mall's heyday in the late 80's-early 90's. Brick and friends used to meet at a hot-dog place and sit in booths made out of solid yellow fiberglass, eating fries and hot dogs and downing soda for hours among the faux-brick walls until they were encouraged out. Then on to the record store or the still-here-today Spencer Gifts.

Why did it take Brick and company almost two months to return to the state next door? Do you know how long it takes bricks to walk? As his admin, I can attest he regrets it after seeing the state of his inbox. Perhaps the out-of-office message needs to be tweaked. But Brick came in with his characteristic smile and got right down to work.