Five Finds Friday (eleven) (forgotten funny & overpriced sweaters & good dads)

FUNNY 

What is funny?

I don’t know.

Calvin and Hobbes is funny.  (Yes, it still is funny to me.  And my son is obsessed with the cartoon kid.  Every day he reads these cartoons to me.)

I’d like a new laugh-out-loud funny book to read or television show to watch.

Why don’t you guys help me out this week?

Fill in the blank in the comments.  (Pretty please.)

A funny thing you should read is ___________________________.

You could watch _________________________.  It’s super funny.

FASHIONABLE

We stopped in REI today to purchase a birthday gift for my son-in-law.  (Wait!  What?  I have a son-in-law??  How can I be that old?)

And I saw that sign – the one that says “clearance”.  It’s a beautiful thing, it is.

I saw this gorgeous sweater.

I held it in my hands.  I found my size.  I looked at the price tag.  $91.  On the clearance rack.  Come on REI, let’s redefine the word clearance, shall we?

I tried the sweater on anyway.  Just for fun, you know.

It felt so marvelous.  Cozy.  But still with a decent shape.  Not like a box or a rectangle or whatever.  Perfect with jeans and dresses and skirts and everything I like.  I think it was wool.

$91.

Yeah.  It’s still hanging on that clearance rack and I hope no one buys it and I hope it goes on some kind of super duper mega clearance.  I’d pay $35 for that sweater, you guys.  I sure would.  Maybe even $40.

I should have left my business card pinned to the tag with a little note – “Hey REI staff.  Call me when this beauty goes on a real-deal clearance, would you please?”

It’s made by Toad & Co. and I thought I had never heard of that company.  After looking up the sweater when I got home, I discovered that the brand HornyToad has been renamed.  I’ve always liked HornyToad’s clothing style, but I also thought it was a weird name.  I don’t know if I think Toad & Co. is any better of a name but I don’t care because – that sweater!

FLAVORFUL

I was sitting down here all ready to type in a recipe for this week with our family’s favorite pizza dough, which is really Emma’s family’s favorite pizza dough.

But then, I remembered something.

Well, I remembered someone actually.

Jane.  I remembered Jane.  And, what’s more, I remembered what Jane had brought to my home this afternoon.

A delightful surprise of Jeni’s famous splendid ice cream.

I tip toed out to the kitchen (to avoid waking my wee little sleeping buddy) with giant Ryder in hot pursuit.  (I think he’s like my spirit animal.  Or something.  He needs to know where I am.  Like, every second.)

Jane generously brought me a container of Jeni’s darkest chocolate.

Here’s what’s funny.

I’m not a dark chocolate connoisseur.  I’m not an ice cream fanatic.

I’d pick a piece of peanut butter pie or a slice of wedding cake over most any dessert I know.

Until this very evening, friends.

That’s right.

Until tonight.

That darkest chocolate ice cream was so fabulous, so rich and yet so light, that I texted Jane at midnight to exclaim and offer gratitude and when I finish typing this I think I’ll probably enjoy a second bowl.

Jane says Jeni’s has shops in Atlanta and Charleston and I think Ohio because that’s Jeni’s home turf I believe.

You can buy the goods locally here at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery.

Just go ahead and trust me on this one.

FAITHFUL

I’m just going to talk about my dad.

I think he falls under the faithful category – at least in my eyes, he certainly does.

Growing up, Dad was my father – you know?  He set the rules.  He enforced the rules.  He provided for our family.  He served us through self-discipline and incredible hard work.  He managed to make ends meet and fulfill his personal business goals and to dream big.  Dad was all about self-employment and being your own boss.  He didn’t wear trendy shirts with quotes but if he did, I think his would have said, “You don’t want to work for the man, you want to be the man.”

In my teenage and early adult years, my mom was my friend.  My dad was safe.  He offered wisdom and he offered guidance and he offered love.  We didn’t hang out and chat for hours over hot drinks and our phone conversations were pretty limited.  That kind of stuff was for moms and daughters.

I’ve always been able to count on my father.  He’s never let me down.  That’s a pretty gigantic thing to say.  It’s not hyperbole.  It’s true.

After Mom passed away, my relationship with my dad shifted, of course.  There was no one else to call, except him.  I couldn’t relay my news through Mom and filter Dad’s words through her inflections.

We naturally grew closer and the same things that were true about Dad growing up stayed true about Dad when I was an adult.  He’s changed – certainly.  He’s more open with me.  More honest about his shortcomings.  More humble.  Quicker to offer his opinion without expecting me to agree.  He’s gentler.

This past year my Dad has been so faithful to me.  So kind in his words and in his care of me and my heart and my season of life.

He’s a good father.  

Who follows a faithful Father.

(and I am sincerely grateful.)

FEELS

You know I chose that One Word for this year?

That one really hard word that keeps haunting me and whispering in my ear how I am not leaning into it at all yet.

My generous and talented friend Jo over at Phoebflock makes these sweet embroidered hoops to help keep your word in mind.

And she made me one and handed it to me at church recently – all wrapped up and lovely and delightful.

Maybe seeing the word in the dining room every single day will help me actually pursue rest better.  But – even if it doesn’t – it reminds me that my friend cares for me and thinks about me — and that’s some pretty golden stuff right there.