Posted by missjunebug on Sunday July 4th, 2010
Photo by mjb2010
Happy Birthday USA!
missjunebug loves being an American junebug. And she really loves a Fourth of July Parade! This year she had to go no further than her own block to see one. The First Annual Presilla Tractor Parade on her very own street! What fun! Mr.JB was outside in their backyard, heard some patriotic music and looked over their fence to see a line of tractors decked out in sparkles and bangles and banners and flags heading up the hill! He ran in the house to tell missjunebug the good news. They changed into their patriotic t-shirts, grabbed their dog Spoonbug, put the roof down on the car, and made a dash around the block to catch the parade at the top of the hill! What followed was a wave fest, happy Fourth of July greetings, and an invitation to join the parade! Lucky junebugs! Of course, they wasted no time u-turning to take their place in the tractor line-up for the rest of the route!
missjunebug managed to take lots of pictures and say big hellos to her tractored-up west-end neighbors, some for the first time. The junebugs felt a part of the vast web of Fourth of July Parades taking place all across America to celebrate this great country. How lucky for them that one took place right on their own street!
Happy Fourth of July!
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Photo by mjb2010
Mr.JB Flips a U-ie to Join the Fun! Photo by mjb2010
Happy Fourth of July, America!! Photo by mjb2010
Posted by missjunebug on Saturday June 19th, 2010
Vintage Father's Day Present for Mr.JB from A Long Day Ago! Photo by mjb2010
ElderJB and TinyJB Agree! Photo by mjb2010
missjunebug wishes her Mr.JB the best Father’s Day ever because as the wise cup proclaims he is the best! She’s sure her Elder JB and TinyJB agree!
He will have to be patient for his big present though. It’s still on order: a beautiful chaise lounge for relaxing. He will need it after all that heinous weed-wacking. Sadly, the junebugs were red tagged by the local fire department and must continue to fight back those waist-high weeds with all they’ve got: weed wacker, clippers, mower, rakes, and pitchforks! Happily, the end is in sight and before long Mr.JB will be luxuriating in his 2010 model Tropitone comfy chaise lounge complete with wheels! Happy Father’s Day, Mr.JB.!! missjunebug hearts you BIG TIME.
What’s the bittersweet part of Father’s Day? It’s missjunebug’s first without her dear departed JBDad. She’s been making or sending Father’s Day cards to him for more that half a century. This year, sadly, she has been permanently relieved of that daughterly duty. She misses this love-filled ritual. But even more, she misses him. Just for the earthly record, Happy Father’s Day, JBDad! Love you forever.
Posted by missjunebug on Thursday May 20th, 2010
The Glorious Dome! Photo by mjb2010
TinyJB’s commencement at the University of Notre Dame this past weekend surpassed all missjunebug’s highest expectations! The entire junebug family celebrated with TinyJB his awesome achievement of graduating with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. The three days were action packed! The junebug family started with a celebratory dinner at Sorin’s in the Morris Inn. Delicious! missjunebug had the trout.
After dinner they strolled the campus and took a moment to soak up the holy atmosphere of the Grotto and you better believe missjunebug and her Mr.JB said a prayer of thanks after they lit a candle. The grotto blazed with glorious light and good intentions. The next day the junebugs attended the Commencement Mass at Joyce Center and celebrated at the dinner held in the Hogwart’s-like South Dining Hall. It was truly magical: Wonderful food! Sparkling champagne! And a wall of cakes! Unbelievable! The Glee Club performance at the Leighton Concert Hall rounded out the night with unparalleled acapella! Whew! What a day! Delightful x 10. But the best was yet to come.
The junebugs headed to the famed University of Notre Dame Stadium for the commencement. Number 165! And the first one held in the stadium since forever practically! The weather cooperated perfectly: Cool and clear with lots and lots of sun shining. The venue looked rock-concert worthy and Touchdown Jesus looked on with complete approval. The academic procession began with a flourish of Pomp and Circumstance from the Notre Dame musicians and each school was introduced as they made their way under the Go Irish archway. missjunebug and Mr.JB looked on with pride and even the ever-chill ElderJB was impressed (G-Town 2004 Walsh School of Foreign Service!). Katie the Valedictorian made a speech to remember and Brian Williams kept the audience laughing until he took a serious turn into the challenges these smart kids would soon face. He concluded with a list of Great Things that were, well, great! No doubt missjunebug’s fans can check out BW’s address on youtube. Absolutely worth the time. The stadium audience howled their approval at the conclusion of the commencement ceremony and adjourned to box lunches and small get togethers with the individual schools with which the grads were affiliated.
One last event: The intimate ceremony of each individual school. What a personal and accessible way to hand out diplomas! The junebug clan cheered on their TinyJB as he shook hands with his awesome department chair and future work supervisor. TinyJB will be doing research (Paid!!) on campus starting in the summer. Sweet x 10.
As Brian Williams pointed out in his speech, the graduates have earned something that can never be taken away from them. They are proud graduates of the University of Notre Dame du Lac. Congratulations, TinyJB!
Here’s a little photo essay of the junebug’s Weekend of a Lifetime!
This Banner Says It All! Photo by mjb2010
missjunebug Gives Her TinyJB a Big Hug! Photo by mjb2010
A Terrific Trio! Photo by mjb2010
TinyJB's Entourage On the Way to the Basilica! Photo by mjb2010
Posted by missjunebug on Saturday May 8th, 2010
Tiny Hands! Great Heart! Thanks TinyJB! Photo by mjb2010
missjunebug wants to wish every mother the very best day this Mother’s Day! She plans to spend her morning having Mother’s Day breakfast at her favorite breakfast cafe Pete’s Breakfast House in Ventura. Search this blog for her review of Pete’s done a while back if you haven’t been to Pete’s yourself for the best waffles and side of bacon ever.
She’s pretty sure the topic of conversation she will have with Mr.JB after they talk about how great the food is, is how blessed she is to have the two most wonderful sons on the planet, ElderJB and TinyJB. She’d change that little poem of TinyJB’s to say Father in heaven/Whose love is divine/Thanks for the love/Of sons like mine.
missjunebug wanted to share with all her readers, especially the mothers, this very lovely homage to motherhood created by her TinyJB when he was, well, tiny! A long day ago (as ElderJB used to say) some very resourceful Sunday school teacher at her dear HTLC helped TinyJB make this wall hanging as a Mother’s Day present. missjunebug has this very special and crafty memento hanging in her laundry room to cheer her while she does that most motherly of chores, the weekly laundry.
On this special day she also remembers her own dear mother, the lovely JBMarie who taught her so much about motherhood and loved missjunebug and her JBbro with the best kind of love there is: unconditional.
To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
missjunebug recommends that you continue to love with the love that knows no bounds or conditions: the love of a mother for her child.
Posted by missjunebug on Thursday December 31st, 2009
Ring in the New Year...It's Got To Be Better Than the Old! Photo by mjb2009
missjunebug wishes a not-so-fond-farewell to 2009 and looks forward to a better 2010!
Cheers!
Posted by missjunebug on Saturday December 26th, 2009
missjunebug's Christmas Loot! Photo by mjb2009
missjunebug is happy to report that she got everything she wanted for Christmas…and more! A gorgeous Jennifer Miller bracelet a lá Hoda Kotb from Santa, a new pair of UGGS from TinyJB, a delightful, funny, interesting and sweet x 10 phone call with Rwandan-based Elder JB, and some funny little gadgets from Mr.JB (carabiner flashlight! extra camera battery! Chinese watercolor brushes!).
But she knows what you must be thinking. What about the nutcrackers? Did she score more? missjunebug is happy to report that Mr.JB/Santa has moved on to new Christmas decorating territory with the addition of a gold-lamé, white-furred Santa and a wine-red brocade and white lace Angel with a face, well, like an angel!
After a present-opening frenzy, the junebug family knoshed on Waffle-House style Cheesey eggs, Jimmy Dean sausage, and leftover rum cake. What a feast! Then Mr.JB headed outside to trim palm trees with his nifty new 14-foot chain-powered saw/pruner given to him by TinyJB! Wow that thing can cut up some tree! Meanwhile, TinyJB read through his new beer-making library of books (3 in all!) and missjunebug slipped into her UGGS, bagged up her loot, and began working on the evening meal (Spiral-cut ham, green bean casserole and fab pineapple stuffing).
Later in the afternoon, Mr.JB busted out his new blue-ray DVD of Quentin Tarentino’s masterpiece Inglourious Basterds, cooked up some popcorn, and gathered the junebugs to settle into the Men’s Club to watch one of the best revenge stories ever! Somehow it seemed like perfect Christmas viewing material, Jesus being a Jew and all.
After a savory Christmas dinner, Mr.JB continued reading the Uganda novel with the word eclipse in the title that ElderJB gave him for the big 6-0 while TinyJB and missjunebug duked it out over Trivial Pursuit. Sadly, missjunebug was not a winner as TinyJB edged past her with the sixth and final pie piece on a lame question: What was taken in John Godey’s novel The Taking of Pelham One Two Three? Thanks to the recent remake with John Travolta, TinyJB had no trouble coming up with “a subway train.” Puhleeze.
What a family! What a celebration! What a Christmas!
Posted by missjunebug on Wednesday December 23rd, 2009
This one speaks for itself! Photo by mjb2009
missjunebug hopes these images cheer you during the Holiday Season!
Go Santa Go! Photo by mjb2009
Wide-eyed Santa glistens! Photo by mjb2009
One of mjb's all time favs! Photo by mjb2009
A Sparkly Orange Orb! Photo by mjb2009
A Beary Merry Christmas! Photo by mjb2009
Merry Christmas! Happy Baking! Wonderful Wrapping! And Unwrapping! Delicious Eating! Thoughtful Praying! Exuberant Praising! Sincere Thanking!
Blessings to you and your family from missjunebug, Mr.JB, ElderJB, and TinyJB!
Posted by missjunebug on Monday December 7th, 2009
missjunebug is delighting in the rain that has finally come to SoCal. Hoorah for rain! She can finally turn her sprinklers off! She can fully get into the holiday spirit thanks to the colder temperatures and gray skies. Is there anything better than cozying up to a fireplace listening to the sound of rain falling outside? Maybe cozying up to a fireplace listening to the sound of rain falling outside while drinking a hot toddy! Ha!
missjunebug would not say no to a hot-buttered rum right about now, but Mr.JB’s not here to share it with her so she better just get back to wrapping those Christmas presents that are piling up on every flat surface in missjunebug’s little house.
Cheers!
Posted by missjunebug on Friday December 4th, 2009
Nutcrackers Vying for Mantle Space! Photo by mjb2009
It started out pretty innocently. Mr.JB began giving nutcrackers to missjunebug about 30 years ago give or take a few years. Year after year missjunebug would gleefully open up the beribboned rectangular boxes from “Santa” and delight in what she found inside.
Nutcrackers of every description: stalwart soldier, aproned baker, flouncy flamenco dancer, twig-broomed snowman, bun-coiffed teacher, golfer, skier, gold-trimmed Pharoah, London Beefeater, milk-bottle clutching dairy cow (missjunebug’s current fav), piano-playing musician, caroler, wise man, leiderhosen-clad beer drinker, betooled toymaker, and a whole army of red and white clad Santas complete with toy-filled Santa bags. missjunebug is sure you get the idea.
She’s got a crap-ton of nutcrackers!
Every year she turns on the Sounds of the Season on her cable tv and to the croony voice of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas, she shleps down to her Christmas closet and unpacks and unwraps each and every one of these nutcrackers and places them in pretty much the same locations as she did the year before, except of course she has to find space for the new ones Mr.JB gave her the previous year! It’s a little like fighting for shelf space in the cereal aisle of the supermarket! There’s a finite supply of it and these insistent nutcrackers want to be at optimal eye level. They’re a pushy bunch.
missjunebug has a feeling this collection has gone terribly wrong. It reminds her of the origin of the nutcracker fascination, that part of the Nutcracker ballet when little Clara dreams of giant nutcrackers come to life. A little creepy if you ask missjunebug! Which brings her to the question at hand: When is a collection done?
missjunebug will continue to ponder this question as she squeezes out a little more prime mantle space for the latest nutcracker model in her collection.
She can hardly wait to see what Mr.JB (aka “Santa”) has in store for her this year!
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