Plague of cuteness.
The original title of this post was “500 photos of kittens”… which the kittens published for me, this morning, (accidentally,) by stepping on the keyboard… and I guess I should be glad they did not somehow email North Korea.
Kittens = wild hooligans of destruction.
I keep going with the kitten photos below, keep scrolling if you don’t care what I’m reading!
***
What I’m reading: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond
On the surface, this explores housing issues in Milwaukee, in the very poorest neighborhoods… but it’s incredible insight into how the instability of poverty utterly destroys social structure; disproportionately affecting children and women.
If that sounds boring… it’s not. It’s amazing. And insane. And infuriating. And terrifying.
This is what poverty takes from you: the ability to choose from GOOD OPTIONS.
It reminded me of one of my favorite books:
Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx, by by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc
The reporting spans over 10 years and follows two young women from the Bronx.
Reading these stories makes you realize how EXHAUSTING poverty is… how being poor is a JOB THAT LEAVES NO TIME FOR ANYTHING ELSE; the systemic nature of it, to escape is nearly impossible… especially when you had a baby at 13.
PS, if you are a “game” family, and have a favorite game, I would love some recommendations!! We like Balderdash, Spoons (the card game– it’s super easy and moves fast!), Taboo, Cards Against Humanity (limited audience, not for kids! and also not for parents, if your parents are like mine), stuff like that! And it’s nice to have a new one at the holidays.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:15 am
We are going with Catch Phrase this Christmas. The uncensored version, that is!
December 15, 2017 @ 10:17 am
OMG!! With the kittens…I. Just. Can’t!!!
Game recommendation – Telestrations. Greatest game EVER!!
Thank you for the book recommendations. I’ve read several and have loved them!
Also – My best friend and I have officially adopted you as our 3rd best friend. You’d fit in perfectly.
Oh – and. Pre-marriwage, my initials were also VEB. Destiny.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:18 am
Oh my goodness, the kittens are so adorable!! How can you stand it?
December 15, 2017 @ 10:19 am
Precious balls of fur!! Love them!!
December 15, 2017 @ 10:20 am
Thanks for the book recommendations! I love getting recommendations about great books.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:25 am
Phase 10 and Triominoes. 2 sets can be combined for more than 4 people. Mark the duplicate sets before combining or you’ll have a harder time separating them than you have separating yourself from those balls of fluff!
December 15, 2017 @ 10:25 am
“A dweam wiffin a dweam. . . . Tweasure your wuv, fohever.” Classic! I too am glad to know the correct spelling and pronunciation of fwuffeh. Thank you! If you love Cards Against Humanity, you’ll love Redneck Life. At one point, my niece had 15 children (the state took them away), 13 of them were named Darryl. The winner of the game is the player who has the most teeth left in their head.
December 18, 2017 @ 9:05 am
Must.have.this.game. How hysterical.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:28 am
Love kitten cuteness!
Please do not ban me for this, but Exploding Kittens is a great game, my 10 year old loves it, so its older kid appropriate – ish. 🙂 Trust me NO kittens are harmed in the game and its very fun although quite confusing and allows for lots of cheating and accusations of the same if your family plays games anything like ours. 🙂
December 15, 2017 @ 3:43 pm
I love Exploding Kittens. I recommend Sushi Go.
December 17, 2017 @ 2:54 pm
Sushi Go is amazing.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:28 am
Mensa rates games once a year, you might want to check out their recommendations. Also, would you please show us photos from different areas of your lovely house, so we can watch the progress? Thanks!
December 15, 2017 @ 10:30 am
The kittens are adorable!!
We are a game family! We LOVE Exploding Kittens (no kittens are actually harmed during play), Monopoly card game (MUCH more fun than Monopoly!) Things, and Snorta (found at a tag sale and is out of print, but can be found on ebay) – which is a very loud, laugh inducing game of animal sounds!!
Have fun!
December 15, 2017 @ 10:31 am
Target has a new game called “Bucket of Doom,” also not safe for kiddos…we made it so by removing about a third of the cards.
We also like Rook, which is family friendly.
Kittehs!! So cute 🙂
December 15, 2017 @ 10:33 am
LOVE the kittens! Wish I had seen our two black kitties when they were babies. They “arrived” at our garden at around 6 months old. Your writing makes me smile
December 15, 2017 @ 10:36 am
KITTEHS !!!! They had me clicking ad nauseum several hours back. BAD KITTehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh<3<3<3<3 Excellent reading recommendations, thankyouverymuch.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:37 am
My family loves Gestures. Your kitten photos made my fingers itch……..not from any allergy but from a serious need to get into some baby kitten fur.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:39 am
More board type games than card games (we usually play hearts, gin, or spades with cards): Settlers of Catan and Revolution.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:39 am
Love the kitten posts. The black and white one is my fave. And thanks for the book recommendations, they all sound like books that would really appeal to me. Thanks for bringing a touch of class, elegance and craziness to my life! Please keep posting.
December 15, 2017 @ 10:40 am
Ticket to Ride is fun, and friendly for all ages. There is a North America version as well as Europe and maybe another one or two. We have the North America version and really like it. Doesn’t take FOREVER to learn, either (looking at YOU Settlers of Catan!!!!!)
December 15, 2017 @ 10:42 am
Those babies ! Perfect way to honor sweet Elvis ❤️
December 15, 2017 @ 10:44 am
Any way you could get a copy of “Evicted” to Ben Carson, Paul Ryan, and Mitch McConnell? Pretty sure they believe people are only poor because they are lazy. Ok, off my high horse….We LOVE Balderdash! I recommend Twister ($11.88 @ Walmart). Nothing funnier than seeing a bunch of out of shape, overweight adults (oops, that’s my family) twisting and falling on each other. Love the kitties.
December 15, 2017 @ 1:25 pm
Since Victoria’s legs stretch all the way to the North Pole (more kitteh lap room), Twister might be way too easy for her. How about challenging everybody to get the most adorable kitten photos and put them up on your blog. We’ll be the judges (I accept bribes … just getting that out there … chocolate please).
December 15, 2017 @ 10:45 am
We started playing Rook (card game like Rummy but not identical) our friends taught us but over the years of growing up in Alaska they have evolved the rules. Their rule changes have made the game much more challenging and plus its deeply satisfying to scream take a penalty card at the other players. If you want our comeplex rules I can happily send along via email.