BenSpark Family Adventures

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02271 Eva has a Junior /Senior Prom coming up and she has a beautiful Green dress for the night. She also found some really cool looking boots to go with the dress but unfortunately when she tried them on she discovered that they were built for someone with much thicker calves. So, the search is on for another pair that will rival these ones.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02270 Tonight was the Read Through of my next play, Sly Fox. This is a ribald comedy that was written by the same person who wrote M.A.S.H. It is funny if a bit dated. I wonder how some of the jokes will go over since they are ao dated. I’ll be playing two roles in the play, Policeman 3 and Crouch’s servant. There are a couple of people who were in the last play but it is mostly made up of an all new cast. I look forward to seeing this play come together. While I’m a bit disappointed that I did not receive a larger role I’ll continue to put in my time and maybe as I learn more and work more at acting I’ll get meatier roles. The sticker is on the light booth. Allison is going to make Andy a shirt with this saying on it for Andy’s play.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02269 I picked up dinner for myself tonight because I worked in the office. I went to a Thai restaurant and got sesame chicken. What I got was not what I expected. I guess Thai sesame chicken is much much different than chinese sesame chicken. Yes, there were sesame seeds on this meal and it had chicken but that is where the similarities ended. That being said, it was pretty good. Also said, Allison made sesame chicken for dinner for her and the kids.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02268 I was leaving the house today and I noticed a very large turkey behind the car. I went to go and take a photo of it and it sped off down the street. I barely caught this image.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02267 One of the family Christmas gifts was tickets to see comedian Josh Johnson at The Vets tonight. We had dinner at the Burgundian and then headed to Providence to see the show. We discovered Josh Johnson on Tik Tok and he quickly became a comedian that we could all enjoy together. Our seats were way way at the top of the building, in Balcony 2. Still, they were decent seats to see the show. At least until someone sat in front of me with a Cinder Block for a head. I spent the rest of the evening weaving from side to side in order to see the show. Such a big head. I also spent lots of time watching the kids’ reactions. Andy loved the show and was cackling like crazy many times. Eva also laughed but much more controlled. We all enjoyed the show and look forward to more comedy shows together in the future.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02266 My walk today took me over to Attleboro Springs at La Salette Shrine. I walked around the grounds of the shrine first and then to Attleboro Springs. The water in the little pond was so still and it had a great reflection before the clouds cleared and the sun got too bright.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02265 Today was International Waffle Day. We had chili leftovers and so Allison suggested that I get some Cornbread mix and she make Cornbread Waffles for dinner. They were excellent. After dinner I walked up to auditions for Sly Fox at ACT. I read for a few characters and then it was over. I headed home and awaited a call from the director or assistant director. They said that they would make the choices that night. I received a call later on and was offered the role of Policeman 3/Crouch’s Servant. I’m not sure how many scenes I am in but my characters have 6 lines. Who knows, I started the last show with no lines and then became the main juror and then in the last performance, the lead. So, anything can happen between now and opening night.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02264 Tonight was Andy’s Spring band concert. Mom and Dad came up from the Cape and took us to dinner at Weatherlaine’s for dinner. We had a very nice meal and then headed to the High School for the concert. Andy wore their new Trombone Mustache but I could not see it. We got their early enough to get good seats but I picked them so they weren’t great. I could not see Andy through the whole concert. After the band was finished Andy sat in front of us and when the choir came up a bunch of kids all waved and called out to say hi to Andy. What a difference from SMSH.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02263 I picked up a coloring book to use at work when I have downtime. It is a nice thing to do to pass the time when we have nothing happening. Very relaxing.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02262 We found this little plastic mustache that you can attach to the mouthpiece of a brass instrument like a trombone. So we got it for Andy. Andy was thrilled when they opened the package. Andy said, “Yes!” before putting it on the mouthpiece of the trombone. Andy has a concert on Monday and will be using this while playing.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02261 I was recently sent an email by my mobile phone provider giving me $300 towards a Google Watch. I’ve been walking daily and tracking my steps with my fitbit but was interested in upgrading that technology so I took the offer. In an effort to cut down the clutter on my night table I picked up this combination charger that wirelessly charges my phone and can also charge the watch at the same time. It even has a spot where you can charge headphones but I don’t have airpods so I won’t be using that spot for now.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02260 This past weekend I learned that my local comic book store of over 20 years was closing their doors. So, today I went for my last trip to the store. I picked up my last comic from that location. I did talk with Ethan and Randy a bit. Randy is already taking a look around for a new location. I hope that it isn’t too long before they are back up and running. I’ve been visiting Wild Time since before the kids were born. Ever since returning to North Attleboro after being in New Hampshire I got back into comics by going to Wild Time. The kids have grown up there going to the annual Free Comic Book Day event that Randy and family put on. It is a great time that we really enjoy.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02259 I was driving Andy to school this morning. We were stopped at the light on the corner of County and Thatcher waiting for the green light. Suddenly we were bumped from behind. The kid behind me had accidentally gunned his gas and tapped us significantly. I got out to look at the bumper and we pulled into 123 Gas on the corner. I was a bit shaken and I had Andy walk to school the rest of the way so that they would not be late. Then I dealt with the issue. I was a bit out of sorts from the adrenaline spike of getting hit. I started to shake a little and feel dizzy. So when I called 911 I asked for an ambulance as well. They came and checked my vitals and I was fine. I think I just needed a moment to calm down. The police came and we got a police report. The rest of the day I was on the line with my insurance, his insurance and an auto body shop. Granted, the bumper only has a rather small crack in it, fixing it is going to cost a pretty penny. There are more c...

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02258 I built the LEGO Donut Truck today and made a video while building. I have an overhead camera that I use to show myself building the set The food trucks that LEGO has are pretty fun. I found some company that makes knock off LEGO bricks but they make a set of crazy food trucks. I don’t have anywhere to put more food trucks so I’m going to limit myself and not go and buy any more unless they are LEGO ones.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02257 Today was Saint Patrick’s Day and we did our usual Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. Allison picked up 3 corned beef packages this year, 2 point and one flat. I used the crock pot for one point and one flat and filled the crock pot with guinness and coke plus cabbage and ran that for the whole day 8 hours. In the Instant Pot I took a point corned beef along with the Guinness and Coke plus carrots, cabbage, potatoes, onions and garlic. I wanted to try something different with this one. I set it to slow cook for 8 hours and then finished it with pressure cook for 1 hour. In all they pretty much came out the same. I didn’t notice much difference ot much enhancement using garlic and onions. I picked up Irish Soda bread and Irish Brown Bread over at Brigid’s in Norton. That is a cute little place. while I was there I also got a couple treats for Allison and the kids.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02256 … You just have to grab center stage!” Tonight was the last performance of “The People vs. Frankenstein” and it was going to be unlike any performance that had come before it. I’ve had the role of the Male Juror who was the Jury Foreman. I had two lines int he play and was in the audience watching and reacting to the play every night for 8 of our shows. Tonight however, was different.Tonight I got the entire buffet. At the cast meeting our director was absent. He was not feeling well and was trying to recover in order to perform. I thought nothing of it. Figured that he’d be fine and back in a little bit. I was wrong. At 1:30pm the stage manager came to me and explained that the director, Tony, was sick and could I play the character of Cornwall Bellini tonight. here we were on the final night of our 9 show run. This show had all sorts of challenges along the way. Two weeks before the opening night the director had to step in and take on the role of the lea...

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02255 This LEGO set has been overpriced for a long time. I finally found it for a decent price and decided to pick it up. I’m excited to build it soon. Tonight was the second to last show of The People Vs. Frankenstein. It was a really good performance. Everything is coming together so well in time for our last show tomorrow. It has been very fun.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02254 Tonight Eva came with me early to the theater to observe the way that the makeup artist did the makeup for our Frankenstein monster. After Eva saw the show that first weekend I asked her if she wanted to see Geoff’s makeup up close. We talked with Geoff for a bit and we asked if Eva could come early some show to see how the makeup was applied. Eva was under the weather last week but doing fine this week so she came with me tonight. She was there for about an hour learning all about appling theater makeup. The artist, James was very welcoming to Eva and he told me after the show that he really enjoyed talking with someone who got it. That’s our Eva she has an incredibly inquisitive mind for those things that she is interested in learning about. Eva was equally excited by the exchange. She had a great time.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02253 Now that I have the overhead camera set up on my desk I can get into a bunch of new projects. I bought some LEGO sets and I also have the coloring projects. My most recent one was the LEGO Donut truck. I guess LEGO has made a bunch of food trucks so far. I have only found the burger and the donut ones. They even made a pizza one and ice cream one. I didn’t get them when they were realized, now they are quite expensive. If I ever find them for a reasonable price I may pick them up.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02252 I discovered a new place for amazing breakfast sandwiches today. I saw a post on Facebook for Rehoboth Breakfast Co. I went there and got their bacon, egg and cheese muffin sandwich. This came out perfect! Perfectly melted cheese, plenty of bacon and a perfectly fried egg on a grilled English muffin. I was very impressed. I also got some desserts for the family. I also took a walk around Attleboro Springs for my daily walk. It has been nice outside and I have been enjoying that very much.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02251 Andy wanted to make some chocolate covered oreos with a pokemon theme. I can’t tell you which Pokemon characters Andy made but they look cool and they were tasty.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02250 Last week I rearranged my desk to add the microphone and the overhead camera to the desk. I think I have to take everything off the desk and rewire everything once again to make it neater. But, for now, it works well enough and isn’t too messy. I also picked up a Crayola coloring book some time back that I was going to use to make coloring videos. Videos of me coloring a page from overhead. I’m just going to go from the beginning to the end of the book and do a couple a week. I started today with one of an Orca. this is the finished image. While I colored I listed to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein on a audiobook that someone recorded for YouTube.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02249 I received a great surprise after the performance today. Our friends Aaron and Denise Preston and their daughter Verity came to see the show with Allison and Andy. Eva was feeling under the weather and stayed home. Aaron had been in a play back in 2018 and I think seeing him in that play got it in my head that maybe I should try again to do some theater. I have certainly enjoyed my time on this play. After the play we went to Spumoni’s for dinner. I’ve never been and I must have passed the place hundreds of times over the years. Just never stopped to eat there. A guy at work was raving about their Italian Pu Pu Platter. So, that is what I got for my dinner. It was huge enough to have it again for dinner another night as well. In fact, we all got doggie bags with the food that we could not finish. Aaron got a seafood dish that I am definitely ordering on our next visit. It was nice to enjoy dinner with our friends, it is always a great time when we get toget...

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02248 Before Christmas I pre-ordered a set of special Dungeons and Dragons dice for Eva. They are packaged in a danish cookie tin but the dice have sewing supplies in the middle of each die. Eva got a huge kick out of this. Allison found her a tool for sewing that is along the same lines. It is a magnet that looks like a cookie tin and when you open it it has sewing supplies inside and it is magnetic so it can hold needles and other tools. Eva was very happy with this gift.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02247 I was in CVS today and they had Lucky Charms on sale for $2 so I could no pass up getting a box of them for National Cereal Day. I used to get boxes of cereal and milk to bring to work for National Cereal Day celebrations with my co-workers. To try and get the groups morale up. Now I’m working at home most of the time and have to keep up my own morale. If that means my own cereal day then so be it. We’re on our second weekend of The People vs. Frankenstein. This has been a fun play to do. I have been enjoying it.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02246 for months I have had a standing desk next to my real desk so that I can make videos with the overhead camera. Well, I haven’t made any of those videos, rather that standing desk did not ultimately meet my needs. It shook and I didn’t like seeing that when I was done with my videos. Plus it was cumbersome and took up too much space in this already cramped office. So, today I did a little Spring cleaning in the office and moved the pieces that had been set on the standing desk to the regular desk. I do think that I’m going to have to take everything off the desk sometime soon and redo the wiring situation but for now, we’ll go with how things are working.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02245 While the title is about the walking the photo is about being a safe person for the LGBTQIA+ community. I posted about the pins that I purchased through the Tik Tok shop and so far I have one on my hat and one on my work backpack. I now made this my profile photo for Facebook and Instagram. I’m putting it out there so anyone I know on Facebook knows that they have someone they can count on and come to. I also put it there so that anyone who is against this community will show themselves the door. I thought of putting that into words on my page but I reconsidered because I don’t want to argue with people who agree with our incompetent, incontinent, insurrection inciting, egomaniacal slum lord of these United States. Those people can just drop off the edge of the flat earth they believe in for all I care.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02244 What happens when you leave a whole bag of frozen cherries on the counter after getting some ice and forgetting to put them back? Well, if you are Andy then you get a lesson on how to make Grandma Eva’s pie crust and you make a pie with your mom. Allison had a whole bag of frozen cherries for smoothies and such but Andy came home and took out the bag while getting ice and completely forgot that it needed to go back in the freezer. Allison came home and asked me why I had left cherries out all day. I hadn’t but questioned myself over not noticing them all day long when I had been in and out of the kitchen and would have definitely noticed them being out.The mystery was solved when we talked with Andy. I did go out and get some vanilla ice cream to go with the pie, though.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02243 For the past week I have been building a great set from Funwhole. This company sent me their Cyberpunk Neon city Apartment. There are so many great features to the set and I will go into them on a later date. I can say that this too quite a while to build but I enjoyed it a lot. Andy even helped out a bit. I had the time today so I got it completed.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02242 At today’s performance I had the lovely surprise to see my Aunt Cindy, Uncle Wayne, cousin Scott and his daughter along with Allison, Eva and Andy in the audience. I actually did not see them in the audience because I come in in darkness and leave in darkness and I am facing the courtroom so I don’t actually see who is in the audience until after the show. However, after the show I got to see everyone. I guess that Aunt Cindy and Uncle Wayne bought everyone tickets and Allison has been sitting on this surprise for a while now. after the show we went to Bliss for lunch. It is the one place that Uncle Wayne misses from Attleboro. We had a very nice lunch and it was great to catch up with everyone. I was so surprised to see them at the show. Glad they came down to see it.

  Photo-A-Day 2.0 #02241 Actually this is the workshop room where they basically just throw everything in for building the sets for the shows. It is a total mess and it reminds me of when I was in high school and the boys changing room and bathroom for the theater was in the workshop. There was a small path to the bathroom where you would change but the whole room itself was a complete mess. I’ve been using this room to sit in because the green room is so full of people and I am just trying to keep out of the way between scenes.