Fin de la semana

• Night before last, I had the strangest dream.  I was in the McDonald's with oldest son, when a Neil Diamond song (Longfellow Serenade) came on the sound system.  I remarked to him that "those strings sound so real", then turned around to see his mother (who plays violin) and some other symphony members performing in the adjoining dining room.  
• I shared that story with her via text.
• Sometimes I can sort of figure out the source of dream topics.  Earlier in the week, I'd played Hot August Night (the original), and I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight CDs before bedtime.  Neither features the song in the dream, however.
• There are tons of specialty burger places these days: Five Guys, Kincaid's, In-n-Out, Smashburger, Steak & Shake, etc.  As a kid and teenager, I wasn't much the Jack in the Box fan, but in recent years, it seems they've finally become a legitimate, and sometimes innovative, fast food purveyor.
• I was tickled to find a shaded parking spot:

Unfortunately, the dining room was closed...

• The Buttery Portobello Swiss & Onion is as good a burger as is out there.  With a small meal coupon for $5, it was a great deal, too.  I don't recommend you eat it while driving, as I did, but I had no choice.
• I had to go to Colleyville for a, ahem, minor traffic infraction.  They have some of the most confounding streets over there.  A family of birds had made their home over the entrance to the court center:

A fourth, presumably the momma bird, flew back 

and forth as I was walking up to the door.

• While I was waiting in line, a young mother with an infant came in and left an envelope of Starbucks and other gift cards with the receptionist, saying "I know it's probably been a sucky day - would you please give these to the officers?"  No photo-op, no fanfare.
• The drop-dead gorgeous teen or college age girl in line in front of me commented to me on how nice that was.  She also complimented the woman ahead of her on her handbag, and me about my eyeglasses a few minutes later.  Good people skills.  When she got up to the window, she didn't try to BS the clerk.  When asked, she said she was guilty (I don't know what the infraction was) and arranged to take defensive driving.
• Bryan Williams just can't get a break.  Like the commentator, I'm not sure why comparing the President to Pryor is inherently racist.
• I on the other hand, caught a break while doing laundry today.  After taking clothes from the washer, I found a Sharpie at the bottom of the drum.  The cap was still on, and no apparent spillage on my clothes.  I put them into the dryer, then went to the bathroon to check out the Sharpie.  When I removed the cap, my hands immediately looked like those of a bank robber who'd exploded a dye pack.  Thankfully, it washed off.  I have no idea which article of clothing had contained the pen.
• Carnac tonight: "Ovaltine - What was Oprah Winfrey's nickname in high school?", and "Wake up and smell the coffee - What do you do after a one night stand with Mrs. Olson?"  From the context of the bit, I think it was Johnny's last portrayal of the great Seer, Soothsayer and Sage. Interestingly, the punchline from the final envelope included a gag about Marla Maples, the punchline of which was "[something], [something], and dump Trump."
• Borrowing from Simon & Garfunkel, the HuffPo has an interesting article today, following in the footsteps of CBS News and the Boston Globe.
• Here's my own Carnac bit: 5 to 7 percent - The odds that either Mitt Romney or Joe Biden will be President in 2017.