weakly.

Last week was an odd one, and it left me sort of unmotivated to write about all the cool stuff that was going on while I was in a funk. My cousin’s death had something to do with it; the fact that I changed my normal Sunday-through-Thursday schedule to accommodate some vacations at work probably threw me off a little too.

* But damn, it was an excellent week, starting with the Bucco Tailgate Tweetup on Saturday. We had a good turnout, and I cooked approximately 127 pounds of meat for everyone, a task that actually led me to melt the asphalt under the four Patented Family Tailgating Grills. Just a few of us went into the game, and those who stayed behind missed a Pirates’ comeback win and a kickass fireworks show. Jennie did a great job of putting it together once again.

* I was melted into a puddle of goo on Tuesday night at the Flaming Lips show at the Trib IC Total Chevy Media Light Amphitheater at Station Square. Fred has been telling me for a couple of years that it’s impossible to walk away from a Flips show without “just feeling … happy.” And he is exactly right, despite the fact that much of the stuff the band played from Embryonic is considerably darker than their other recent albums. But with the balloons, the confetti guns, the lights — AND THE MICS THE BAND PLACED ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACKS HOLYCRAPLOUDTRAINNOISES — it was a stunning aural and visual feast. And, yes, I came home grinning like an idiot.

* I also made a double batch of crab cakes on Tuesday. They were to be for Mrs. Crappy’s aunt, but our plans got kinda messed up, so we ate crab cakes for dinner two nights in a row. Excessive? Sure. Good? Oh, yeah…

* We had missed the last two YinzTeam softball games, so even in Friday’s heat — which turned out to be tolerable with the breeze — getting a chance to play was a welcome break. Getting beer, burgers, nachos and these ungodly little garlic rolls at North Park Lounge after the game was a great bonus.

* Saturday. Fell down the basement stairs. Had pho with a bunch of good friends. Annnnd went to HelloSAL, the reveal party for Secret Agent L, whom we can safely refer to as Laura. I hadn’t yet discussed SAL here — OK, I had indirectly, as she was one of the people involved with Burgh Baby’s Do Good Day — but she got a great turnout at the Firehouse Lounge and a ton of support for the random acts of kindness she’s perpetrated on Pittsburgh for the last year. I was one of the folks who was lucky enough to be in on the secret for a while — I was flabbergasted that she wanted to meet me when she showed up at Jamie’s margarita party back in May — and I can’t wait until everyone else gets to see first hand what a genuinely great person she is.

* As I found a day or two before the party — and was able to confirm as I listened to the playlist she put together for the party — Laura is a Wilco fan. I think she’s going to get along with the Crappys just fine.

* I was — along with everyone else — turned into a puddle again Saturday night, as it was, uh, a bit warm in the upstairs room at the Firehouse Lounge. We did our best to say, uh, hydrated, but come Sunday morning, all Mrs. Crappy and I wanted was breakfast and a nap, both of which we got. The nasty hot weather broke a little bit on Sunday; my funk, I think, broke a little bit Saturday night.

* Other than the fact that I didn’t get a ton of sleep Sunday night, I’m feeling much better, thanks. A great weekend with great friends will do that.