THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

Many people, SWMBO among them, are keeping a close eye on this year's presidential campaign.

While I do read some articles online and occasionally watch some of the constant coverage on television, I am generally leaving the outcome to fate this year.

As a former radio and television journalist, I am finding it tiring.

But 60 years ago, when I was a young lad, it was a different story.

That was 1964, the year Senator Barry Goldwater was the Republican nominee.

When he made a campaign visit to North Dakota, where I was still living, I was hot on his trail.

Or maybe I should say "hot on his tail!"

That young clean-shaven guy in the houndstooth jacket behind him is your Catalyst.

Ten years later, I was living in Phoenix and Baseball Steve and I traveled to Washington, D.C. where a coterie of former staffers  of the Senator had organized an event around the title of the 10 year anniversary of the non-inauguration of Barry Goldwater.

I met then-president Gerald Ford on that visit.

But back home and off the campaign trail I was a hard-partying man of the 70's.

And then the calendar pages rapidly flutter past and it was the middle 80's and my bride and I were about to move to Mexico.

My friend Tommy Terrific sent me off with this clever card.

Ah the memories.

Who would have ever thought all that would have come out of this sweet young boy back in the 1940's?

But it could be that's where "Here, kitty-kitty" first began!

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Never mind that I first thought Wednesday was Friday and then I thought it was Sunday.

Don't you think these weeks are going by faster and faster?

I suppose that could be a blessing as autumnal weather seems to have finally arrived here in the Central Highlands of Arizona.

I don't think it reached 90 degrees yesterday and the Weather Gods are predicting several days with high temperatures in the 70's next week!

Of course it is the middle of September so it's been expected for some time.

Well at least it gives us something to smile about.

And here's a few others to grin at.

Now I think you have to be an absolute Trekkie to get that last one though I don't claim to be and I figured it out.

I hope you got some chuckles out of this week's crop from my Humor Bank elves and I.

And I also hope you'll have an absolutely marvy weekend.

(And surprise, triskadekaphobians, I didn't even mention that today is Friday the 13th!  Until now.)

Just remember to always keep laughing!

Here kitty-kitty . . . 

( . . . or should I say "kitties" . . . )

CIRQUE TIME

One of our granddaughters lives in Colorado and I've been telling her for years she should have been a movie star.

But she's not.

However, she did attend a performance of the Paranormal Cirque recently and entertained her inclination of costuming for the show, something she likes to do.

She may not be a movie star but I hear she's a star realtor up there in the snowy climes and (he said proudly) I think she looks pretty good.

Presenting . . . . Lesly!

ITALIA!

We felt it was Friday.

Then, dining, it felt like Sunday.

It was only Wednesday.

A day when the old Catalyst took over the kitchen, not for baking but for cooking our dinner.

It was Italian.

Accompanied by a beautiful (as always) salad created by Judy.

A plate of Fusili Corti Bucati with Italian sausage and tomato sauce and mozzarella and ricotta and parmesan.

And then there was Judy's garlic toast and a glass of red and . . . oh, gawd my tummy is smiling, smiling smiling.

Viva Italia!

RHAPSODY

A favorite piece of music for both Judy and I is the famous Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.

I stumbled across this recording of it performed by the Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili and the Orchestre National de Lyon with Leonard Slatkin conducting.

Everyone is perfect in this performance of a very difficult but beautiful piece of music.

Do yourselves a favor, just lean back and enjoy this.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

I asked my PT person Tuesday how he'd spent his Labor Day.

"Laboring", was his response.

Well it serves him right for what he's been putting me through, I thought, but instead I commisserated with him.

So was your week any better than his?

Well I guess you didn't have to put up with me so there's that.

Hey we tried Swai for the first time the other day.

Have you?

Swai is one of those strange words for what is, essentially,  farm raised catfish.

Ours was imported from Thailand.

But we, unlike some people, like catfish and Judy prepared it like American catfish and it was very tasty.

As a matter of fact, I cleaned up a leftover filet with a couple of scrambled eggs for my breakfast this morning.

Yeah, I know.

Judy, too, says I eat strange breakfasts.

Well enough about that.

Let's see what I've dredged out of the humor bank this morning.

So that's it for this pundelicious weekend, my friends.

Now do your absolute utmost to have a wonderful weekend, even if it's only a couple of days.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . oh, me too . . . )

THE BAKER

We have new neighbors in the other side of our duplex.

The man is an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with a fire department.

The woman is a PA (Physician's Assistant).

Before they moved in a truck stopped at the end of our driveway one day as I was returning from the mailbox and the woman in the passenger seat rolled down her window.

I went to see what they wanted and quickly learned that they were the parents of one of our incoming neighbors.

As we chatted, I mentioned how I had spoken to the realtor who was one of the two people who helped me when I had my fall about six weeks ago and said "Wow! With my history it's going to be good to have all that medical help next door!"

When the woman expressed concern I told her that the fall was a very rare occurrence for me, that I was fine and, when she asked if I had trouble standing or walking, I responded "I'm a baker!"

I explained that my baking is only at home and only now and then.

A few days later the new neighbors moved in and Judy suggested that it would be nice to take them some homemade cookies as a welcoming gift.

Cookies which had yet to be baked, I might add.

But I've discovered a new (to me) recipe that is simple and chocolately delicious so I quickly whipped up a batch and later took a plateful over to their door.

I was met by a woman who I quickly learned was the mother of the other side of our new couple and when I presented the cookies, she exclaimed "Oh, you must be the baker!"

My "fame" had preceded me.

At any rate, Judy had moaned that the few cookies that I'd held back for us from that event had definitely Not Been Enough, said these were her new favorite cookie, and begged me to make some more just for us.

So this morning, I made a double batch and here's the weary "baker" with his product.

I said a double-batch which would be 48 cookies but if you had a drone flying over our counter you would see there are only 46 on that cooling rack.

And that's because SWMBO had already snagged two before the photo was taken.

One other thing - Judy and I have a disagreement about how much light is required for any project in the kitchen.

When I come in and see her working in what I refer to as near darkness I quickly turn on a light and say, snarkily, "There! Now you can see what you're doing!"

When I am in the kitchen I turn on every light including a very bright one over the sink that Judy refers to as "the floodlight".

After my efforts in the kitchen this morning I asked her to come in and take the above photograph for me.

When she was done she pointed out that "the floodlight" was lit and said "There's that light on again!"

My quick and somewhat mindless response was "I haven't turned it off yet!"

(I meant that I still had some clean-up duties in the kitchen.)

But her answer to my statement was "Well that's pretty obvious!"

Ain't married life fun?