WEATHER REPORT

 The rain and snow has passed on but today is a mostly cloudy day in my part of Arizona.

A tad of blue sky peeking through here and there.

Promising sunnier skies and warmer temperatues for the weekend.

OH, YEAH?

 Lessee, what was I saying the other day about Spring finally being here?

Well, here's what's happening in my part of Arizona right now.

Yeah, that's right.

If Spring has sprung, it's got a funny way of showing it.

But I remember when we opened our bookstore back in mid-March of 1996.

A blizzard hit overnight and though I drove through snow to open the store on schedule, I think we only did about 30 bucks in business that first day.

As people say all over the world, the weather is unpredictable and if you don't like what you've got, just wait an hour and it will change.

A NEW BEGINNING

It's finally come.

Spring has now officially arrived.

I know, Colorado is expecting another snow storm.

And even here in the pleasant climes of the foothills in Arizona our temperatures most of the week will only be in the 50's.

But hope is in store and brighter days are ahead.

SWMBO and I have marked two weeks today since our second Covid vaccination.

So we should be good.

But we're still going to take care, wearing masks and staying away from crowds and washing our hands for the time being.

After all we have something to look forward to next month.

We are coming face to face with our 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Now that's a day to mark.

Not so much our birthdays in the next couple of months.

So I'll leave you today with an old Burma Shave jingle that I can never resist at this time of year.

Spring has sprung

The grass has riz

Where last year's

Careless drivers is

Happy springtime, everybody, whenever it comes!

LIFE IN THE SUN

 

Some Key West natives paid a visit, probably looking for a hand-out.

The ibis, worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, appear totally accustomed to human visitors in this tourist mecca.

The BRD seems bemused by them.

As I told you on Thursday, the Arizonans had traveled to the Keys to deliver a Gayle-created totem, a gift to Beau Jack's son Jeremy, his wife Marina and the newest member of their family, Apollo.

And here they are, in a pool under the very south Florida sunshine.

Who knows what that young lad will accomplish in his lifetime?

Perhaps the ibis knows.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Laugh and the world laughs at you.

Or is that "with" you?

Whatever.

Or is that "whichever"?

I'm so confused.

Better turn this over to the Keepers of the Humor Bank.

Or is that "Banque"?

Arrrrgggghhh!!!

There, I feel better.

I hope you do, too.

Now here's a wish that you'll have a fantastic weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(YIKES!)

KEYS TO THE KEYS

 So, what's to do in Key West anyway?

Well, there's a mid-day visit to Blue Heaven.

A nice laid-back (what isn't in Key West) place to nosh on a Southern speciality - Shrimp & Grits.

The BRD chose a different route - a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

With grilled tomatoes.

And lobster.

The photographer was too late.

A huge bite, or two, had already been taken.

So we move on to one of the main reasons for the visit.

To present one of Gayle's totems to new parents Jeremy and Marina.

 

Perfectly situated in a place of honor by their pool.

TEMPORARY

 I guess you know why my blog has suddenly changed color today.

It's March 17th.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Though St. Patrick wasn't ever canonized by the Catholic Church, and he wasn't Irish, and he didn't bring Christianity to Ireland, and he didn't drive the snakes out of Ireland, and the day celebrating him in Ireland was a holy day marked with fasting and religious observances, and St. Patrick's Day as we know it with parades and green beer and drunkeness and corned beef and cabbage was actually invented in the United States by Irish immigrants;

In spite of all that, it's not a bad day for a pint of stout.

Sláinte!

WINDOWS

 This is the view from my room this morning.

Overnight snow again in Arizona.

This is the view from the BRD's room.

She's vacationing in Key West, Florida.

Where have I gone wrong? 😢

VIVA BENITO!

 Today is an important holiday in the land of our neighbor to the south.

It is celebrated throughout Mexico on the third Monday in March marking the birthday of Benito Juarez.

In 1858, the Liberal judge became the first indigenous President of Mexico, following a civil war with Conservatives.

Juarez was actually born on March 21st, 1806, which would make him 215 if he were still alive.

But he died of a heart attack in the National Palace in 1872 at the age of 66.

His parents were poor Zapotec peasants in the state of Oaxaca who both died when Juarez was 3.

Shortly after his grandparents also died so young Benito was raised by his uncle.

He walked to the city of Oaxaca when he was 12 to begin his schooling and rapidly rose to prominence.

He is remembered today as a progressive reformer dedicated to democracy and equal rights for the indigenous people.

And he was a friend of the United States of America.

So today raise a glass to Benito Juarez.

D-D-D-D-DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

 

It was a chilly 27 F. when I rescued myself from the Arms of Morpheus this morning.

And once again there was a dusting of snow.

Especially out in the South Pasture.

ONLY 4 DAYS TO GO

 

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 I'm in Arizona.

It's snowing.

Are you laughing?

Then I'm off to a good start.

Yes, Gentle Readers, it's the end of another week and many of you (Judy and I included) are fully vaccinated, the stimulus bill is passed and signed and checks will soon be in the mail (or however the funds are distributed) and Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend.

Wait a minute, that was supposed to be a good news sentence.

Oh well, it wasn't a bad week and I've got some advice especially for the ladies this morning: how to spend some of that stimulus money.

If you Trekkies and others are groaning right along I know I've done my job.

Now jump joyously but judiciously into a weekend full of juxtapositioned jollifications, maybe enjoy some jabberwocky, jaunty and jolly, without jitteriness or jealousness, and journalize about it in your own jurisdictions.

Oh, and always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(Ah, just as I suspected!)

RECOVERED

 

No, we don't look like that anymore but the feeling of glee is nearly as good as a fresh bottle of wine brings.

In short, we apparently have recovered from the second dose of Moderna vaccine with minimal side effects.

After struggling through an upsurge in painful neuropathy and/or arthritis in my feet yesterday I woke at 4:30 this morning feeling great and pain-free.

(I know.

You're thinking 4:30?!

Hey, I'm sorry but I'm older than you and it's usually lights out at around 9 p.m. and up by 6 a.m.)

But to get back to the subject at hand, I show no side effects from the vaccine today and when I asked Judy how she felt and if her arm was still sore she said "no".

So apparently the much-ballyhooed side effects barely touched us, unlike some of you, and we're now fully vaccinated and back to normal.

Well, in a couple of weeks and still wearing our masks and social distancing in public.

Stay well, my friends.

FIRST DAY AFTER

 

I had a lousy night and I don't know whether it's due to the second Covid vaccine I got yesterday or not.

But my neuropathy in my feet (nerve pain) was going wild and it seemed like I was awake most of the night.

This morning I have just the tiniest soreness in the arm that took the abuse.

Judy said hers was pretty sore.

I would say that this isn't bad if that's all the reaction we get.

BUT, a couple of my correspondents have told me their most severe reaction didn't begin until the second day after the shot.

So I'm holding off on a report and keeping my eye on the Tylenol bottle.

To be continued.

SECOND SHOTS

 

Judy and I will get our second shots of the Moderna vaccine for Covid today.

I've been hearing a lot from friends about the side effects they've been having.

As far as I can tell, there is no rhyme or reason for them.

Some people have chills, some have fevers, some people are fatigued and sleep a lot, some have just a slight soreness in their arms and some have no reactions at all.

(I'm counting on being in that last group.)

But mostly the effects seem to last only a few days at the most.

And as one of my correspondents put it, better to be sick for a day or two than to get the virus.

So we will march in like good soldiers and hope for the best.

Judy has a reward for us.

We're going directly from the shot-shooting arena to pick up a take-out dinner from a Chinese restaurant!

A WHOLE LOTTA SKY

 

The day the rain moved on to the East.