TURNOVERS

 SWMBO is proud of her ability to peel a Mandarin in one piece and she's taught me how to do it.

But today she got into a bag of apples and had to show me the results of her artistry.

That's one single peel for each of two apples!

(you may applaud)

But she doesn't do everything from scratch like her pioneer ancestors.

Ah, the miracles one can perform with frozen puff pastry sheets from the supermarket!

A short time later, the product of her toil emerged from the oven, filling the house with a delicious aroma.

Once they had cooled they got a garnishing topping of some (canned) frosting.

And voila!

Fresh, home-baked Apple Turnovers!

It's a good Sunday.

A DAY WITH THE DUCKS (AND GEESE)

 There are two small lakes in the center of my town, close to where we live now.

So we drive down and visit the abundant and varied waterfowl.

I think the larger birds in the front of the above photo are geese but I'm no Audubon so I can't be sure.

This guy, in his dress-up white suit surely must be a goose, mustn't he?

Meanwhile up at the upper, smaller pond, many of the birds seemed to prefer dry land to the water on this chilly day.

The lakes supposedly are stocked with Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish and White Amur and from time to time we see hopeful anglers trying their luck.

For we old retirees with time on our hands it's a nice place to spend some time communing with nature.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Just so you know, my elves have been very busy lately and the Humor Bank is full of great evidences of hilarity.

But this week I decided to challenge you.

So it's all words - no cartoons.

But I think (and after all, it is I who am the most important around here) that you'll still get a lot of laughter out of this week's selections.

So . . . here we go!

How ya' doin'?

Tired from all that reading?

Well your trial is over.

Now put down your reading glasses, forget that today is Friday the 13th (!) and prepare to have a spectacularly fine weekend.

But always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oops, sorry, put the reading glasses back on)

DAYS OF OUR LIVES

 

THANK YOU

 Thank you all, good friends, for the kind words you extended on yesterday's post.

They may be a bit premature though.

Yesterday marked an anniversary of Judy's and my first meeting.

We didn't get married until April of 1971.

Nevertheless, your kindness was greatly appreciated.

And a couple of things I left out.

As Tom (of France) pointed out, she is also an accomplished fence painter!

As well as an artist in many art genres over the years.

And a lover of books as well as the author herself of a finished but unpublished novel.

And, is it even necessary for me to mention that she is a marvelous cook?

Tradition tends to rein in our kitchen, as in a delicious and savory "pot of beans" she whipped up recently.

The 15-bean mixture was flavored by the addition of a ham-bone left over from our Christmas feast and some red onions.

Her long-time accompaniment comes from a recipe by her Hoosier (Indianan) mother.

Let me tell you, nothing goes as well with "a mess of beans" than a slice of that great cornbread.

So yes I have a multi-talented wife and you might recognize why I refer to her, respectfully, as SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed)!

52 AND COUNTING

 You may have thought from the title of this post that I was going to show you a card trick.

52 being the number of cards in a deck of playing cards.

But no, it's something else entirely.

It's the number of years that I have known the lady who stands by my side.

Exactly 52 years ago today, in Indianapolis, Indiana, I met a beautiful young lady known as Judy.

I fell instantly in love.

And 89 days later we were married, beginning a long and adventurous life together.

Over the years she has morphed into many things.

Nature lover

Barefoot beach visitor

Mexican sailboat passenger

Tree hugger

Wine lover

Art appreciator

Always a friend to cats

World Traveler with some lout in Monaco in '85

Amused by Beautiful Bruno in a tavern in Innsbruck, Austria

Stunning a Christmas party in Guadalajara, Mexico

There are many, many more images and memories I could share.

Let me just say that it's been a wild and wonderful ride.

A great deck of cards, one might say.

HO-HUM

 I have a long-standing policy of (almost) never getting into political debate on this blog.

But some days the laughable chaos in the sacred Halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. drag me into the fray.

I watched hour upon hour of television coverage of Kevin McCarthy's quest to be anointed the Boy King this past week.

Yesterday evening it nearly came to fisticuffs after the 14th embarrassing ballot left him one vote short.

Actually maybe that might be the right way to settle these fracases: get the leaders of the opposing teams in a ring and let them fight it out bare-knuckles style.

It would probably attract as many or more viewers as the  petulant performance the shameless seekers of power put on this past week.

But now, says King Kevin, it's over and I've won and I can finally hoist the gavel.

Yes, you are the Speaker now but of what?

You appear to have traded away the power of the Throne to achieve the Throne.

How will you govern the rabble to whom you have given the true power.

It's enough to make one's head swim.

And speaking of that, allow me to show you what the BRD foisted on her parents this past Christmas Day.

Yes, though I have commanded that no jigsaw puzzle shall ever enter my abode again after that thousand-piece monstrosity last year, she threw this one at us on a day meant for goodness and charity.

Fortunately it was only (ONLY, he shrieks!) 500 pieces and we finally finished it.

But what of my edict?

It seems I have no more power than the Boy King shall wield.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 It's been a chill first week of the year here in Beautiful Arizona.

Actually it's just been chilly.

Rain, a little snow, but cool, cool temperatures for here in the Central Highlands.

In the 40's and 50's most days but a day or two it never got out of the 30's.

So what shall I do?

Why, warm up the Humor Machine, my dears, and see if all that soon to come exuberant laughter will heat up my bones.

Well you know what they say - one good tern deserves another.

Now if we're all warmed up, let's try, try and try again to have a stupendously sensational weekend!

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

FIREPLACE

 On a cold winter's night there's nothing like a warm crackling fire in the fireplace.

Even if it's just a video on your television screen.

A FRESH START(?)

 Thanks, California!

We awoke to a coating of white as rain and snow entered our state from the West.

But at least, the temperature will top out in the upper 30's today and the infernal snow will not linger for more than a few hours.

Meantime as we deal with a new year and a new calendar . . .

2023