FOR ALL MOTHERS

 Today is Mothers' Day . . a day devoted to honoring all mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, nanas, grans, or whatever you call them.

So here's a couple of pictures of my Mom.

Check out the stylish marcelled hairdo.

The flicker of a smile -  she must have been thinking ahead to Oddball Observations.

A typical North Dakota day with her son - looks like she may have been dragging me to church.

I lost her a long time ago.

She died in 1953 at the early age of 49.

I was just 13.

I wish I'd been able to know her when I was an adult.

The mother I know the best I've lived with for over half a century.

She raised three children and it may just have tuckered her out.

The incredible Judy, aka She Who Must Be Obeyed, in a moment of repose.

For all of the mothers we celebrate, honor and love today, here's a little special gift from your offspring.

Happy Mothers' Day!

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Today is a Red Letter Day!

It's because my wife, Judy, aka She Who Must Be Obeyed, is celebrating her birthday.

As of today, she's thirty-one-thousand seven-hundred fifty-five days old!

Now putting 31,755 candles on her birthday cake would be a bit of a stretch, even for someone as adept as the Catalyst.

So I'll just quietly wish her a Happy Birthday.

So you're probably wondering what I got her for her birthday.

Well I gave her some advice:

So that's it.

My Great Leader's birthday AND The Friday Funnies.

How can you top that?

I'll tell you.

By going full steam ahead, pulling out all stops, and having yourselves a really wonderful weekend.

Here the whole weekend is Prescott Valley Days, with a parade, a carnival, food trucks, and entertainment.

And Sunday is Mothers' Day.

Gadfrey!

I think I'll go take a nap but before I go one gentle reminder: Always Keep Laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . oof, there goes my nap . . .)

SWIZZLIN'

 My wife laughs at me because I insist on stirring the drinks I make at home with what's probably now an antique swizzle stick.

I got it many years ago from a then-popular restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Trader Vic's was one of a Polynesian-themed chain that was a big hit across the country and certainly in Arizona with it's tiki-statues and it's "authentic(?)" food and drinks of the South Seas.

I loved the place.

And I've had this swizzle stick ever since, even though the restaurant closed in 1990.

It's made of plastic and I'm amazed that it's lasted all these years.

But maybe it's the Menehune.

They are a mythological group of dwarf people in Hawaiian culture that supposedly pre-date the arrival of people from Polynesia.

Well, Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron) bought into the mythology and they were featured on his menus.

AND on his swizzle sticks!

I don't know about their mystical powers but they've sure kept my swizzle stick safe all these years

Now watch.

I'll probably break it tomorrow.

COOKERY

 Okay, not to brag, but today I'm cooking a meat loaf.

And a couple of baked potatoes.

I say, no brag, because when I looked up the recipe in my binder it said "Judy's Meat Loaf" and knowing her like I do I followed the recipe to the letter.

It's pretty simple anyway and there's a note that says I made it in 2017 and it was "easy and delish!"

So what more can I say.

Just wait a half hour or so and I'll have a picture.

Okay, been waiting long?

Here it is, in all it's glory.

There's nothing quite like a good meat loaf.

And this one (thanks Judy) is one of the best.

Accompanied by a baked potato smothered in butter and sour cream and chives, and Judy's sauteed asparagus, you just can't beat it.

Even if it's just "simple food".

THE THINKING MAN

 

CORONATION DAY

"There'll always be an England

And England shall be free

If England means as much to you

As England means to me."

--popular song written by Ross Carter and Hughie Charles in 1939

Not sure about the monarchy, though.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 HEY!

It's Cinco de Mayo!

And you know what that means.

Well, that's in the United States of America.

Meantime, in Mexico, here's how the day is marked.

You see, Americans have it all wrong.

While the 5th of May does commemorate the day the Mexican Army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla, the French regrouped and later conquered Mexico.

So Mexicans in Mexico don't really celebrate Cinco de Mayo much.

Their big day of festivities comes on September 16th when they celebrate Mexican Independence Day.

Just so you know.

Meanwhile, speaking of celebrating . . .

Well, I'm afraid that's it for another week.

Now you have to get serious about having a sensational weekend full of roisterous revelry.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

HAPPY FOURTH OF MAY!

 The BRD sent me the following GIF this morning.

I never knew she had a sense of humor.

(Jut kidding, Gayle.)

SWEETIE PIE

 

NONAGENARIANS

 Recently I shared some news and humor from an old pal of mine, newspaper columnist and book author Sam Lowe, who had become (I say in amazement) 90 years old.

I haven't heard about his birthday party but I doubt it could have topped another one this past weekend.

Ol' Willy Nelson became 90 the other day and he celebrated with two nights of star-studded music at the Hollywood Bowl.

He planned the entire affair and invited all the performers, from young Billy Strings to his old pal, 86 year old Kris Kristofferson.

The second night's music was capped by the appearance of Keith Richards, who sang a couple of songs with Willy and paid tribute to the birthday boy.

But, believe it or not, I have ANOTHER nonagenarian friend, who I've known for over half a century.

Not quite half her life.

My dear friend, Diane Kalas, is turning 91 in less than three weeks.

This was how she looked back when she was a new t.v. star in Phoenix.

She's still going strong, too, with a daily schedule that would exhaust a much younger person.

If you happen to be in reach of a television set that picks up Channel 12 in Phoenix, Arizona, Diane's life is going to be featured in a report by Tram Mai on the 10 o'clock news tonight.

All I can say is that it's one helluva May Day!

Let's hear a round of applause for all of them.

COMPULSIVE

 Can one have too many cats?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes!

It is FRIDAY once again.

Can you tell I'm excited?

I'm thinkin', Tucker Carlson was fired and Jerry Springer passed on.

What more could make me happy?

Oh, I know, I know, I'll chill.

So at the end of this rather thrilling week, what can I do?

I know.

I'll submit you to an all-text Friday Funnies.

No cartoons, just words.

So stop frowning, turn those expressions right side up and get ready to chortul, chuckle, guffaw and LAUGH!

Okay, now that your eyes are tired from all the reading, I'm gonna cheat and change the game.

Because.

Well, because.

Because I couldn't end the Funnies without these guys.

So that's it.

Your humor potpourri for the week is over.

Now you have to find your own good humor.

And good food.

And good drink.

And have yourselves a good weekend.

No!

A GREAT weekend!

Enjoy!

And always remember to keep laughing!!!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

MYSTERY WOMAN

 I was going through a huge collection of family photographs recently and found this tiny one.

It's only about two inches tall by an inch and a half wide and mounted on some stiff cardboard or pasteboard.

Do you know her?

I found it in a collection of photographs from my Berry family.

My paternal grandmother, Daisy Berry, married my grandfather, Berthold Wayne Taylor, B.W., as he was known most of his life.

They came from southern Minnesota.

The photo apparently was taken at a photo studio on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis.

It may be of someone in the Berry family or it may be a friend of one of the many brothers or sisters in that family.

I can not identify her but thought I'd throw it out to you Internet sleuths to see if anyone can solve the mystery of this rather smartly dressed young lady.

Unfortunately there is no reward for solving the puzzle, other than the eternal gratitude from your scribe.

And, of course, the international adulation that might arise from this blog!