THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

I know, I know, the news isn't getting any better.

That's why, for these few brief moments, we all need to take a break and remember that even in the direst of days there are people out there finding humor in it.

I don't create this stuff, you know, I'm only a conduit for it.

And once again, I thank those of you who send me the material for a few seconds of laughter.

As some wise man once said, "The light at the end of the tunnel may be an oncoming train."

And with that . . here we go.

And this next one, sent to me yesterday by Doctor Jim, is my personal favorite of the week.

And for this F***ed Up Friday, those are the jokes, folks.

Now if you've got good weather take a walk or go out in your garden and putter around this weekend.

If not, just binge-watch old Bogart movies or Gene Kelly musicals or maybe, just one more time, settle in on the couch and try another viewing of Gone With the Wind, or Star Wars, or Star Trek, or anything starring Bill Murray.

Whatever but try to put your cares away for a couple of days.

And always . . . always . . . remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

ThrowBack Thursday (sorta)

GENTLE BUT BUSY APRIL

April is finally here.

It's my lucky month, the fourth of the year.

I was born on 4-24-1940.

Judy and I have another wedding anniversary on April 7th.

Cynthia Nixon, the actress and political activist and daughter of my old Mexico days friend Walter, marks another year on the 9th.

The BRD has another birthday on April 11th.

My son, Troy, celebrates another trip around the sun on the 15th.

A former colleague, Ramblin' Ron does the same thing on the 16th.

A fellow blogger and former colleague, Tom and his lovely Lana, have another anniversary on the 19th.

I share my natal day with Shirley MacLaine and Barbara Streisand, among others.

By the time my big day (and this year it is a big one) comes around, can you imagine I'll be goggle-eyed?

Oh and, of course, today is April Fools' Day.

Enjoy it and stay well.

ADMONITION: LAUGH

I guess we can't ignore the Covid-19 pandemic.

But Cross-Town Lori has offered a solution: make fun of it.

QUARANTINE

2020 style setter.

So how's it going at your house?

The wife and the kids still there?

This self quarantining stuff is for the birds after awhile.

It's gotten to be so bad around here that I'm thinking of actually taking a walk around the neighborhood.

(Wooh. Better sit down and rest a bit before that idea takes hold.)

I've been pretty much holed up for a week now.

But tomorrow's the big day: I get to go sit in my car in the parking lot at the grocery store while someone loads groceries into my trunk.

SWMBO hasn't been out of the house since she had lunch with her daughter more than two weeks ago.

And I think it's starting to wear on her.

But never fear.  

As long as we still have our sense of humor we shall survive.

Take care of yourselves, friends and neighbors.

MORE SIGNS OF SPRING

Beau Jack sent me this picture the other day after I posted photos of flowering trees.

The white beauty is right outside of their home in Prescott.

Temperatures are climbing again as the Weather Gods predicted.

The bird bath was frozen over this morning but our high today is supposed to be 55 by this afternoon and 71 by Tuesday.

The forecast is for a week of 70's after that.

As Sinatra and many others have sung, "Spring is Here".

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

In a time like this it may seem ignoble for me to continue with this weekly foray into an attempt at humor.

So if anyone is offended I apologize in advance but I also say if we lose our sense of humor then what have we become.

So that's what I've got, my Gentle Readers.

Now take a walk, enjoy nature, stream a funny movie, listen to a podcast, bake some brownies (I did yesterday), get to know your family a little better, read a great book, catch up on your sleep and try to have a good weekend.

Take care of yourselves and those you love and above all, always remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

ThrowBack Thursday

Nearly eight decades ago, I was born in a lying-in home in a small town in northwestern North Dakota.

That was a private home where a midwife would help pregnant women deliver their babies.

I believe there was a doctor, too, but no hospital.

Me and my big brother Wayne

I spent 28 of the next 29 years living in North Dakota.

I remember a carefree youth where youngsters could wander the town by themselves or with friends without fear. 

Romey, Roger, Jim, Jerry, Me, and Boop

We would come home for lunch and at sunset for supper (what is called dinner now).

The same "rules" applied when the family went north 100 miles to fishing vacations at Lake Carlyle in Saskatchewan.

That's probably where I learned to swim.

Me and Jim

We also roved through the woods, "discovering" trails and visited the small store for Cadbury's chocolate bars.

And back home in Stanley we never seemed to mind the long winters filled with blizzards.

We'd go out for snowball fights and ice-skating when temperatures were 20 below zero.

Mom and I

It's a long way to the age we live in now but it brought to mind an old song about the state.

Give a listen.

In spite of the "we nailed it" comment at the end, I remember singing it with self-mockery of our Scandinavian accents: "Y'ought-ta go ta Nor'-Dakota".

Yah, well, let's have a cuppa coffee and some lefse.

It's a great day in the neighborhood.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

"Hmmmm......."

A quandary stares me in the face.

What shall I post about today in this blog to entertain, amuse or confound you, my Gentle Readers.

Perhaps something about how I should refrain from touching my face, even my beard.

Or perhaps a soul-baring dissertation on how said beard needs trimming.

Ah, the weather!

It is sunny today and the mercury is on the rise.

The omniscient Weather Gods assure me that this leonine month shall live up to it's reputation and our first 70 degree day will arrive on the 31st.

71, in fact.

I am ready for it.

Let's see, oh yes, next month holds a monumental birthday for me as I become an octogenarian!

But I'll save commentary on that event for later.

Well, there's always food.

As I have said, we are well-stocked and last night SWMBO, aka Madame Judy, got artistic while crafting two salads for our repast.

As I recall there are cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion and avocado.

But she opined (and I agreed) that the stars of the show were those fresh little sugar peas in their pods.

The product of my Master Salad Maker tasted as good as it looks.

Some of you have wondered why I refer to her sometimes as SWMBO.

If you look up at the top right column on this page you'll see that SWMBO stands for She Who Must Be Obeyed.

As to how she got that name . . .

And by the way we have a visitor this morning, our neighboring rental cat Matty.

After devouring a snack and drinking some water he has repaired to his customary spot on the couch for a little (or long) nap.

And with that, there you have it, dear friends, another rambling essay about life inside our four walls.

The Covid-19 virus is out there, it's real and it's dangerous, especially to we octo-people.

So stay inside, eat your veggies, wash your hands and be well.

TTFN (ta-ta for now).

CHECKING THE SKY

We've been having a spattering of light rain here this afternoon.

Earlier, I was out looking at the sky.

To the East

 To the South.

To the West

And to the North.

A little bit of something for everyone today.

SHOPPING TRIP

TAKING NO CHANCES

Once the video starts, click the square in the lower right corner to make it "full screen".