THE NEW "OLD WEST"

 A few Arizona scenes from my photo bank as the locals try to keep the "Good Old Days" alive.

A GATHERING

 Once again a few of "the old boys" got together yesterday for lunch and to solve, or at least to bemoan, the problems of the world.

Lew - "The Investigator"

Wally - "The Thinker"

Steve - "The Birthday Boy"

(His 73rd candle is burning in a clutch of fries)

 Does he have a portrait in his attic or not!)

Karl - "aka Doc"

The senior member of our gaggle of old-timers

Oh and I was there too but stayed behind the camera.

It's been a few years since the last meeting of the minds, what with the pandemic.

But except for a bit of aging, nothing much had changed.

The same reminiscing about "the good old days" and about former colleagues who had gone on to brighter futures or who had succumbed to the undertaker.

On this particular day, it felt good to be among "the Survivors."

WHAT A DAY!

 

It's another day to put out the flag here in the United States of America.

But that's not all.

It's a double birthday day.

So send good wishes to my longtime pal, Baseball Steve.

But also to someone I grew up with in North Dakota.

Say hello also to Sensational Sharon!

I have a soft spot for her because she married the son of a small town doctor who saved my life when I was 12 years old.

So happy birthdays, you two!

And happy Flag Day!

DOG DAYS?

 

From Wikipedia:

The dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius (known colloquially as the "Dog Star"), which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

Well, I guess the calendar tells us we're not there yet but it sure feels like it.

89 degrees here as I'm writing this and Phoenix hit a record 113 yesterday.

It's a great time to hover inside in a house with air conditioning and ice cubes in the refrigerator.

But, as the wise men say "This, too, shall pass."

BTW, the doggie in the picture belongs to The BRD.

ROCK 'N' ROLL

 It's not what you think.

It's a picture I just ran across in my photo file while I was doing some editing.

It was taken in the Granite Dells area of Prescott at Watson Lake.

Frankly, I don't think I'd want to be rock climbing or boating anywhere beneath that.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Oh, I know it's hot, quit you're whining!

Oops, sorry, I forgot you're not all in the Great Southwestern United States of HEAT!

But I'm not complaining.

Hey it's only 82 here at 9 p.m. on Thursday night.

That's . . . balmy.

Or as my wife responds whenever I say that to her, "YOU'RE BALMY!"

So let's leave the weather behind and get on with what you all came here for, right?

And I don't mean the beer.

Now let me leave you here to your angst and encourage you all to have a fittingly fine weekend.

Stay cool and always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

HEAT-UP --- COOL DOWN

 Temperatures are rising here in the Desert Southwest.

As my lovely wife pointed out yesterday it's still Spring.

Summer doesn't officially begin for another couple of weeks.

But it's 11 o'clock in the morning here in the Central Highlands of Arizona and already 88 degrees Fahrenheit.

For you folks on the metric scale that's a tad over 31 degrees Celsius.

It's hot, folks.

So what's your poor Catalyst to do?

Perhaps head to an ocean wearing a tee shirt emblazoned "Young Life"?

Nyaaah, too old for that now.

Perhaps relax in a reclining chair at the beach in Mazatlan with a bikini-clad lovely in the background.

Heck, I didn't even notice her back then.

And, as I remember, it was hot there, too.

Maybe a trip over to Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona to get a close-up view of a burbling stream.

Nope, not agile enough for that now.

I guess I'll just turn up (or down) the air conditioning and stare at my new blog header.

That ought to do the trick.

COASTAL CLOUDS

 My friend Tom shared a couple of pictures of cloud formations off the California coast today.

And I'm sharing them with you.

I especially like the second one although the first one shows a tad of the Oceano Pacifico.

IT'S THE QUEEN!

 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee the other day, marking her 70 years of service on the throne of England.

At 96 years of age she looked a bit frail during her two appearances in public but she still cuts a stylish figure.

In case you missed it, that photo is from her appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, delighting a huge crowd of thousands of celebrants and well-wishers.

But my friend, Wally, who contributes many of the items that bring you joy and laughter on The Friday Funnies, remembered the Queen from an earlier time.

Nearly 40 years ago she arrived on the Royal Yacht in San Diego, California.

The pictures are Wally's as we covered her visit to "the Colonies" with Prince Phillip for our t.v. station in Phoenix, Arizona.

The reporter is Mark Jones, who went on to fame and fortune in San Francisco.

We were kept well away by security but Mark managed to do a walking "stand-up" with Her Highness in the background.

Needless to say he didn't get an interview but just to let you know it wasn't all serious work, here's one more picture of Mark and Yours Truly perhaps spotting the Royal Yacht in the far distance.

Good memories and I'm sure Mark and Wally join me in wishing the Queen hearty congratulations on her Jubilee.

DAY-DREAMING

 

SECRET GARDEN REVEALED

 It's a close-up photo of my colorful drinking cup.

SECRET GARDEN

 

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Funny thing, er . . . wait a minute.

LOTS of funny things, right?

Okay, stop laughing, that's it.

Oh, wait a minute.

(again)

Don't stop laughing.

Have yourself a remarkably fine weekend, even if it IS only two days this time.

And always, ALWAYS, remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(dratted kitty)

PLATINUM

 The Platinum Jubilee is well underway in England as Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 70 years on the throne.

As she posed on the Royal Balcony at Buckingham Palace the 96 year old monarch appeared to be enjoying a flyover by RAF jets.

England's longest-serving queen was joined by her son, Prince Charles, and her grandson, Prince William, as well as other members of the royal family for the celebration.

Long live the Queen!

WELCOME