THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Just last Monday I was thinking "Gosh, it seems like this week is going so slowly." 

And then it's Friday again.

So in a week that had many hours of Republican blather, let's see if we can find some humor.

This week you get a bonus cat picture. Just because.

That's it, folks. Thanks to my contributors and others I've stolen from. Let's keep the chuckles going, gang!

THROWBACK THURSDAY

A tiring week, finally over. 

San Francisco, California

1984 Democratic National Convention 

KPNX-TV crew.

(Front, L to R) Political reporter Ron Talley, Anchorwoman Linda Alvarez, Field Producers Bruce Taylor and Bert Sass.

(Back, L to R) Photographers Wally Athey, Greg Voigt, Steve Torbeck.

FALL FOOD

SWMBO's chicken stir fry

TUESDAY TRAVELS

Protect me, Captain Jack!

I was an extra in a movie with Johnny Depp back in the early 1990's. And young Leonardo DiCaprio.

The movie was "What's Eating Gilbert Grape". Here's how the "boys" looked back then.

That was in Austin, Texas.

The picture at the start of this post was taken at the Pike Place Market in Seattle in 2006 after "Pirates of the Caribbean" had come out.

Oddly, Johnny seemed much more one-dimensional to me.

EXERCISE

Every time I see any of my doctors they always ask me if I exercise.

Shamefacedly, I always respond that I have been doing some walking.

The doctors then tell me that is good exercise, if I do it for about 45 minutes every day, or at least several days a week.

My walks are more leisurely, 10 or 15 minutes, and of late they've been weeks apart.

So I'll try to get back to daily walks and try to extend their duration.

There are a lot of walkers in my neighborhood, some with dogs, some without, some amblers, some power walkers.

So the example has been set for me.

My longtime friend, Tom, over in California, has taken up tennis and become quite involved with a group of fellow seniors (sorry 'bout that, Tom). I think most of them are older than he is.

I don't plan to take up tennis.

But there is an alternative, apparently designed for we age-challenged folks.

It's called Pickleball.

It's sort of a cross between ping pong and tennis.

It's played with a paddle and a plastic ball and a net.

I've read that it's easy to learn but can develop into a fast-paced and competitive game for experienced players.

The other day I wandered (drove) over to the recreation center here and watched a group of four playing the game for a short time.

It looks like fun though I'm not sure I'm agile enough for it.

Maybe I'll just WALK over and be a spectator.

AUTUMNAL TINT

A sign of things to come

WHAT A DIFFERENCE . . .

Last March 10th I took some photos of new construction around StoneRidge, where we live.

Workmen were busily working on this new house, though if you click on the photo to expand it and look closely near the center you can see a couple of them taking a break in the shade.

Yesterday, I ventured out to find the home finished and occupied.

Even more startling was the change in what in March was just a vacant lot being cleared, leveled and surveyed.

As of yesterday, another house had been constructed and the lot landscaped.

It appears to be a modest house from this angle but look at it from the other side.

I can't remember and my earlier photographs don't tell me if the house between these two had been built in March. 

Now it joins the other in looking down on the StoneRidge golf course and the mountains beyond from it's cliff edge position.

Their view:

The song goes "What a difference a day makes . . ."

In this case it's what a difference six months makes.