TRU (SILLINESS)

Yes, I know, it's silly.

So let me explain.

SWMBO, the BRD and I were enjoying a Sunday brunch at the historic old Hassayampa Inn in Prescott yesterday.

The BRD has been having some eye surgery and was wearing these mah-velous pink sunglasses.

Now I'm a sucker for colorful eyewear so at one time she had taken them off and laid them on the table.

I immediately grabbed them and tried them on.

Ooooohh, talk about seeing the world through rose-colored glasses!

The BRD said "Andy Warhol!"

I responded with "No, it's Truman Capote!"

SWMBO prompted the BRD to take a photo and I put on what I considered my imitation of an aging Tru, as he was known to his friends.

As I said at the beginning, it is silly.

But we can be a silly family.

How was YOUR weekend?

I'M BACK!!!!!

No, it was not a health issue.

Judy and I are just fine.

It was TECHNOLOGY!

In other words, my computer took sick.

But after several days in the hospital, it's back and working better than ever.

Sorry about missing Friday Funnies.

The computer technician was very good.

Except, those guys speak a different language than anything I've ever heard.

So, I have things to do and things to learn.

I'll keep you posted.

Yeah, I missed you too.

TUESDAY TRAVELS

The BRD and her Beau Jack have taken many trips . . to Cancun, to New Orleans, to California, to Rome, to Key West.

You get the idea.

They like to travel.

But one of their trips a few years ago has me confused.

By way of preface let me tell you that Beau Jack's favorite footwear is a pair of cowboy boots.

I can probably count on one hand the times I've seen him in any other type of shoe.

So try and explain this.

In 2014 the traveling twosome went to Hawaii.

As one of their adventures while there they took a horseback ride along the Kona Coast.

Natural place for cowboy boots, right?

Let's get a closer look.

Yup.

Those are sneakers encompassing Beau Jack's feet.

O.K., cowboy, let's head 'em down the trail!

BLACK CATS

I was surprised the other day as I was sitting at my desk to look up and see Blackwell not only outside but walking along the wall at the back of our property.

I was alarmed because he is not allowed to go outside and we have to be careful around open doors because he is nevertheless known as our Escape Cat.

But then as I was about to rush outside to try to retrieve him I got a better look.

It wasn't Blackwell but a visitor we had not seen before with longer hair.

I called to him and he stopped and gazed at me for a moment as I got one blurry picture shot through a screen window.

I think regular readers of this blog will see the resemblance to Blackwell but he was right behind me, enjoying a patch of sunlight.

Since I've been opening my window and putting up the shade he is either up on the shelf behind my computer monitor helping to monitor the birdbath or, when the sun shines in, enjoying the "warm spot" on the floor.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Gentle Readers, another weekend is about to roll around after yet another trying week.

One of my contributors sent me a mess of quotes from the great humorist Will Rogers recently and, judging from what I see on the news, this is a good week to pass some of them along.

Down at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue sits the U.S. Capitol and the offices of 435 (supposed) representatives of all of the rest of us here in the Good Old U.S. of A.

With a fond tip of the hat we'll say so-long now to Mr. Rogers.

Moving right along . . .

I seem to be a bit cynical today so I guess I'll just close this out with one wish for all of you.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

IT'S ALWAYS 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE

Yeah, I know.

"All you ever talk about is drinking!"

Listen, when you get to my age there's not a lot else.

But this isn't about my quaffology (I made that one up!)

It is about Happy Hour at Ye Olde Blue Birdbath.

A Mountain Jay was one of many who partook of my "bird-tending" offerings this afternoon.

It happened suddenly.

There were birds of various types suddenly swarming the backyard.

It began with the jay at the "bar", when suddenly a big old mourning(?) dove nearly landed on his back.

(I am seriously questioning the adjectival description of these big bullies as "mourning".)

Actually, I don't think they are bullies . . I just think they're stupid.

Meantime, another Jay watched irritably from above.

The one at the birdbath was repeatedly slaking his thirst.

While this was going on a Phoebe's Say was twitching around on the ground beneath him, flipping up bugs from the sand for it's dinner.

It moved too fast for me to get a photo.

But there were others.

Robins and House Finches.

And Goldfinches.

Yeah, I know, once again.

I'm working with a cellphone camera here.

It doesn't zoom so well.

Or maybe I just couldn't hold it still enough when I was zoomed in.

Maybe I just need a drink.

Salud!  Prost!  Santé! Cheers!  Bottoms Up!

A SCOURGE

They're being called "Littles" this year.

I've never heard of that before but then I'd never heard of someone being "woke" until recently either.

It's hard to keep up with a language that seems to have a new vocabulary with each generation.

But getting back to the littles, which are becoming bigger every day it seems.

I photographed one crawling up the outside of my window a day or two ago.

When I grew up these were called grasshoppers.

The little ones were just called baby grasshoppers.

But now they're known as "littles" and there must be thousands of them in my area.

They hop everywhere when I go outside to do a teensy bit of weed pulling in the back yard or when I walk across the street to get the mail.

I'm reminded of the very old expression: a plague of locusts.

So far the trees and shrubbery around our home seem to be impervious to the pests.

Or maybe they just don't like the flavors.

Doesn't seem to stop their growth though.

Maybe they're eating my weeds!

In which case I may have to adopt them.