A RAINY MORNING

 How about that?

When I went out early this morning to take the garbage dumpster to the street, I saw dark skies and a few raindrops on my driveway.

A bit later, as I sat by the window next to my computer, I saw a slightly more intense rain falling for a couple of hours.

Here's the proof.

SWMBO says when a puddle forms in our back yard that means we've had some mentionable rain.

You may note that I mention the rain nearly every time we get more than a few drops.

We live in Arizona!

Rain is rare here.

We only get a few inches of it in an average year.

So humor me.

It's a rainy day.

I said it and I'm stickin' with it.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE . . .

 Judy (aka SWMBO) and I don't really celebrate holidays any more.

We're OLD!

And it's only the two of us.

After laboring in the kitchen for two days for about a 15 minute dining experience on Thanksgiving this year, she said "That's it! Never again."

Although I have been making my appearance at the kitchen stove more lately, I couldn't help but agree.

And Christmas has only been something to get out of the way as quickly and easily as possible for years now.

So I was a tad surprised when she decided to do her holiday decorating last night.

Granted, it's not much.

But it's us.

It's how book people decorate.

I mean what's more Christmassy than plastic crystal strings hung over the bookcases, right?

Okay, okay, that's not all.

I mean we do have a tree, after all.

Several of them in fact.

And Santas and toys and snow.

So you celebrate Christmas your way and we'll celebrate it ours.

Now where's that bowl of wassail anyway?

Merry Christmas to all and . . well, you know the rest.

2020 POLITICS

 

"You wanna fight?!!!"

REMEMBRANCE

 

79 years ago - December 7th, 1941 - Japanese airplanes bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The sneak attack prompted the United States of America to declare its entry into World War Two.

For all the lives lost on that long distant day flags are flying at half staff today.

SATURDAY: JUST HANGIN' AROUND

 

(thanks to Ribald Roger for this and hundreds more)

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 My, my, my, it's December already.

SWMBO said the other evening that she couldn't believe it's already December.

Some of us are thankful it IS December already.

But also thankfully, it is FRIDAY and I have some humor (humour, Brits) for you so let's get at it, shall we.

I bet you thought you'd seen all the puns today, didn't you?

Not so, frowny-faces, I saved the best (and the newest - thanks, Wacky Wally) for the last.

Brace yourselves.

Hahahahahaha!

(Feel free to join in.)

Wacky Wally doesn't waffle, he's a wicked, wileful worker as he wanders willfully in the woody wonderland of wordsmithery, wending his way to the worst of the World Wide Web.

And for that, I thank him!

Now, let's all have a sensational weekend.

Work on your Christmas greetings, STAY AT HOME, wear your masks and be safe.

There's a new year a-comin'.

Oh, and always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(uh-oh)

ROADIE

 Sometimes you just have to get out.

SWMBO and I have been pretty much cooped up in our little duplex apartment since last February.

We've taken a few little drives in those many long months but probably too few even for us, who have been trying to obey the rules designed to keep us alive.

But then there's the problem of cabin fever.

As I said, sometimes you just have to get out.

So we (with Judy at the wheel) took a longer drive today.

I asked here where she wanted to go and she said "I'm thinkin' the Cave Creek area."

Now Cave Creek is (or was) a tiny community north of Phoenix.

JUST north of Phoenix.

About 80 miles from home.

I was a little taken aback but true to my stoic Norwegian-English heritage I didn't betray a bit of it.

I merely said "You feel like doin' some drivin'?"

She said "sure" and agreed to drive down if I'd drive back.

So, about an hour and a half later we found ourselves here.

Cave Creek, I remind you, was a "tiny" community.

Back when we first discovered it almost 50 years ago!

Now, it's just a very expensive part of Greater Phoenix.

But what the hey!

We were only visiting, right?

We found ourselves here . .

 . . for a pleasant outdoor lunch.

May I just say the Prickly Pear Margaritas took the dust off that long drive just right.

And the food was good . . perhaps because it was restaurant food, served to us, not cooked by us, too expensive but delightful.

Speaking of cactus, here's what it looks like in the wild.

And there was the stately Saguaro.

Back home this evening and a couple of episodes of Downton Abbey on the television - all in all, a damned nice day.