WAYBACK WEDNESDAY CARS

 You regular (and Gentle) readers may have heard me crow about my favorite car from the past.

Even when I had to pump up a flat tire.

That was my little '71 MGB convertible, which I had for only one year.

I've been through a lot of cars during my driving days, from a 47 Chevy, through a Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, through a couple of Impalas, a VW Quantum station wagon, all the way to my 2013 Nissan Altima, which we bought new and still has less than 50,000 miles on it.

I've enjoyed them all, at various times.

But my favorite car of all time was one I didn't even own.

This one.

My uncle Zenas bought that 1948 Packard Super convertible coupe new for less than twenty-three hundred bucks.

It was black with white sidewall tires and, as I remember, a blood red interior.

It was swank!

But, I found in looking through some family pictures today, that I can go back even further than that.

That's my grandfather, B.W., sitting on the running board.

The raffish young man in the straw boater is my father, F.B.

My grandmother, Daisy Berry Taylor (I swear) is on the right and her mother, my great-grandmother Libby (Elizabeth) Howland Berry, is on the left.

I can't tell you what year the photo was taken or what kind of car it is.

Judging by my father's appearance I would guess it's in the mid-1920's.

But I'm at a loss for cars from that era.

So maybe one of you experts out there can tell me what it is.

Meantime, I sure wish I had that Packard stud-mobile!

RAINDROPS . . .

 . . . keep fallin' on my head." ☂

Didn't need that brolly (bumbershoot) (umbrella) today.

In spite of black, threatening skies bearing down on us we got just about enough rain to make spatters on the window.

And dampen the back yard plants.

Continuing my silly theme then, "rain, rain, go away.  Come again some other day."

The thunder sounds nice though.

The Boss

I must thank Garrison Keillor for mentioning Bruce Springsteen's take on Prince's "Purple Rain".

It really is exceptional, especially including a great guitar solo by the legendary Nils Lofgren.

So put down your scorn and give it nearly 7 minutes of pleasure.

It's truly worth it and full of feeling.

Enjoy your Monday.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Well, it's nearing the end of the week again and what's new?

Oh, Clint Eastwood has a new movie coming out that he both directed and starred in.

Clint who, you ask?

Well he is 91 years old!

Hasn't he ever heard of retirement, asks Jack Nicholson?

Or maybe that was me.

And that's slmost all I've got.

Now don't worry about your INCREDIBLY ANCIENT age, just try to have a wonderful weekend.

And never forget to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oops)

Some of you skeptics may think that's cheating; that isn't really a kitty.

So for you . . here's another try.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

ORGANIZING

Well, doesn't it?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 It is nearing the end of a great week for Hmong teenager Sunisa Lee and a not so great week for Novak Djokovic.

If you can not only correctly spell but pronounce every word in that last sentence then you too should win a Gold Medal.

If not, practice, practice, practice.

There's another opportunity in Paris in just three years.

(the crowd grumbles: Oh shut up, Catalyst, and get on with what we all came here for!)

Okay, okay, let the games begin!

All right, word lovers, with that triple twist I'll just lift a glass at the uneven bars and catch a wave out of here.

Now have a great weekend and never, ever, forget to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(Aw, c'mon, guys . . .)

THE CELEBRITY AT HOME

 

I call her the model these days.

She's my step-daughter, the eldest girl of Judy, aka SWMBO.

I think she looks right natural in front of this rental place at a resort in Sedona.

Word is that it's been named the Celebrity House because of all the  celebrities who have stayed there.

This time it's the BRD and a gal friend staying there.

How long before Hollywood will be calling and she'll be one of the celebrities on the list?