THE QUEEN

 For most of my life "The Queen" has only meant one person, Queen Elizabeth.

I can remember vividly the day of her coronation.

I was a 13 year old boy living in North Dakota, just 50 miles from the Canadian border.

We could pick up many Canadian radio stations and I spent the day listening to the BBC coverage of the big event in far away London.

As a self-admitted Royalist though not governed by the Monarchy, I watched through the years as this young woman lived and ruled on and on and on.

And now, finally, she is gone. 

Only two days ago she named a new Prime Minister, her 15th.

It's a melancholy day for me and for many others in Britain and throughout the world.

She did well and history will long remember her.

LIFE AS I LIVE IT

 

When I saw my pulmonologist this morning and urged him to ask me why my head was bandaged, I then told him "My wife beats me."

Since he also treats my wife and has seen us at times together, he just chuckled.

Actually a different doctor caused that evilness on me yesterday as he whittled out a non-malignant skin cancer.

All the punishment I get for being a fair-skinned Norwegian boy who spent too much time in the sun without using sunscreen.

We called it sun tan oil when I was that boy and, not using it, I got sunburned frequently.

As Woody Allen once said, "I don't tan, I stroke."

This moon shot looks like it was taken in the evening but it was actually in the middle of the day.

It sort of portrays our life at the present as we are about half way toward moving to our new home.

It shouldn't be a tough move as it's only about 4 miles from where we live now.

But we're in our 80's now and the stamina ain't what it used to be.

My previously mentioned wife has been living up to her avatar or acronym or whatever it is: SWMBO, for She Who Must Be Obeyed.

Even though we have some ladies hired to pack up our "stuff" and some guys hired to move it to the new residence, she has insisted on filling boxes and hounding calling on me to take them over there.

In about a week it will all be over.

Except for opening box after box and placing the "stuff" in the "proper places".

As George Clooney said recently in a joint interview with Julia Roberts "That's why alcohol was invented."

She interjected "Or chocolate chip cookies."

He agreed "Those too."

Stay tuned.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 How long have we been doing this?

How long, O lord, how long?

It seems like forever to me.

But still it continues.

Every bloody Friday.

So what can I say.

Except.

LAUGH, darn you!

Oh, I know you're not only groaning, you're gasping at that one.

Well what can I say?

I can only work with what my purveyors provide me with.

(That's called shifting the blame.)

At any rate, try to get over it and have a spectacularly fantastic weekend as we say good-bye to Summer and don't belabor it.

(heh-heh)

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . oh, this worries me . . .)

IDIOSYNCRATIC

 In the continuing fascinating saga of my rather strange family, I convey your attention now to the member known as The BRD, or Beautiful Rich Daughter.

While always beautiful and rich in talent, she has a particular oddity.

When she is dining, she does not like the various elements of her meal touching each other.

And so, today, she has found Her Perfect Solution.

Ta-da!

SWMBO BLOGS (sort of)

 As I have noted on this site before, we are moving to a new home next month.

But the date and the movers and all those big and little details that have to be sorted out are still at least partially up in the air.

So while our minds are fixed on the move, there is little that can be done for awhile.

So the minds tend to wander . . . well, mindlessly.

That's all a preface to reportage on our tomato crop this year.

It's been scanty, with many tiny specimens.

But they're still tasty so we continue to harvest.

Which leads me to show you the following photo, taken on our countertop a few minutes ago.

They were arranged thusly by my Bridal Partner, aka SWMBO, who told me the photo should be captioned: 

"Come, children, and meet your father!"

Now while the laughter dies down I have to tell you one more thing, in the interests of honesty.

Only the . . . uh . . . "children" . . . came from our tomato vines.

The other two Romas actually came from the grocery store.

But it makes a better story if you put the truth aside for a moment, doesn't it?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 After that glorious day yesterday, how can I end the week?

With a song?

With a video?

With another picture of clouds?

Oh, wait.

I know.

With amusement, glee, laughter, mirth, merriment, gaiety, hilarity and high spirits.

In short . . . tomfoolery!

That's all, funsters and punsters.

Now take all that glee with you and have a marvelous weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Oh, y'know I was gonna start this post with a song so . . . "You say tomato and I say toe-mah-toe" . . 

Oh, never mind.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

MORNING GLORIOUS

 You may be remembering our pouting over the lack of blossoms on our Morning Glory vine a week or so ago.

Well, look at it this morning.

Glory be!