Call the fire department - - no wait!

What on earth is causing those flames???

Oh, never mind.  They just lit the candles on my birthday cake.

71 and counting.

And to those of you who mark the day - Happy Easter.

Lookin' back - some more

A few days ago I visited a European car show.  In the comments, I mentioned the 1971 MGB I once owned.  Guess what?  I found some pictures!

Of course, those cars did have their problems.  Fortunately the manufacturers included a tire pump.

That was in Indiana.  A year or two later found us in Scottsdale at an arts fair.  SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed), me and the girl who went on to become The BRD (Beautiful Rich Daughter).

And some years later, at work in California, a stop at the beach.  In a leisure suit!

Lots of good memories in those old photos.

Lookin' back

Reading another blog today got me thinking about "the good old days."  Here's a photo from those days, when I was a television reporter in Phoenix.  That's me on the perilous edge of "the dread Mogollon Rim" and my buddy Steve behind the large, heavy, Auricon camera.

Steve, of course, kept telling me to back up just a bit!

So, of course, I had to take it out on him by whipping him at 8-ball.

Strange!  We're shootin' pool in a saloon in Jerome and there's not a brewski in sight.

I was a bit of a bad boy in those days.  I quit smoking those deadly Marlboros back in 1991.  Nice mutton chops, though, eh?

SWMBO

It's an acronym for "She Who Must Be Obeyed".  It comes from a BBC series - "Rumpole of the Bailey".  I have called her that for years.  But . . . she is truly a dear, in spite of that trait.

She, also, hates to be photographed so I have to sneak pictures now and then.  But I have learned (remember that SWMBO) to ask her permission before I publish one. 

She was working in the yard recently and I got a couple that she agreed, reluctantly, to let me post.  I like this one in her "Vincent Van Gogh" hat.

So, I got away with a couple.  And then.  There's her companion, Mr. Blackwell.

He's the only one of the trio who gets to go outside and that permission was granted reluctantly, as reluctantly as SWMBO allowed me to post photos of her.  But he has become accustomed to our home.  He loves to go out.  But he's become so fat that he can no longer go under the fence to free land.  And he's become very accustomed to the regular feeding he gets inside. 

So, he goes out, stays in the yard and comes in again when we ask him.

Good cat.

Music

I forgot to mention on my weekend postings that music was part of the experience at both the Chalk Fest and the Eurocar show.

I didn't hear this band, Pandemonium, play at the Chalk Fest because they were just setting up when I was there.  But it looked like it would be great.

Meanwhile, over on Whiskey Row, a bluegrass group entertained the car watchers.  Sorry, I didn't get their name but here's a sample of their sound.

Eurocars!

Lovers of European motorcars were in for a treat yesterday in downtown Prescott.  The British-Euro Auto Tour around Arizona made a stop on Whiskey Row.

There were some German cars mixed in - BMW's, Mercedes - but the majority of the cars were British, like this E Jaguar.

And some others, familiar to drivers who loved these "sports" cars back in the 50's and 60's.

There were grinning grills . . .

. . . great lines . . .

. . . and lucious leather.

Also some funny license plates.

For those with a big budget, some big (and expensive) cars.

But I think this beautiful blue Morgan was my favorite.

All in all, a treat for the senses.  You can read more about the "pit stop" in a fine article by my friend Doug Cook in the local paper.

Chalk Art

Prescott, Arizona, is a place of festivals throughout the summer months.  Today there were a couple of them.  First the Summit Bank chalk art gathering, in which artists of all ages and talents are invited to use the parking lot for their creations.

As noted, the talent runs the gamut here.  But everyone has a good time.

This artist, Lysa Ashley from Corona, California, is in a professional division.

The subject matter runs from realistic to cartoon characters.

This fellow has the right idea, stretched out on a chaise to work on his art.

Another one of the professionals from California, Lori Escalera from Vista.

The festival is in its second or third year and continues to gain in popularity, for the artists and for the onlookers.

Tomorrow, I'll show you some scenes from a European motorcar stopover.