THROWBACK THURSDAY

When we lived in Mexico in the 1980's and '90's, my best friend was a man named Walter Nixon. He was a good old Texas boy, a Yellow Dog Democrat from Harlingen who had spent the bulk of his adulthood in New York City.

Here was Walter at a Mexican Christmas event with my stunning wife.

His grown daughter, Cynthia, came to visit him several times from the Big Apple where she still lived.

We enjoyed getting together with the two of them whenever she was in town.

Cynthia (never Cindy) was an actress on Broadway and in Hollywood. But she was a plainer Jane then, before she shot to fame as Miranda in "Sex and the City".

EATING OUT

I know.

Call us Woosies.

But with the temperature finally getting close to 80 F. yesterday it finally got warm enough for SWMBO to fire up the grill.

Vegan spoiler alert: meat was featured.

Those are juicy, tasty Brats being toasted along with a grill basket full of onions and peppers.

I can assure you they were as good as they look though once piled onto a big bolillo roll, it was a bit of a challenge.

(I know what you're thinking: a challenge for someone with as big a mouth as his?)

TUESDAY TRAVELS

It was drier in Texas in 1988.

MEMORIAL DAY

Remembering those who served

SATURDAY BATH

THE 2015 ROBBY THE ROBOT

Doesn't look like he's got much personality, does he?

You might be surprised. Good old #3577 was a contestant in the first-ever Arizona Robotics State Tournament, which was being held today (Saturday) at the Prescott Valley Events Center.

And it's only the second state, after Minnesota, to have such an event.

Students from all over the state came to participate in the inaugural competition.

The budding young engineers of tomorrow found out about the event in January and have been building their robots and honing their skills ever since.

Some 30 teams were competing in the team challenge.

Once the games got underway, the operators controlled their robots from behind glass screens in a game called Recycle Rush, in which they were tasked to stack various containers atop each other and try to place pool noodles in holes in the tops. Even for robots, it's a tiring process.

So without further ado, the games got underway!

And let's hope no disparaging comments were heard from the robots, ala the computerized voice of Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

TGITFF! 

(Thank God It's The Friday Funnies!)

And guess what. It's the Memorial Day weekend. Time for barbecues, beers and babes in bikinis.

Well, at least for the younger set.

As for we older folk . . .

Some of you may have the long weekend spoiled by allergies.

Or not. 

But never fear, modern medicine can cure what ails you.

Or home cures. Remember, mother knows best.

Uh, that should be "...there ARE 10 servings ...".

Oh, well, the editor's job has been active for millenia.

Ah well, we superior beings have these problems seeing the frailties of mankind all around us and . . .

So, leave it to the kitties to wind this up.

As always, I am indebted to kind donors and unknowing theft victims for their contributions. The last photo belongs to my friend, bookseller and poet Forrest Proper, who probably didn't know I'd swiped it. Unless I'm mistaken that is his cat Pyewackett.

Have a great, long weekend folks, keep laughing, and . . if I may be serious for a second . . on the upcoming Memorial Day, remember the noble people who have served your countries in the military.