Thursday, November 12, 2015

THROWBACK THURSDAY


1983 Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards, Phoenix.

Television star Jan D'Atri got an Emmy but I got a drink and a chance to Photobomb her. 

Very nice and beautiful young lady.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

APRIL IN PARIS


When SWMBO and I did our "grand tour" of Europe in 1985 we planned it so we would be in Paris for my 45th birthday.

I mean what's better than celebrating your birthday in April in Paris.

I don't remember the day but I do remember the evening.

In our walks around the city we had spotted a restaurant with what appeared to be a nice windowed dining room on the second floor right across from the Paris Opera.

But when we went there that evening, the waiters would not allow us to go upstairs. 

Instead we were seated at a table right next to the kitchen door, the only people in the room.

Probably the worst table in the house.

Since we spoke only a few words of fractured French and the staff spoke no English (or at least claimed they didn't) we never learned why.

The menu was totally in French and we ordered blindly.

When SWMBO named her selection, the staff tried to talk her out of it.  

But she got her back up and insisted.

It turned out to be tripe and she gamely and stubbornly struggled through most of it.

Well we were disappointed in my "fabulous" French birthday dinner.

No, we were pissed.

But the next day we were wandering around the Seine across from Notre Dame and encountered a restaurant on a barge anchored on the river.

So we entered and were seated, along with many other lunchers.

Again the menu was totally in French.

But the waiter proceeded to translate the entire carte into impeccable English for us.

I had a delicious warm onion tart with bits of ham throughout the sauce that enveloped it.

Judy and I promptly declared that meal to be my official birthday dinner. 

In April. 

In Paris.

And now you know . . . the rest of the story.

Monday, November 9, 2015

A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS

I have my computer (a desk top PC, not an Apple laptop) back and it's working.

Sort of.

I turned off the monitor earlier and then it wouldn't come back on.

I finally solved it by pulling the power plug on the tower for awhile and then plugging it back in.

I don't know why that worked but it did.

So, now I have a temporary solution.

The damnable machine was at the "doctor" today while I was at a doctor appointment.

He said it was now fine.

Just a loose connection, he said.

I'll leave that to you to determine where it was.

So I'm back.  

For awhile. 

Or I may be.

In the meantime, here's my old machine, vomiting its guts out.




Sunday, November 8, 2015

AGAIN????

Yup. After I finally got my computer working late yesterday afternoon and trying for a couple of hours to find some of my old programs, I took a break to watch the news on t.v., have my dinner and drinks, watch a bit of television with SWMBO.


When I went back to the computer the monitor was black.


This didn't surprised me as this new (to me) Windows 7 program tends to put the machine on a little break if the keyboard hasn't been activated for awhile.


But then I couldn't get it to light up again. Nor would the machine turn off when I pushed the power button.  Not until I pulled the power cord.


Well!


That disturbed my (non-)sleep but when I got up this morning I approached it with new confidence.


My mistake.


The problem, whatever it is, had lingered and is lingering still.


So I'm back to working on SWMBO's laptop.


She said a moment ago, "you still beat on that thing like you're still using a typewriter."


Maybe that's what I should do to my computer.


With an iron bar!

Saturday, November 7, 2015

I'M BACK!

Finally!

With a new computer because it wasn't my power supply, it was my motherboard that ceased to function.

And after a long and trying day I finally got the damn thing working fairly reasonably but now I have to learn Windows 7.

It's always something.

Or, as I told my wife, it's just one damned thing after another.

More later, after a few nips from the vodka bottle and a cheeseburger, maybe even some sleep.

Regardless of the learning curve, it's good to be back.

Friday, November 6, 2015

THE MISSING CATALYST

No, I have not ceased to exist.


No, I am not ill.


Nor injured.


My computer is sick.


Its 4-month-old power supply ceased to function and it's in the shop seeking repairs.


I'm typing this (slowly) on SWMBO's damnable laptop.


(I hate laptops.)


Have patience.


I shall return.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

WEDNESDAY WEATHER

Autumn and the indications of winter are definitely present here in Arizona.

The land of scorching heat has taken a turn for the cooler weather we will have for a few months now.

Yesterday was a day of constant rain showers and intermittent, though brief, sunshine.



The big tree in our front yard has become its name - a red maple.


It contrasts nicely with the green and gold leaves of other neighborhood flora.

The view toward the mountains is framed with those colors.


I couldn't help but think of my California plein air painter, Lana, when I gazed at that view.

Further north in Flagstaff there has been a light dusting of snow.

Old Man Winter is not far away, I fear.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

TUESDAY TRAVELS

Do I have a couple of friends named Timmer and The Beaner?

Yes, I do.

Here we all four are in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, waiting for a train.


Timmer's real name is Tim, The Beaner's is Jeanne.

And no, we weren't waiting for that train to rob it.

Tim and Jeanne were living in Denver and we had come up from Phoenix to take a train over the mountains to Glenwood Springs for a little spring break.

Time? Some time in the early 1980's.

Monday, November 2, 2015

DAY OF THE DEAD


Today, November 2nd, is a public holiday throughout Mexico and in many other countries around the world.

It is a day chosen for people to honor the memories of their deceased relatives and friends.

It is traditional to build private altars, called ofrendas and to decorate graves with sugar skulls, marigolds and favorite foods and beverages of the departed.


Relatives bring their own food and drinks and music, often spending the night at the cemetery in a sort of melancholy picnic atmosphere.

These pictures were taken at the cemetery in Ajijic, a small village on the north shore of Lake Chapala where we first lived when we made our excursion to Mexico.


It was an interesting and somewhat macabre introduction to the native culture for us.

I have since read that the origins of the holiday date back thousands of years to indigenous peoples and an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

COSTUMERY

Yesterday being Halloween, a number of service employees around town wore their costumes to work.

For instance, this jungly mail carrier.


I don't know that giraffes wear sunglasses but never mind.

Here's a "wonder-ful" young lady.


A local hair salon had a number of costumed cutters.






And a grocery store yielded a few more.


This lady went all out with her princess dress and wig.

You may have noticed that all of the tricksters were women.

Well, not quite all.  There was this scary guy in the meat department.


As for trick or treaters last night, our doorbell only rang twice.

Yum!

More candy for me!

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

FRIDAY FUNNIES




Most of the rest of these are signs on actual businesses.

Or they've been Photo-Shopped.














I think that last one is my favorite.

But then, of course, there is the obligatory cat cartoon, this week featuring a couple of "Lion Kings" and a little (or big) poke at Chicago baseball fans.


So ends this week's hilarity. Thanks to my contributors and theft victims who make these weekly forays into fun 'n' games possible.

Have a great weekend and keep smilin', Jack.*

*old comic books reference.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

THROWBACK THURSDAY

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

She had to then go through a Senate confirmation hearing.

Since she was from Arizona, KPNX-TV in Phoenix sent a crew to Washington to cover it.


Photographer Wally Athey, reporter Ron Talley, anchorwoman Linda Alvarez, field producer Bruce Taylor.

We were on top of a building which housed the editing facilities and the satellite uplink we rented. I think there was a view of the Capitol somewhere in the distance.


A quiet moment of conversation between Talley and Taylor in the hallway outside the hearing room.

Here's a little tale about Ron Talley. His real name is Ron Thompson but when he came to work at KTAR-TV, the station had an anchorman named Ray Thompson.

So they changed the young reporter's name and he became Ron Talley for evermore.

The station also changed its name, later becoming KPNX-TV.

Oh, and Sandra Day O'Connor?

She was confirmed and spent 25 years on the high court.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

WAYBACK WEDNESDAY

A long time friend, Seattle Lori, wrote after yesterday's blog to say that she didn't know I had interviewed John Wayne.

I thought sure I had bragged told her about it.

But here's the proof, from 1975 on his back patio overlooking the bay in Newport Beach.



"C'mon, don't touch my knee!"




"Timmer, Is this guy really a reporter?"



"Isn't it about time for you to leave?

Incidentally, again in reference to yesterday's post, Timmer  . . who took these pictures . . wrote and said it wasn't his first trip to California but probably his first trip to Newport Beach.

Now reversing course a bit, here are some more pictures taken at various places on the Mexican Pacific Coast where Hurricane Patricia came ashore this week.

These were all taken when we lived in Mexico during the 1980's.


One of my first friends in Mexico, Bob, and, yeah, I was probably just as skeptical about whatever he was telling me than I appear to be in the photo.


The previously mentioned Philomena, proprietress of Los Pelicanos bar and restaurant in Melaque and, Judy noted below this picture, "story teller".

One can only wonder what story she was telling this time but since she was holding a gun on us we listened politely.


Boat-mates Bea and Harry with my beautiful bride.

B and H are wearing their "sand dollar" t-shirts in reference to the name of Harry's boat, Sand Dollar II. I'm not sure what happened to Sand Dollar I.


Harry whistling a new companion to attention. He had a way with parrots. And with people.

Before he retired to the "yachtie life" in Mexico, he was some kind of nuclear engineer in New Mexico.

We went sailing a couple of times on Harry's boat.

Great guy, gone now I think.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

TUESDAY TRAVELS


A gray California morning in 1975.

Enroute to Newport Beach to interview John Wayne, driver/photographer Tim suddenly turned off the highway with an "Okay, we've got to check out this beach!"

(It may have been his first time in California, I'm not sure.)

So we made a quick stop at Huntington Beach State Park to look at seaweed and shells in the sand.

And then back to work.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

OF HURRICANES AND THE GOOD TIMES

Hurricane Patricia, curiously, made landfall between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta near the beachside town of San Patricio.

While there was damage, some of it serious, there appears to have been no deaths or grave injuries.

Which, considering the size of the hurricane, is a miracle.

As I have said on more than one occasion on this blog, Judy (SWMBO) and I lived in Mexico for nearly five years back in the 1980's in a sort of early retirement.

When I was asked what I was doing down there at such a young age (late 40's) I always replied that I was conducting intensive research into the effects of tequila on the average American male.

We lived most of our time down there in Guadalajara.

But we spent a lot of time at the Pacific coast, right where Hurricane Patricia came in.

San Patricio is the only town by that name in Mexico and, therefore, has one helluva St. Patrick's Day fiesta. We were there for one such celebration.

There is an adjoining town known as Melaque and it's always a problem knowing which town you're in.

Whichever it was, we met up with a bunch of old and new friends, many of them "yachties", as the people who live on their boats and cruise the coast are called.

The evening drinkathon was held in a beachfront bar and restaurant called Los Pelicanos, run by a feisty and funny woman named Philomena.


But the next day, her bar had been converted with a makeshift altar placed across the opening to the beach and a priest was there celebrating mass.


It was a special service for the fishermen and they gathered on their boats just off shore to listen to the priest's words.


Afterwards the priest boarded a dinghy which was pushed and rowed out so he could go from boat to boat sprinkling them with holy water and blessing them.

In spite of our hangovers it was a moving experience.

Just up the coast a short distance is Tenacatita Bay and several small fishing villages.

We spent time in one of them, La Manzanilla.

One day when I was walking on the beach I noticed an excited crowd looking at the water.

A school of fish had come in close to the beach and several fishermen in boats had surrrounded them with a net.

People from the village rushed to help the fishermen bring in their catch.


The fish were dumped into a boat on the beach and covered to keep them from spoiling in the sun while the townspeople waited to sell their huge catch to the local co-op.


I bought a red snapper for a ridiculously low price and took it home for our dinner.

The other direction from San Patricio-Melaque lies the town of Barra de Navidad. 

It, too, is a great place to watch the sea. And the gringos who stare at it.


Judy captioned this photo "Bruce refuses to leave the beach until the sun sets."

A short time later it did.


In spite of what you may hear from some of our U.S. politicians, during our time in Mexico we found the great majority of the Mexican people we met to be warm and friendly.

I am sad for the troubles they face now in the wake of this hurricane but I know they will take it in stride and quickly return to their normal lives.

With smiles on their faces.

¡Buena suerte, amigos!