FRIDAY FUNNIES

This is the one day of the week I could NEVER give up posting.

Because it doesn't require any thought or effort on my part.

Just a sense of humor.

So let's be at it.

All right, Gentle Readers, now you know.

Have yourselves a merry little weekend, keep those funnies coming and remember . . . always keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(Awwwwwww)

CHANGES

"Change is the only constant in life."

This quote, or a variant of it, has been attributed to nearly every philosopher, songwriter and backyard savant in the world.

But it may have originated with Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher who lived around 500 B.C.

For the mathematically challenged, that's nearly 2,500 years ago.

All of which is to state that the less I'm blogging these days, the more I'm adding to my "Others' Observations" list over there in the right margin.

As I continue to read, I'm finding some great writers out there in cyberworld or blogspace or whatever you want to call it.

As I find them, I'm adding links to them on my blog page.

So pay attention, Gentle Readers, and sample them for yourselves.

Good stuff.

CHOCOLATE

Double Chocolate Banana Bread ala Bruce (Catalyst)

Recipe from the Smitten Kitchen's Deb Perlman

A LIFE OF PI(E)

Deep Dish Apple ala Judy

FRIDAY FUNNIES

How did we all get so old?

Lew (67), Karl (80), Steve (67), Bruce/Catalyst (76).

Lunch yesterday of four old geezers who used to be part of the news staff at Channel 12 in Phoenix.

Oh well.

Let's get on to the business of the day, Gentle Readers.

Well, old friends (oops, sorry 'bout that), er, Gentle Readers, maybe this weekend you should get your joy by watching a tennis match.

(I was really ticked last night when the news had a story about all of the OLD players who made it to the finals in the Australian tournament.

They were all in their 30's!)

Hey, have a great weekend and always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(Oh, no, even him?)

SNOW WHITE

Central Arizona's Black Hills have a white topping today.

TAKING A BREAK

What a way to begin a week.

Catalyst is going to put Oddball Observations to sleep for awhile, to renew its energy, perhaps.

I read about Lucy doing this and after much thought decided I would follow her, with the same options she stated.

So I'll be around . . . lurking, occasionally commenting on other blogs I read, and probably posting from time to time.

Just not as often.

Call it a fallback position.

Ta-ta.

WIN - (brrrrr) - TER

Lori, burdened by the needs of her dog Reggie, hits the streets much earlier than I do.

She left me some photographic views of her early morning "Winter Wonderland".

Rick and Reggie

Wearing his winter garb.

Sorry, Reggie, too cold for me.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Oh, darn, sorry I'm late with this.

I got an email from a friend a while ago.

It said "Geez.  I didn't realize that we live in such a s*** hole until just a few minutes ago.  I think I'm afraid to go outside."

Apparently this year's election has even divided some families.

Oh well, we have a new president.

Let's just get over it and get on with our lives.

And remember, we need to concentrate on more imminent dangers - there's snow in the forecast.

All right.

Everybody get the picture?

I give up.

Listen up, Gentle Readers.

Please go out there and have an excruciatingly fab weekend and give yourselves a break: keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . . Hey, where's the dog?

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

(sound up)

CHANGE

No comment.

TUESDAY TRAVELS

A quick stop at Sunset Point north of Phoenix yesterday found little likelihood of a sunset but some impressive clouds over the mountains.

There was some blue sky peeking through up to the north, where I had come from, though.

The valley below looked nice and green.

That bright green triangular area is a friendly Arizona dude ranch.

Y'all come!

THE PIE PLACE (AGAIN)

The Pie Restaurant, otherwise known as the Rock Springs Cafe in Rock Springs/Black Canyon City, Arizona, has claimed two more in the continuing saga of former Phoenix television employees.

Today, it was Roger Ball, a Silver Circle member of the Rocky Mountain Emmy Chapter.

And Carol Lynde, also a Silver Circle honoree and holder of 21 (count 'em) Emmy Awards statuettes.

They were joined by your friendly Scribe, not a member of any circle nor holder of any statuettes but boldly in the center of this picture protecting his friends from a polar bear.

Since I live about 50 miles north of the roadhouse and greater Phoenix is about 50 miles to the south, this has become a meeting place for reunions of this sort.

Suffice it to say that many stories of "the good old days" were related.

Lunch wasn't bad either.

WAITING

The other day I told SWMBO about something I'd been thinking lately.

It was that as I grow older I keep having to learn how to live my life.

Many things I could do as a younger man I can no longer do.

So I have to learn new tricks to replace them and keep this old elderly body going.

One, that the physician's assistant in my cardiologist's office keeps reminding me about, is to exercise.

He encourages walking, if not every day, at least several days a week.

I admit that I have become sedentary in recent years and often seldom leave the house for days at a time.

So, I saw him the other day, and have resumed my daily walks around the neighborhood.

This morning on my walk I ran across this misplaced object.

It's a small stuffed toy tiger.

Judy had spotted it the other day, lying in a nearby ditch, and urged me to stop and take a picture.

But we were on our way to joint doctor visits so I deferred.

Today I encountered him so I was photographing him when a car stopped right behind me and Lori, from down the block, said "I put him up there the other day, hoping the child who lost him would spot him."

I told her she was a Good Deed-Doer and took one more photo.

If the child who lost the little tiger doesn't see him maybe his mom or pop will see him on this blog.

He's at the corner of Thimble Lane and Knots Pass.

And he looks like he misses his owner.

ON THE HORNS OF . . . AND FRIDAY FUNNIES

All right, already!

Last night I had an email from Baseball Steve.

He gently informed me that the sculpture in yesterday's post was NOT a Gila Monster.

Then this morning Steve in Germany emailed me the same correction.

So I stand corrected.

The sculpture is actually of another denizen of the desert:  a Phrynosoma, or a Horned Lizard.

In this part of the world, they are affectionately called Horny Toads.

So in honor of the double play by the two Steves and their perspicacity and the gentleness with which they corrected your Humble Scribe, I dedicate the first Friday Funny of this week to them.

Hey!  Was that another Horny Toad?

Oh, never mind.

Listen Gentle Readers, profit by your mistakes, have a scintillatingly superb weekend, and always, always, always, remember to keep laughing!

(And I never once mentioned what today's date is.)

Here, kitty-kitty . . .