TBT

I have just finished reading a book titled "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", by Michael Chabon.

It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2001.

I used to see it when Judy and I ran our bookstore but only very recently got around to it.

At just over 650 pages, it is a bit of a challenge.

And it's subject matter may challenge some.

It varies between a young Jewish man making an escape from Prague just prior to the beginning of World War Two, magic tricks and escape stunts, comic book art, the unfairness of the business world, romance, homosexuality, life and death.

But I found it a spellbinder.

And mixing in familiar names like Morton Gould, Milton Caniff, Stan Lee, Harry Houdini, Scarne, Orson Welles, Dolores Del Rio and many more brought memories back to me.

I, too, grew up on comic books and magic.

With my mother's help at costumery, I sported a black cape and (cardboard) top hat as a lad to perform shows for a few friends as The Great Taylor.

I had quite a library of books by the aforementioned Scarne, Houdini, Harry Blackstone and others.

But while I did know a few card tricks, unlike the great Scarne I could never master the art of unerringly producing four aces from a deck on command.

In other words, that picture is as fake as it is fuzzy.

GET OVER IT

WOW!

Although I certainly didn't think so yesterday it appears my little visit with the heart surgeon took more than I thought out of me.

(That's sort of a play on words . . . I'm only talking about energy.)

I came home and took a nap that lasted about an hour and a half, then went to bed again at 7:30 last night and didn't get up until 7 this morning.

And I've had a mid-morning snooze, as well.

Now that I've had a little lunch I think I'm about ready for another nap.

It's probably due to all the "dope" they shot into me yesterday.

Valium, lipoderm to ease the pain of the I.V. shot, then who knows what during my actual procedure, one dose of which put me totally to sleep because once the pacemaker was installed they activate it to shock me to make sure it works and I have no memory of that.

 

(the evidence)

So, I guess I'm just sleeping off all the "silly juice" they used on me.

I'll talk to you later cuz right now . . .zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

IT'S OVER!

I am very pleased to report that my pacemaker/defibrillator replacement went well today.

It began at 12:35 and I was out well before 3 p.m. and home by 4 p.m.

It is amazing to me to see the differences in the procedure.

And I am especially grateful to my surgeon, Dr. George Rizk and the team that assisted him.

There's just one problem.

He said this device is good for 7 to 10 years and I'm not sure I can live that long.

Also, I am very happy to hear that DanaBug had her hip surgery today and it went well and the results look good.

Oh, and I hear there was an eclipse.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

It's the end of another week and only three days until the big eclipse here in the U.S. of A.

And only three days until my pacemaker replacement.

Let's put up a monument!

Oh, on second thought maybe we better not.

Monuments aren't faring too well these days.

O.K. let's get on to the real reason you've gathered here on this bright sunny morning, Gentle Readers, the Funnies.

All right, enough.

Whether vicariously or in your very own action movie have yourselves a terrifically splendid weekend, Gentle Readers.

And never ever forget to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(uh-oh)

THROWBACK THURSDAY

The beautiful young woman in this photograph is Jan D'Atri, a Phoenix television personality, at the 1981 Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards.

The leering lout with her is me, I'm only slightly embarrassed to say.

She was stopped by a couple of fans to pose for the photograph with her trophy and I, drink in hand and quite possibly three sheets to the wind, wandering by couldn't resist crowding into the picture.

I must add that unlike the Denver disc jockey who got into trouble with Taylor Swift, I did not have my hand on Ms. D'Atri's derrierre.

A SHORT ROAD TRIP

While SWMBO* was having a visit from the BRD* today I took a little drive up over the mountain, down through Jerome and Clarkdale to Old Cottonwood.

(*She Who Must Be Obeyed/Judy and the Beautiful Rich Daughter/Gayle)

As I told them when I returned, everywhere I went today it had rained yet I got only a light sprinkle on my windshield.

But here is why the Verde Valley is especially green this time of year.

A view from below of the Black Hills of Arizona, which house Mingus and Woodchute Mountains.

And a familiar sight from our years living in Arizona and particularly during the two years or so that we lived in Clarkdale: the road to Jerome.

That road which continues onward and upward over the Mingus Summit Rest Area and down the southwest side back to Prescott Valley is one of my favorite drives . . switchbacks, gawking slow-driving tourists and all.