FRIDAY FUNNIES

Is it really that time again?

Why yes, I believe it is.

Wow!  Does that make your head hurt too?

Let's dance quickly and blithely along then and get away from it.

I think it's time once again, Gentle Readers, for some more signs of the times.

Brace yourselves.

Just remember these wise words from someone who has made mistakes in the past.

All right Gentle Readers and aficionados of Internet humor (or humour) everywhere, let us all go out into the world and have a fahntahsticly fine weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

THURSDAY NIGHT DINNER

Oddly enough, no photos exist of tonight's meal.

I prepared about half of it.

Pepper Steak (steak au poivre) that I grew to love at a French restaurant (Restaurante Pierre) when we lived in Guadalajara, Mexico.

I learned to make it at home.

Tonight's meal was accompanied by a baked Russet potato topped with butter and sour cream and salt and pepper, asparagus, and a wonderful mixed salad, courtesy SWMBO.

She doesn't love steak like I do (though she does love this preparation) so it's a rare treat.

A little red wine, after aperitifs of whiskey and water and vodka and water, and (for me) an after touch of Sambucca straight up.

She topped her meal off with a bit of Death by Chocolate ice cream.

Do we dine well?

Yes, I think we do.

(Sorry for the absence of pictures.)

AN UPDATE

It's been awhile since I have updated y'all on my wife's progress since she broke her femur (thighbone).

Monday marked the four-month anniversary of the fall on our (new) back patio.

Tuesday was the anniversary of the surgery that implanted a titanium rod from her hip to her knee of her right leg.

It's been a long haul but today I can report that she went to a doctor appointment, then we went to lunch and then to a lengthy grocery shopping excursion.

Judy/SWMBO left her walker at home for the first time and used only a cane and occasionally my arm to ambulate.

She did use an electric cart in the grocery store but that has predated her fall and even I have occasionally used one.

These old bodies sometimes aren't made for walking.

Then I told Judy about a young mother I had seen in the grocery store.

She was slim and lithe and at one point noticed the laces on her high-top sneaker were loose.

She didn't bend over . . she raised that leg and calmly tied the laces while standing like a flamingo and carrying on a conversation with a store employee.

Some days the amazing wonders of youth are just a bit much to take.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

All right, Gentle Readers, once again it is Friday and having recovered from my Computer Disaster Week, let's see if we can find something to smile about.

Granted, with disasters coming day by day it isn't easy but let us charge into the breach, flags flying and courage foremost.

That's it, Gentle Readers.

Now let's all make a decision to get outside this weekend and have a(n) hilariously fine time (leaving desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones behind.)

And always remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

LAZARUS RISING

Once again I surface.

It must have been all those kind thoughts expressed by y'all.

Just when I was about to give up computering for good an old friend, Lori Down the Block, revealed that she and her husband Rick had a computer for sale.

I bought it.

I'm using it now though I have a lot to learn.

Cross your fingers that I may get the Friday Funnies published this week though it IS Friday the 13th!

R.I.P.

The Catalyst's old PC apparently died in its sleep last night.

Further details when they are available.

Get outside and enjoy the sunshine, Gentle Readers.

OH GAWD

Another trip to the computer doctor today.

Side note: I asked him where he picked up his computer skills.

He said, "Oh, I've been doing it all my life."

I said, "Whenever someone tells me they're having computer problems I ask them if they have a 9-year-old in their neighborhood."

My computer doc said "I was that 9 year old.  Always taking stuff apart and then putting it back together."

I got the first part of that but must have missed the second.

Anyway, my machine went to sleep earlier today, then wouldn't wake up.

Computer doc put a new power supply in it but said he was worried about how hot the processor was running.

(He also said a lot of other stuff that I didn't have the faintest  hint of understanding but this time I just let him talk.)

And then I asked him the important question.

How much is this going to cost me?

I got off pretty easy but as I was leaving he, with a worried face, said "I'll pray for your computer."

Oh, great.

Now I'm really worried.

But, as the familiar saying goes, "this too shall pass."

I just hope my computer will outlive me.

There's another familiar expression:  "I'm too old for this shit!"

TRU (SILLINESS)

Yes, I know, it's silly.

So let me explain.

SWMBO, the BRD and I were enjoying a Sunday brunch at the historic old Hassayampa Inn in Prescott yesterday.

The BRD has been having some eye surgery and was wearing these mah-velous pink sunglasses.

Now I'm a sucker for colorful eyewear so at one time she had taken them off and laid them on the table.

I immediately grabbed them and tried them on.

Ooooohh, talk about seeing the world through rose-colored glasses!

The BRD said "Andy Warhol!"

I responded with "No, it's Truman Capote!"

SWMBO prompted the BRD to take a photo and I put on what I considered my imitation of an aging Tru, as he was known to his friends.

As I said at the beginning, it is silly.

But we can be a silly family.

How was YOUR weekend?

I'M BACK!!!!!

No, it was not a health issue.

Judy and I are just fine.

It was TECHNOLOGY!

In other words, my computer took sick.

But after several days in the hospital, it's back and working better than ever.

Sorry about missing Friday Funnies.

The computer technician was very good.

Except, those guys speak a different language than anything I've ever heard.

So, I have things to do and things to learn.

I'll keep you posted.

Yeah, I missed you too.

TUESDAY TRAVELS

The BRD and her Beau Jack have taken many trips . . to Cancun, to New Orleans, to California, to Rome, to Key West.

You get the idea.

They like to travel.

But one of their trips a few years ago has me confused.

By way of preface let me tell you that Beau Jack's favorite footwear is a pair of cowboy boots.

I can probably count on one hand the times I've seen him in any other type of shoe.

So try and explain this.

In 2014 the traveling twosome went to Hawaii.

As one of their adventures while there they took a horseback ride along the Kona Coast.

Natural place for cowboy boots, right?

Let's get a closer look.

Yup.

Those are sneakers encompassing Beau Jack's feet.

O.K., cowboy, let's head 'em down the trail!

BLACK CATS

I was surprised the other day as I was sitting at my desk to look up and see Blackwell not only outside but walking along the wall at the back of our property.

I was alarmed because he is not allowed to go outside and we have to be careful around open doors because he is nevertheless known as our Escape Cat.

But then as I was about to rush outside to try to retrieve him I got a better look.

It wasn't Blackwell but a visitor we had not seen before with longer hair.

I called to him and he stopped and gazed at me for a moment as I got one blurry picture shot through a screen window.

I think regular readers of this blog will see the resemblance to Blackwell but he was right behind me, enjoying a patch of sunlight.

Since I've been opening my window and putting up the shade he is either up on the shelf behind my computer monitor helping to monitor the birdbath or, when the sun shines in, enjoying the "warm spot" on the floor.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Gentle Readers, another weekend is about to roll around after yet another trying week.

One of my contributors sent me a mess of quotes from the great humorist Will Rogers recently and, judging from what I see on the news, this is a good week to pass some of them along.

Down at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue sits the U.S. Capitol and the offices of 435 (supposed) representatives of all of the rest of us here in the Good Old U.S. of A.

With a fond tip of the hat we'll say so-long now to Mr. Rogers.

Moving right along . . .

I seem to be a bit cynical today so I guess I'll just close this out with one wish for all of you.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

IT'S ALWAYS 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE

Yeah, I know.

"All you ever talk about is drinking!"

Listen, when you get to my age there's not a lot else.

But this isn't about my quaffology (I made that one up!)

It is about Happy Hour at Ye Olde Blue Birdbath.

A Mountain Jay was one of many who partook of my "bird-tending" offerings this afternoon.

It happened suddenly.

There were birds of various types suddenly swarming the backyard.

It began with the jay at the "bar", when suddenly a big old mourning(?) dove nearly landed on his back.

(I am seriously questioning the adjectival description of these big bullies as "mourning".)

Actually, I don't think they are bullies . . I just think they're stupid.

Meantime, another Jay watched irritably from above.

The one at the birdbath was repeatedly slaking his thirst.

While this was going on a Phoebe's Say was twitching around on the ground beneath him, flipping up bugs from the sand for it's dinner.

It moved too fast for me to get a photo.

But there were others.

Robins and House Finches.

And Goldfinches.

Yeah, I know, once again.

I'm working with a cellphone camera here.

It doesn't zoom so well.

Or maybe I just couldn't hold it still enough when I was zoomed in.

Maybe I just need a drink.

Salud!  Prost!  Santé! Cheers!  Bottoms Up!

A SCOURGE

They're being called "Littles" this year.

I've never heard of that before but then I'd never heard of someone being "woke" until recently either.

It's hard to keep up with a language that seems to have a new vocabulary with each generation.

But getting back to the littles, which are becoming bigger every day it seems.

I photographed one crawling up the outside of my window a day or two ago.

When I grew up these were called grasshoppers.

The little ones were just called baby grasshoppers.

But now they're known as "littles" and there must be thousands of them in my area.

They hop everywhere when I go outside to do a teensy bit of weed pulling in the back yard or when I walk across the street to get the mail.

I'm reminded of the very old expression: a plague of locusts.

So far the trees and shrubbery around our home seem to be impervious to the pests.

Or maybe they just don't like the flavors.

Doesn't seem to stop their growth though.

Maybe they're eating my weeds!

In which case I may have to adopt them.

THE REFUGEES (AND OTHERS)

A couple of weeks ago I posted about Gayle's Beau Jack's son and his wife evacuating from their home in Key West as Hurricane Irma was bearing down.

(You can re-visit that post here if you missed it or are so inclined.)

They've been sheltering here in Arizona since then but they left very early this morning to return to their home, which apparently survived the storm with only some tree damage on their property.

So yesterday was brunch day and here they all are.

(left to right): Jeremy, Jack's oldest son; Marina, a native of Venezuela and Jeremy's wife; Gayle, the fabulous BRD; and her bearded Beau Jack.

Not a bad looking lot, eh?

Incidentally, Gayle has had eye surgery recently and her dark glasses were worn all day to cover up the (temporary) damage.

I'm not sure if the others were wearing shades with her as a joke or if it was really protection from the sun glare on a beautiful day in Arizona.

ON SCHOOL (AND COMPASSION)

The following short essay, titled "On School", was written in the 1850's by a young Elvira Johnson when she was a school girl at Dublin Academy in Dublin, Indiana.

It was found among some family papers.

I have only made two correctional additions (in parentheses) to Ms. Johnson's text.

We could not spend our time in a more useful way than going to school.  There are many coloured children that are deprived of the privilege of going to school because they are of a different colour.  The colour ought not to make any difference but it does make a great difference with some people.  It is not always that we have the opportunity of going to school therefore we should (be) very attentive.  If we do not improve (in) our time in school while young, in old age we will look back with regret and think "were I to have this life to live over again how different I would spend my time in school."  There are some children that do not go to school with the intention of learning but with the intention of having a little fun.  They do not yet know the necessity of education.

Elvira Johnson was my wife's great-great-grandmother.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Ah yes, Gentle Readers, once again we have maneuvered our way through another difficult week.

It is also the event known as the Autumnal Equinox, or more familiarly as The First Day of Fall.

So let's get out there and kick some leaves.

Raking can wait awhile.

But first a little humor (or humour, depending on where you reside.)

I think that last one is my favorite this week.

What's yours?

Now listen, folks, it is up to you to have a scrumptious weekend, full of feasting, frivolity and laughter.

Above all, always keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(uh-oh)

CHANGEABLE WEATHER

It wasn't too long ago, perhaps a week, that we were complaining about the long-lasting hot summer.

Temperatures were still climbing into the 80's every day here in the Central Highlands of Arizona even as the Autumnal Equinox was bearing down on us.

It's tomorrow at just after 4 p.m., by the way, that Fall officially begins.

One day, returning from a grocery trip, I spotted this downpouring of rain.

It struck me as odd, appearing to be white whereas a downpour like this is usually a darker coloration.

Apparently it was sunlight shining through the water.

You can see the hills behind it have sunlight on them.

And then, a few days later, there was this sudden storm.

Rain was pounding down and for a short time there was also some hail.

That's not snow surrounding the birdbath.

Our front door is metal and the hail sounded like it was going to knock the house down for a short time.

Evidence was left just outside the entrance.

And then it passed and the sun began beaming down again, eliminating all the signs of a late summer storm and making steam arise from the land.

But today the wind is blowing briskly outside and the past few days and nights have been cooler.

Just in time for Autumn.

Bring on those jack-o-lanterns!

(A home decorated for Halloween on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Prescott a few years ago)