STURM UND DRANG

The rumbling of thunder yesterday evening brought me out to view the sky.

It looked like some Labor Day weekend barbecues were about to be ruined.

The ominous clouds moved around the sky as we sat and watched but that distant rainfall stayed distant.

My friend Phil was out touring the countryside (and a stop for pork sliders and beer!) but returned home to Chino Valley to find a neighborhood covered in hail stones.

He said Sedona also got hail.

But here in the friendly confines of Prescott Valley the precipitation just hopped past  and no hail fell to bug us.

SPICY TOM

Do you know what that is?

I'll give you a hint.

The picture was taken on our rear patio yesterday evening as the sun was heading over the yardarm, so to speak.

Okay, I'll tell you.

The red orb was the tiniest but perfect little cherry tomato from our vine.

I'd say about half an inch in diameter.

Judy plucked it and handed it to me and I . . . .

. . . . dropped it into my glass of vodka and soda.

SWMBO has taught me to never eat fruit or vegetables without washing them first but after 20 minutes or so of floating in that concoction I figured it was clean and popped it into my mouth.

Wow!

I've always heard of how much better a freshly grown tomato is from the kind you buy in the grocery store but had never really noticed it myself.

But this little rascal exploded with wonderful spicy tomato flavor in my mouth.

I may have just invented a new version of the "martini with three olives".

SATURDAY SATORI

The BRD sent a couple of pictures for, as she said, "your Saturday".

Um, thanks, daughter.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Oh joy.

Oh thoughts of reckless abandon.

Oh moments of fickle fun.

It's FRIDAY!

And, of course, that brings us to the Friday Funnies!

So turn on your Giggle Control Module.

All right, then, I think you Gentle Readers have been entertained.

Now it's time for you to zip into a zany weekend, singing zealously from atop a ziggurat, sizzling a steak on the grill and ending your meal with zabaglione and a general zombification before catching some z's.

But always remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

SPEAKING OF GAYLE . . .

. . . oh, I wasn't?

Well I should, more often.

The BRD came over to help her mother out with a little but strenuous project and afterwards the three of us went to lunch.

It was fun.

The lunch, that is.

HOT ENOUGH FOR YA?

Chill, baby.

R.I.P.

John McCain

August 29, 1936 - August 25, 2018

A Public Servant

A NEW TOWN CELEBRATES ITS GROWTH

The town I live in, Prescott Valley, Arizona, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this weekend.

In 1978, the year it was incorporated, around 1,500 people lived here.

Now the population is around 45,000 and it is the 20th largest city in Arizona.

(The much older city of Prescott stands at 23rd.)

All of which is to say that the town is whooping it up this weekend.

The streets that run past the town's civic center have been blocked off and food trucks are in place.

Just a few steps away a classic car show is taking center stage.

A car I longed for before I was old enough to drive, a 1950 MG.

The rear of it sported a classy leather suitcase embossed with labels of where it might have traveled back in the day.

On down the street, cars in a myriad of bright colors.

A row of reds, anchored by a very rare Reatta.

Handmade by the Buick Motor Company, it only lasted a few years, due to vibration problems.

The owner of this one said there are a grand total of six members of the Reatta club in Arizona.

Here's one from my era - a '55 Chevy.

A classic and patriotic T-Bird.

The owner of this old buggy told me he was ordered to shave twice a day when he was in the army because of his quick-growing beard.

He said when he got out in 1957 he said "that's it" and he hadn't shaved since.

His lady told me it had been cut back from time to time because of danger from campfires and he said it had been down to his waist at one time or another.

The owner of this beautiful piece of work obviously has a sense of humor.

Check out the rear window.

There were some other indications of humor on display.

A hood "ornament".

That dog may be down to bones but he's still gripping his bone!

A California visitor showed off a shirt from an earlier car show.

Oh and there were at least a couple of what are known as "rat rods".

Nearby, the Theatre on the Green Main Stage was busily being wired for sound in preparation for two days of events and musical concerts.

The weekend includes an Antiques Roadshow style event, a free ice cream social, tribute bands, the largest fireworks show in Northern Arizona and much more.

This little town has come a long way from its earliest days.