52 AND COUNTING

 You may have thought from the title of this post that I was going to show you a card trick.

52 being the number of cards in a deck of playing cards.

But no, it's something else entirely.

It's the number of years that I have known the lady who stands by my side.

Exactly 52 years ago today, in Indianapolis, Indiana, I met a beautiful young lady known as Judy.

I fell instantly in love.

And 89 days later we were married, beginning a long and adventurous life together.

Over the years she has morphed into many things.

Nature lover

Barefoot beach visitor

Mexican sailboat passenger

Tree hugger

Wine lover

Art appreciator

Always a friend to cats

World Traveler with some lout in Monaco in '85

Amused by Beautiful Bruno in a tavern in Innsbruck, Austria

Stunning a Christmas party in Guadalajara, Mexico

There are many, many more images and memories I could share.

Let me just say that it's been a wild and wonderful ride.

A great deck of cards, one might say.

HO-HUM

 I have a long-standing policy of (almost) never getting into political debate on this blog.

But some days the laughable chaos in the sacred Halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. drag me into the fray.

I watched hour upon hour of television coverage of Kevin McCarthy's quest to be anointed the Boy King this past week.

Yesterday evening it nearly came to fisticuffs after the 14th embarrassing ballot left him one vote short.

Actually maybe that might be the right way to settle these fracases: get the leaders of the opposing teams in a ring and let them fight it out bare-knuckles style.

It would probably attract as many or more viewers as the  petulant performance the shameless seekers of power put on this past week.

But now, says King Kevin, it's over and I've won and I can finally hoist the gavel.

Yes, you are the Speaker now but of what?

You appear to have traded away the power of the Throne to achieve the Throne.

How will you govern the rabble to whom you have given the true power.

It's enough to make one's head swim.

And speaking of that, allow me to show you what the BRD foisted on her parents this past Christmas Day.

Yes, though I have commanded that no jigsaw puzzle shall ever enter my abode again after that thousand-piece monstrosity last year, she threw this one at us on a day meant for goodness and charity.

Fortunately it was only (ONLY, he shrieks!) 500 pieces and we finally finished it.

But what of my edict?

It seems I have no more power than the Boy King shall wield.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 It's been a chill first week of the year here in Beautiful Arizona.

Actually it's just been chilly.

Rain, a little snow, but cool, cool temperatures for here in the Central Highlands.

In the 40's and 50's most days but a day or two it never got out of the 30's.

So what shall I do?

Why, warm up the Humor Machine, my dears, and see if all that soon to come exuberant laughter will heat up my bones.

Well you know what they say - one good tern deserves another.

Now if we're all warmed up, let's try, try and try again to have a stupendously sensational weekend!

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

FIREPLACE

 On a cold winter's night there's nothing like a warm crackling fire in the fireplace.

Even if it's just a video on your television screen.

A FRESH START(?)

 Thanks, California!

We awoke to a coating of white as rain and snow entered our state from the West.

But at least, the temperature will top out in the upper 30's today and the infernal snow will not linger for more than a few hours.

Meantime as we deal with a new year and a new calendar . . .

2023

 

A FOGGY EXIT

 The year 2022 is about to come to an end.

With it today we learn of the deaths of Benedict, the retired pope, and of Barbara Walters, the American television personality.

Once again the day is dark and dreary with fog.

It is fitting as we say goodbye to the old "twelve months" that the weather conjures up the words of Edgar Allan Poe in "The Raven" or the mood in the novel "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Arthur Conan Doyle.

I can almost see Sherlock Holmes and his confrère Dr. Watson pursuing the hound over the moors.

But that's for another time.

I shall take these few moments to thank all of my "elves", as someone put it recently, who supply me with the humor that keeps us all entertained.

They know who they are so I shall not name them here.

And I want to thank all of you readers who have tarried here, whether commenting or not.

I wish you all the most splendid days ahead as we turn the calendar page one more time and greet a new year with hope and great anticipation.

But hark! What is that baying sound I hear echoing?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Golly, I bet you've been waiting and waiting for this: the last Friday Funnies of 2022.

But it's not a bit different here in Catalyst's Cave, just the same old, same old.

Hilarity reigning supreme.

Whatever that means.

At any rate, here are some memes to try to tickle your funnybone.

Ah yes, the penultimate punster is still here to wind up the week's venture into laughter and groans.

Now this is the big one.

The final weekend of the year when danger lurks everywhere, what with holiday parties and their uncontrollable consumption of eggnog and Tom-and-Jerry's and holiday punch and all those bottles of bubbly.

Fun and games, right?

But beware: the DUI police are going to be out in force and they've heard all the stories about "But I only had two beers, Ossifer!"

So be careful and take care of yourselves and come back and see us in the New Year.

Oh, but always remember to keep laughing!

Happy New Year, everybody!

Here kitty-kitty . . .

(awwwwww)

SUNNY, HOT ARIZONA

 Not always.

Yesterday the sky was down to the ground, or so it seemed.

The nearby park is known as Mountain Valley Park and a school that abuts it is known as Mountain View Elementary.

But the mountains were not visible yesterday.

This morning, the mountains once again were invisible as a misty fog enveloped the town.

The high temperature has been hovering in the 50's Fahrenheit.

So as Arizona becomes more and more crowded I invite you to  join me in spreading the word: sometimes our Southwestern paradise ain't like those photos from the tourist bureaus.

A RAINY DAY

 

Yes, it's a gray, rainy day here in the Central Highlands/Mountain Foothills of Arizona as the first of three consecutive winter storms blows in.

Up at Flagstaff, 80 miles to the north and a couple of thousand feet higher in altitude, it's a winter wonderland as snow fell throughout the night.

We're expecting maybe a dusting from one or more of the future storms but as for today, it's just a drizzling rain.

At this rate it won't do much for our drought but it's a welcome sight anyway.

DUCK!

 I was scanning through some of my fellow bloggers' posts today and saw this one from RedPat up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, being surprised about the absence of ducks in a favorite spot.

Quite by coincidence, Judy and I happened upon this scene at one of our local lakes.

I have been by this lake many, many times and never have I seen this many ducks on it.

The surface was covered with ducks, everywhere we looked.

Judy commented that RedPat's ducks must have all flown south for the winter and landed on our little lake.

Right down in front of us was a small cluster of birds circling over something.

They were drawing quite a bit of attention from other waterfowl that swam over to see what was going on and some even joined the pack and circled with the rest.

Meanwhile, a young lad was being encouraged by his parents to toss some food to a bigger swarm and he was complying.

All in all, a surprising but good day at the park.

(Sorry we stole your ducks, Pat!)

BOXING DAY

 

CHRISTMAS WITH THE CATALYST

 I know what you're thinking.

"Sheesh. How much longer can he keep this up?"

But it's not me.

Or anyway it's not only me.

You see, as I have explained before, I am only the curator.

My "staff" supply all or most of the humor on this blog.

I just present it.

So probably for the last time this year here are a few more Christmas presents.