APPROACHING - PARTE DECIMA - THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 It's the tenth day of this ill-thought-out March Toward Christmas.

I don't know about you but I'm getting more than a little sick of it.

But here at the International Headquarters of Oddball Observations, I throw myself (and my co-conspirators contributors) into the fray.

Hmm, I wonder what "fray" means.

Oh well, whatever it means, here are your end-of-the-week enterainments.

I hope you were delighted with this silly string of sidesplitting slapstick.

And I hope that you will have a sensibly insane weekend.

Remember, Santa is coming.

Oh, and always, always, always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . or is it kitties . . . )

NEARING - PARTE NOVE

 You may notice that I am no longer using the word "countdown" in my derisory "Countdown to Christmas" . . .

Oh drat, there I did it again.

Oh well, call it a "countdown" or, what it actually is, a "count-up" and I'll just stand on the sidelines and watch the fun.

Because fun, you see, is what this is all about.

Or removing the first comma makes that sentence even more meaningful.

Because "fun you see" is really what this is about.

And now that I've nattered for way too long, here it is.

DA DUM, DA DUM - PARTE OTTO

In our continuing program of Education for the Elderly it has been pointed out to me that a "countdown" means that the numbers are reduced each day.

i.e. (id est, for you Latin lovers) 5-4-3-2-1.

Whereas while I have been referring to my absurd ticking off the days until Christmas arrives as a "countdown", I actually have been increasing the number of days left each day.

So what I have been doing is NOT a "countdown".

It is, in reality, a "count-up".

I shall not identify the pedantic chap who pointed this out to me to save him from being slurred, threatened and perhaps stoned in public.

And besides, I should get points for doing my "count" in Italian.

Ergo, we shall point out that today is Day Eight in my CountUp to Christmas and here's your daily dash of drollery.

GETTING CLOSER - PARTE SETTIMA

 It's the seventh day of my wretched Countdown to Christmas and I have declined the suggestion of London based Steve Reed to announce the day in Icelandic rather than Italian.

I mean, how would you pronounce Sjöti Hluti anyway?

So we shall continue our language lessons from the land of pizza and pasta.

And, by the way, inject some holiday humor into your humdrum schedule.

ONE WEEK TO GO - PARTE SESTA

 I hope you all are appreciating your Italian lessons as I continue my supercilious Countdown to Christmas.

It's next Monday, y'know, and Joy of Joys - another three day weekend!

So let us continue to put some Christmas spirit into your jaded selves.

(Note: I did not say "elves".)

XMAS - PARTE QUINTA

 I have a little classwork for you today.

First, you have to look at yesterday's post and then find Granny Sue's comment.

Then come back for this:

Next, you have to find Debby's comment yesterday and then come back for this:

That is all.

You may now resume your holiday joyfulness.

C-DAY - PARTE QUARTA

 Yes, it's Day Four of my ridiculous Countdown to Christmas.

Here's your Daily Dose of Drollery.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES (CHRISTMAS - PARTE TERZA)

 In case you've been wondering what those strange words are in my Post Titles (and I know that you have but you're all just too polite to inquire about them) and you're not a polymath like the Cheerful Monk, it's Italian.

And each one tells you what day it is in my ridiculous Countdown to Christmas.

For example, today is Parte Terza.

Or Part Three.

Oh the lengths we Senile Senior Citizens go to amuse ourselves.

At any rate, it's not only Parte Terza or Part Three or the Third Day of my inane Countdown to Christmas, it's (more importantly) FRIDAY!

And you know what that means.

(And if you don't, you just haven't been paying attention.)

So that's it for your Festive Friday, full of fun and frolic.

Now I want you all to forget the shopping, the decorating, the cooking and cleaning, and try to have yourselves a wonderful carefree weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

(No matter how hard it is.)

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

CHRISTMAS - SECONDA PARTE

Dreams are the strangest things, don't you think?

For some reason when I woke this morning I realized I had been dreaming about an international Zoom call between a friend of mine and her son in some foreign land.

But before she could even say "Hello", he joyfully blasted music out through the ether to her.

But the r-e-a-l-l-y strange part of this dream was that the music was "Papa Loves Mambo"!

That's a song I haven't heard or thought of in years and I had to Google it to find the most popular version of it was recorded by Perry Como in 1954!

Now try to explain that because I sure can't.

And if I started the earworm for you just understand that I've had it going through my head for hours.

So, you're welcome.

And now let's continue our countdown to Christmas.

CHRISTMAS - PARTE UNO

 Okay, you've got me.

I know, I know, it's the Christmas season.

There are a lot of other holidays being celebrated now too, y'know.

But Christmas tops them all, it seems, so let us begin.

And while you're enjoying the following, think of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Zarathosht Diso.

If you're not acquainted with these the Almighty, All-Knowing Google is a good reference point.

Okay, I said "let us begin" and let's.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

TOO GOOD TO SAVE

 My Christmas elves have been busy and one of them sent this to me a few minutes ago.

I laughed (groaned) and instantly knew I couldn't hang onto it until Friday.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

 It's that time of year once again.

Christmas Season, when people for some unexplained reason put colored lights and inflatable (or not) decorations in front of their places of residence.

For example, here is a photo taken last night in snowy Minot, North Dakota.

That's the home of my cousin, Cherie, who always decorates to the max.

It's a tradition that goes back decades, to when her late father used to clamber around on the roof well into his 80's putting lighted reindeer and Santas and sleighs up there.

Fortunately my cousin, who is only a few months younger than I am, hasn't continued that tradition.

When I spoke to her last night I told her it looked like Las Vegas.

She said "thank you"!

And I have no idea what those blue blotches are supposed to represent.

I could only think "snowflakes" and Elvis Presley's song "Blue Christmas".

Oh well, it gives her joy and she has a nephew to do the decorating for her.

Down here in Arizona many people do the same, lighting up the neighborhood with elaborate displays.

On the other hand, here's the extent of my outside decorating.

Give me some credit.

At least I didn't put out a lighted "Bah, Humbug" sign.

GOODIES

I made Snickerdoodles yesterday.

A traditional holiday cinnamon cookie.

The only problem was that the recipe only makes a dozen and a half and they're going fast with just the two of us spoiling ourselves.

I've been thinking I may have to make another batch today!

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Lost anything?

Good news: today is Lost and Found Day!

Well, it's also the second day of Hanukkah.

And it's Jim Morrison's birthday, even though he's not around to celebrate it.

But one who will be celebrating a birthday today is Onika Tanya Maraj, who was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on this day in 1982.

Oh, she changed her name awhile back.

It's Nicki Minaj now.

Lessee, oh yeah, I almost forgot: here in America it's National Lard Day.

But more important, it's National Brownie Day - eat up!

And of most absolutely outstanding importance: it's Friday!

But, sorry to say, it's a Friday for Word Humor.

Meaning, no cartoons.

So suck it up, fellow comedy lovers.

No, no, wait, don't do that, I'm not through yet!

Okay, I'll give you one cartoon.

Now I hope you're satisfied.

Maybe we can all get on with our day.

So here's my wish.

I wish you all will apply yourselves to the task at hand: having an exemplary weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . oh so you've brought a friend, have you . . )

LEAF ME ALONE!

 I know you're probably getting bored with this but visiting the leaf-covered parking lot again when taking Judy to PT, I had an idea.

I picked up one of the leaves and brought it home with us to display how huge these Sycamore leaves are, using the aforementioned SWMBO as a model.

As you can see, it completely covers her face.

And, as you can see, she's standing on her own using only one hand to steady herself.

I think she's making great progress in recovering from her knee replacement surgery.

After doing 20 step-ups at her physical therapy session today, she's not so sure.

So let's leaf her alone, shall we?

WICKED WEDNESDAY

 I should have thought to use this yesterday to accompany my photos of fallen leaves.

But, better late than never.

Meantime, in Canada . . .

I've become a little more daring in my food choices in my later years.

I've had and enjoyed some Thai curries and last night for dinner we had an Indian dish, Chicken Tikki Masala.

All delicious.

Take a chance, folks, you never know what your taste buds may enjoy.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

 This was one of many big leaves in the parking lot when I took Judy to her PT appointment yesterday.

It's a good reason we call the season "Fall".

In this photo I included my big foot for comparison to another leaf.

I think they all (the leaves, that is) came from this tree or others like it.

Judy said it is a Sycamore Tree.

And, by the way, the FedEx driver smiled and nodded as he entered the parking lot and observed me taking a picture.

I guess he thought I was photographing him!

Monday, Monday

Ah, the weekend is over and we're back to another work week.

Well for some of you.

Speaking for myself, as an old guy on his porch, it's just another glorious week in retirement.

And speaking of old, apparently I fooled a few of you with one of the memes in the past Friday Funnies.

That one apparently stumped some of you.

So here's the explanation, from one of the early forerunners of  rock and roll music, Bill Haley and the Comets.

Just the fact that I remembered that song from the 1950's shows you how old I am

Now that that's all straightened out, we can go on to other items in the news.

Judy continues to improve from her knee replacement surgery as she comes up on one month with her latest bionics.

She's moving about more easily and with less dependence on her rollator and the pain is lessening . . . . somewhat.

Another physical therapy session is scheduled for this afternoon so we'll see how she does.

I just finished reading my latest book from the library last night, The Last Gunfight by Jeff Guinn, which purports to be the true story of the battle at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.

I've been fascinated by the legend of that fight for years.

And if Guinn's book is to be believed, legend is a good way to describe it.

Wyatt Earp appears to be far from the "good guy" image portrayed in movies and television shows and the gunfight never occurred in the O.K. Corral at all but in a vacant lot off another street.

Be that as it may, it was a good read.

The weather has turned cold here in my part of Arizona.

Cold by my standards, with highs only reaching the 50's F. for awhile.

But this week it's supposed to top out at near 70 and I'm ready for it.

That may sound strange if you know I grew up in North Dakota, only about 50 miles from the Canadian border, but I've been gone a long time and I've lived in Arizona over half of my life so my blood has thinned.

Have a great week, youngsters!